Cambodia
On our first visit to Cambodia in 2004, we discovered an unmandated, government-run education system with numerous children unable to consider going to school. Even those fortunate enough to attend school for the half-day offered were subjected to an experience more akin to babysitting than actual teaching. The curriculum focused on learning to write their names and grasp the most basic mathematical concepts. The system was inadequate to foster social advancement and to provide a means of escaping systematic poverty.
English Immersion
Technology Center
Women’s Empowerment
Traditional Arts
Kaleidoscopeβs journey
Inspired by the best practices of other Cambodian NGOs, we established two learning centers. Our main campus is located in the heart of Siem Reap, while the second is situated in a rural village named Nokor Krau. Weβve adopted and tested multiple inclusive curricula for students learning English as an additional language, essential life skills, scientific principles, technological advancements, and mathematical concepts. Together, these schools serve over 600 children from these areas and the surrounding villages.
Today
The future in Cambodia is bright! Our supplementary education programs, beyond the conventional government school experience, are equipping students with crucial skills. Since our arrival in 2004, the country has undergone remarkable modernization. Tourism has provided local English-speaking children with diverse career opportunities, spanning various fields such as commerce, business administration, architecture, graphic design, hotel management, and hospitality.
Teachers: Finding the Very Best
While recruiting the best teachers in India is relatively easy, the process in Cambodia is more challenging. Lured by higher salaries in the tourism industry, finding and retaining excellent teachers is an ongoing struggle. Consequently, when we find good teachers, we continuously work with them to nurture and maintain their commitment.
Next Steps
In collaboration with the promising young minds at Emory Universityβs Rollins School of Public Health, we have developed our long-term strategy for sustained success. Our recommendations aim to enhance our educational services and address the potential challenges associated with our program delivery.
Cambodia Spotlights
Chantheany Leng
School Administrator
β A first-generation survivor of the Khmer Rouge, βTheanyβ (tee-in-ay) has served as Kaleidoscope Child Foundationβs administrator and principal director in Cambodia since 2009. Her tireless devotion to quality education and her longtime partnership with founder David Ault have been vital to the foundationβs growth and impact.
Words from Theany
ααΆαααΆαα±ααΆααααααΎαααΌαα’αααααααααααααααΆααα αααα»αααΈαα·ααα»ααΆαα αααΎαααΆααααΆαα ααΊααΆααΏαααΎαααΈα’αααΈααααα½αααΎαααααΆαααα·αααΆα’αΆα ααΎαα‘αΎαα ααααααααααα»ααΆ ααΆαααα½ααααααααΆαααΆαα½αα ααααααααα’αααααΆααα’αααααα»αα’αααααΆαααΌααα·αα·αα»ααΆαααΆα‘αααΌααααΌα (Kaleidoscope Child Foundation) α αΎααααα»ααααααΉαααΆ α’ααααααααΆαααααααααΆ αα·αααααΎααΆαααΆαα½ααα½αααΎα ααααΆαα’αΆααααααααΌα ααααΆα
ααΆαααΆαα±ααΆααααααΎαααΌαα’αααααααααααααααΆααα αααα»αααΈαα·ααα»ααΆαα αααΎαααΆααααΆαα ααΊααΆααΏαααΎαααΈα’αααΈααααα½αααΎαααααΆαααα·αααΆα’αΆα ααΎαα‘αΎαα ααααααααααα»ααΆ ααΆαααα½ααααααααΆαααΆαα½αα ααααααααα’αααααΆααα’αααααα»αα’αααααΆαααΌααα·αα·αα»ααΆαααΆα‘αααΌααααΌα (Kaleidoscope Child Foundation) α αΎααααα»ααααααΉαααΆ α’ααααααααΆαααααααααΆ αα·αααααΎααΆαααΆαα½ααα½αααΎα ααααΆαα’αΆααααααααΌα ααααΆα
In Translation
βTo have the opportunity to create such lasting meaning in the lives of thousands of children is beyond what we ever thought possible. Cambodia has been blessed by the contributions of everyone involved with Kaleidoscope Child Foundation, and I hope that those who visited and worked alongside us feel the same.β
Meet Rithy!
A bright and determined 13-year-old student in 8th grade and Level 3 English at our school in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Despite living with Short Stature Growth Disorder (skeletal dysplasia) and undergoing multiple surgeries (with a third scheduled for August 2025), Rithyβs resilience shines. For the past four years, she has often walked to class in spite of pain and discomfortβdriven by her love for learning.
She lives with her parents and three older sisters in a two-room house. Her father drives a tuk-tuk and her mother is a cook.
An extraordinary conversationalist, Rithy is passionate about English and dreams of becoming an architect. She is currently studying AutoCAD and computer skills alongside her regular coursework. Her warmth and joy are felt instantly, and her dedication is an inspiration to us all.
Meet Chanthea!
At just 25, Chanthea has been teaching English at Kaleidoscopeβs Siem Reap campus since 2021, guiding 63 eager students toward brighter futures. Growing up in Cambodiaβs struggling public school system, she experienced firsthand the challenges of underfunded educationβstudying in classrooms with leaking palm leaf roofs and few resources.
Her journey changed when she was invited to study at Kaleidoscope, where her rapid mastery of English led to her becoming an assistant, then full-time teacher. Now in her second year of university, which she funds herself, Chanthea is passionate about shaping the future of her students and her country.
She lives with her parents and siblings in a modest home without a refrigerator or stove, cooking over a coal fire. Despite these conditions, her dedication and belief in the power of education continue to inspire everyone around her.
