PONHEARY LY FOUNDATION CANADA

“We will educate our children.”

“We will do it one by one…”

“Step by step.”

-- Ponheary Ly

Ponheary Ly has made it her life’s mission to help poor children in rural Cambodia.

She provides them with an education… medical care… …clean drinking water…

…and breakfast, every day, so that they can learn.

China

India

Cambodia, in the heart of South-East Asia, experienced a brutal civil war in the 70s.

In 1975, the Khmer Rouge swept to power, and

established a brutal regime.

They emptied the cities.

They created forced labour camps in the countryside.

"To keep you is no benefit. To destroy you is no loss."

Their motto was:

It was the most lethal regime of the 20th century.

Over 7 million Cambodians lost their lives.

During the Khmer Rouge times, having an education didn't just

make you a target.

It was a death sentence.

Ponheary Ly comes from a family of educators.

Her father was a teacher. He was killed by the Khmer Rouge.

Ponheary herself was attacked, and left for dead.

In the ensuing decades of occupation, civil war and poverty, Ponheary became a teacher and, in secret, learned how to speak French and English.

In 1998, when Cambodia opened up to Westerners, the temples of Angkor Wat became a major tourist destination.

Ponheary became a much sought-after tour guide.

As tourism grew,

Ponheary began seeing more and more children working outside the temples.

selling trinkets and postcards to tourists .

She made a commitment to help these children return to school.

The tourists she guided began to get interested.

They began to help, donating money to support her efforts.

One of them started a charity in the USA: The Ponheary Ly Foundation (PLF)

Now, in 2011, with the help of the PLF, Ponheary supports four schools and hundreds of children in and around Siem Reap.

Many of Cambodia's rural children are in poor health. They battle malaria, dengue fever and severe malnourishment.