True Story of Student from Koh Kong Province, Cambodia

Student from Koh Kong province is allowed me to write down his background and he wants to reveal all his experiences to students in Cambodia that have met many obstacles in life to be struggle for those obstacles successfully. His name is Pal Kep and age is 23 years old this year. He is living away from his parent and his homeland in Phnom Penh. Before he stays in Phnom Penh, he has a lot of experiences in life such a sad life and happy life.

When he was 8 years old, he studied in primary school, and he had no time enough to study like other children because he spent his time to fish in the sea for supporting his family’s living.

Cambodia student named Pal Kep 

 In 2001, He moved from his homeland to live with his grandma in Kom Pot province to continue his study in grade 8. At that time, he went to study in grade 8 by old bicycle (Khmer bicycle) and he did a job as a palm juice maker. He took time from his study to make sugar palm juice as a sugar then sold it at cost 1500 KHR per Kilo and he only made 5 kilos per day. He did this job till he graduated in grade 9. 

In 2008, he was changed to study in Hun Sen Boriva high school with age was 16 years old. It was not good for Pal Kep because his school was far away from his home that made him difficult to go to study. Even though he met this problem, he thought that it’s just a small thing and it is not a barrier that makes him can’t reach the success. Then he found way by stopping from his current job as a palm juice maker and caught new skill as bicycle repairer on side-walk of the street. At that time, Pal Kep was very tired nearly every day.

In 2009, He was moved to downtown of Koh Kong Province because his mother wanted him to live with Excellency Chin Sophal for continue his study in grand 11. Pal Kep feel so different when he stayed at downtown of Koh Kong province. At that time, Pal Kep was tough by Excellency Chin Sophal about how to sell sugar-cane because Excellency Chin Sophal wanted Pal Kep can earn money to support his extra class program.

In 2010, He was passed in grade 11 to study in grad 12. It is the year that he tried his outmost to have an exam preparation for national examination to get good mark when he graduates in high school. At time, he needed a lot of money to support his study and also his living. So he took his time from his study to have a job as a motor taxi and selling fish in the market. Unfortunately, Excellency Chin Sophal moved to live in Sihaknouk vile that made Pal Kep feel lonely. Excellency Chin Sophal didn’t support Pal Kep anymore because he had financial problem in his family.Sometime Pal Kep had no sufficient money to buy food, so he had no choice besides eating rice with salty combined with salmon. He did so nearly every day. Then Pal Kep decided to apply one job in restaurant with salary $60 per month.

In 2011, he graduated grade 12 (Bac II). Then he needed to continue his study in Phnom Penh. When he arrived in Phnom Penh, he had no money. He tried to find one job in Phnom Penh then he found one job as a waiter in noodle shop near Sovanna central market and stayed in that shop too.

One month later, he got 50% on scholarship of banking and financial field from one university and that university demanded him to pay $100 per years. Unfortunately, he didn’t have enough money to pay the study fee, so he decided to borrow from his boss to pay instead.

 It was a hard life again of Pal Kep because he studied at 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm. After school he didn’t have time to eat something because he had to work for noodle shop for 2 shifts--shift 1 at 6:00 am to 10:30 am and shift 2 at 3:00 pm to 11:00 pm. He could eat rice when shop had no customer. He could be relaxed in condition of shop closed at 11:30 pm and he spent his 30 minutes to review the lessons then went to sleep at 12:00 pm. He didn’t sleep enough nearly every day and when he studied, he always felt fast asleep in the class.

 In 2012, he studied in 2nd year; He resigned from noodle shop to apply another job as an administrative officer in one company where near his previous work-place. New job isn’t hard like old job, but he have to spend on rental fee. He work only one shift from 8:00 pm to 5:00 pm and he changed his study shift to evening at time 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

 Presently, he is studying in 3rd year of banking and financial field and working as an administrative officer in one company in Cambodia. In the future, he wants to run his own business and to be a politician.

 Contact Pal Kep via Facebook click here