We at CYS believe it is extremely important to look at the bigger picture when considering factors that influence our students’ well-being. Many young Cambodians feel pressured into taking low-income jobs so that they can support their relatives. This causes not only stress and anxiety but also prevents them from receiving an education and pursuing their dreams.
Our member, Srey Pit, experienced this hardship when her grandmother’s house began to deteriorate. As the sole provider for her family, Srey Pit was put in the position to rush her education in order to keep her family safe. With the help of our supporters, we were able to find a solution for this situation by providing a new home for her grandmother, which allows Srey Pit the peace of mind to continue working toward her dreams and a better future for them all.
Please read Srey Pit's story in her own words:
Hello everybody!
My name is Srey Pit. I’m 22 years old. I don’t have parents because they died when I was very young. But I have a grandmother, who always took care of me when I was small. She is very poor, and that is the reason why I grew up in a children’s village from Austria.
Right now I’m working as a waitress at R&S restaurant in Phnom Penh. Sometimes I feel very stressed because I have to take care of my grandmother and my little cousin. They are alone and I feel responsible for them because I am the only person in our family that earns money. My grandmother is 79 years old and she is very sick. She has high blood pressure and suffers from cardiac insufficiency. I worry about her all the time.
The house that she lives in, which is also the house that I grew up in, is extremely old. It was built before the Pol Pot Regime, and the wood is entirely rotten at this point. It is also very crooked and I worry that it will collapse eventually. It is not a safe place for my grandmother and my cousin and it makes me very sad.
This is the reason why I asked Julian if we can build a new house for them. Now it is almost completely finished and I am so happy. It is small but it is made of brick and it has a good roof, so they are safe from the weather and the seasons.
Thank you for always helping me, brother Julian and Cambodian Youth Support.
And thank you, dear supporters, that you helped to build my grandma’s house.
I wish you all the best!
In love,
Srey Pit
