Amongst the many aspects contributing to a child’s wellbeing, having a place where they can call home is fundamental to their physical, emotional, and academic development. The absence of a secure home hinders our children’s potential to thrive in life. At REACH, our holistic approach always strives to factor in the children’s support system and their environment, so they can effectively learn the skills and utilize our resources for their educational and career advancement.

In Cambodia, home displacement is a common occurrence due to the turbulent weather conditions and in recent years, forced eviction by local authorities. With many people living in extreme poverty, the option to have a good quality house is limited to nonexistent. Having shelter is crucial for the welfare of our children, especially when we encourage them to focus on their academics and remain in school. When families are preoccupied with basic survival, such as finding a place to sleep, education is no longer their priority.  

Last year, we were devastated to learn about one of our students and her family who were displaced and forced to live in a makeshift shelter 30km from her home village. Thankfully, our corporate sponsor Shelter Real Estate came forward and offered to build the family a new home. Through this blog, we explain how we worked on a solution with our in-country partner Heartprint. Together, we saw the outcome of this global collaboration and were once again reassured that what we do matters. 

Zali introducing herself to the guardians during our Rice Rewards session.

For those that don’t know, Shelter Real Estate has been an ardent supporter of REACH since November 2023.  

Zali, the founder of Shelter Real Estate, has known our founder Emily when she was younger. Their paths reconnected years later, and a casual coffee meeting blossomed into a remarkable partnership.  

Shelter Real Estate’s generosity and belief in our cause continue to tremendously impact our effort to support Cambodian children and their families. They have not only been sponsoring our Rice Rewards Program but also initiating the Walk or Run for Reach charity challenge. To date, we have been able to give at least 20,000kg of rice and 19,000 eggs to more than 100 families, host workshops on significant topics such as inclusion, and award our guardian volunteers for their support in our Health and Nutrition program.  

REACH Staff proudly holding Shelter Real Estate’s sign.

Taking it beyond Rice Rewards, they further gifted us with a sponsorship that has enabled REACH to provide a house for one of our most dedicated students, Sona. This was a huge steppingstone for Sona and her family as they adjusted to the challenges after displacement.  

During her recent visit to REACH, we asked Zali why she decided to partner her business with our programs. Zali reflects that “It’s not really about having an amazing life; it’s literally about survival. I believe we have a responsibility to give back, assist and provide, in whatever ways we can, for those that don’t have the opportunities we have…and our business has a social conscience, so we want to help.” REACH and our team wholeheartedly appreciate Zali and Shelter Real Estate for always staying beside us to respond to our community’s urgent needs. 

Our effort to provide a safe, comfortable home for Sona and her family would also not have been possible without our local partnership with Heartprint. Heartprint and their team have always been supportive of REACH and continue to do so when they take on the house building project. We are grateful that they were onboard with us in this endeavor.  

Below is a case study of Sona’s story, the struggles her family endures, and an optimistic outcome from our collaboration with Shelter Real Estate and Heartprint.   

Heartprint Team working hard to build Sona’s home.

Sona’s story is a testament that determination and resilience can overcome any obstacles. Sona and her family lived on Apsara Authority’s land for many years. In 2022, they were one of the thousands of families forced to relocate from Angkor Park to Run Ta Ek, a village 30km away from Siem Reap city. This sudden displacement put a huge burden on Sona as she was still in Grade 12 and her family had to adjust to a new place with their difficult financial situation. The whole family had been living in a house made from stacked metal pieces of zinc that under extreme heat can become unbearably hot and offer no protection from the rain. In addition, the area they relocated to was almost barren with little trees to provide shade from the heat.  

REACH staff and Sona planting trees for shade around the new house.

We funded Sona’s petrol costs, so that she could make the 1-hour commute back and forth from Run Ta Ek into town to attend her classes at REACH. We were impressed by her tenacity to show up every single day, despite confronting adversity. Upon successfully completing Grade 12, Sona became a full-time intern with REACH. We also managed to help her secure a scholarship from SE Asia Foundation to attend University of South-East Asia where she will pursue a teaching degree. Sona’s commitment to self-development is admirable, but her passion for giving back to the community is even more inspiring. During her time as our intern, she worked hard to help other children succeed in their educational and professional journey. Seeing her drive and dedication, REACH has decided to welcome her onboard with the team as a full-time Level 1 English Teacher. She is now living in Siem Reap city and can financially support her entire family back in Run Ta Ek with a portion of her income.   

Please watch the video below to see the construction process and what Sona and her family think of their newly built house!  

Sona’s uplifting story showcases that determination and resilience prevail against all odds. Home displacement is one of the main challenges families face without legal land titles. Being able to offer a sustainable solution to the shelter issue is crucial in supporting the children’s wellbeing. We are filled with immense gratitude to Shelter Real Estate and Heartprint for this meaningful collaboration, for stepping up and choosing to make a difference, so that Sona and her family are never alone in this fight. We hope our collective effort will be the first of many as we recognize how one tiny step could turn into a leap that takes our students closer to achieving their dreams. Together, we are empowering lives towards a brighter tomorrow.  

Sona and her family standing in front of their newly constructed home.

We are always seeking more engaging opportunities and partnership with like-minded corporates such as Shelter Real Estate that bring about inspired success like Sona’s story. If you believe in being part of a meaningful cause for poverty alleviation and making an impact through your work, please reach out to Emily at emily@reachsiemreap.org to start a conversation.