My name is Voleak and I am a native Siem Reaper. I live with my mother and two younger sisters, and my father passed away before I graduated high school. Growing up, our family has never been well-off, and my parents did not even finish primary school. Yet, they both have always believed in education, and their support has played a huge role in shaping me into the person that I am today.  

I attended local government school until the third grade when I received a scholarship to attend Jay Pritzker Academy (JPA) where I learned English full time along with the Cambodian curriculum. I would say that the education and opportunities I received at JPA is a privilege, but learning English as a second language was very challenging to me in those early years. Fortunately, I came to discover my passion for reading and through books, I was able to improve my English tremendously. I am a big fan of Harry Potter, but my favorite book of all time is The Kite Runner by Khaled Housseini! 

Through JPA’s exchange programs, I ventured out on overseas study for the first time in my life to Adelaide, Australia and then Florence, Italy.  It was these trips that sparked the curiosity and ambition of mine to study abroad, which was a dream realized later when I received a full-ride scholarship from Beloit College and SHE-CAN to study in the United States. I double majored in sociology and creative writing with the hope that I can continue my career path in social services focusing on educational access. I spent three years studying in Beloit and one year abroad in Ireland and South Korea. After graduation, I worked in Wisconsin for almost a year with a local non-profit that supports survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.  

I decided to return to Cambodia because I have always been committed to come back home and use my skills and experiences to make a difference in my community. There are still many children and youth in Cambodia who drop out of school for various reasons; I have witnessed my childhood friends leave grade school to work as construction workers or other menial labor for very little earnings because they did not have the resources to continue studying. I’ve seen some major changes in my hometown since coming back, such as the availability of more public libraries and the effort from local schools to improve their curriculum and teaching quality. Yet, I think we still have a long way to go as a country, which is why I decided to join REACH Siem Reap as their Content & Campaign Officer. During my visit, I was truly amazed and impressed by the organization’s mission and approach to addressing poverty and education. Just like how JPA made such a lasting impact in my life, I am thrilled to be part of the team working to change another child’s life for the better.