“I never believed that I could do it,” said Chhoeung Channy as she reflected on her path to becoming a community preschool teacher in her village in Kampong Chhnang Province, Cambodia. Channy did not have any experience teaching before taking the position, but she has quickly become recognized as the best and youngest community preschool teacher involved in the project in Kampong Chhnang. Although other teachers have more experience teaching, Channy’s passion, commitment, and dedication to her community have made her an outstanding preschool teacher. However, her journey to success required a great deal of dedication and hard work.

After Channy graduated high school in 2014, she stayed at home with her younger brother and adoptive family to help earn income by selling Prohok, a fermented fish paste widely used in Cambodian cuisine. However, Channy always had dreams for a different future. She explained, “I wanted to continue my studies at university and become a teacher, but I failed the [entrance] exam in 2015. I wanted to leave my home to find a job, but I was worried because I never [lived away from my village] before.”

Channy has been no stranger to adversity in her life. When she was young, her father left the family for another woman. Then, when Channy was in ninth grade, her mother passed away. Since that time, she and her brother have lived with an adoptive family. When her future prospects were thrown into question after high school, it seemed to Channy that her destiny was immutable and her station in life predetermined. 

However, things were about to change for Channy. She recounted, “In 2016, Save the Children started working in my village and I was recruited by the village chief to be a Parenting Facilitator. We needed a facilitator to lead the parenting group, but no one wanted to do this job because most of my friends and neighbors [were busy] working as garment [factory] employees. 

“I attended the master training organized by the Provincial Office of Education and the District Office of Education and supported by Save the Children. I was surprised…I loved the sessions, and it made me want to work with the community, especially with children. After a year [of being the Parenting Facilitator], the Commune Council announced [they were looking for] community preschool teachers, and then I was selected as the community preschool teacher in my village.” 

Local officials and parents saw something special in Channy’s attitude and commitment, and recommended that the Commune Council select her for the role. Ms. Pho Somaly, an Early Childhood Education Officer from the District Office of Education, explained the decision, “Channy was selected as a community preschool [teacher] because most of the parents in her village knew about her capacity [to] facilitate the parenting group, and they believed she could [be a community preschool teacher]. She loves the children; she [was willing] because most of the youths and mothers in this village have migrated to work as garment factory laborers. She is an orphan, and she uses the salary to support her studies at university.”

Initially, Channy was unsure about her ability to transition into the new role. “It was the first time in my life teaching children… I felt it required a lot of hard work, and managing the students in the class was not easy. However, I tried to learn through reading books, talking with other community preschool teachers, and seeking support from the school principal and getting feedback from Provincial and District Education Officers when they visited for class monitoring. I always had an open heart to receive constructive feedback and comments, and I was attending master trainings conducted by the Provincial and District Offices of Education. I felt confident after [all of this], and [now] I can do it.” 

Through her hard work and dedication, Channy has earned the respect of other teachers in her community. “[Channy] has a good attitude, high commitment, and tries to learn how to teach the students. She has a good habit of coming early before school starts, and goes home late. She has a willingness to learn, is professional, and she has methods of inspiring the children in her class,” said Phat Sophy, School Director. 

Channy is proud of her accomplishments through the project, “I have gained a lot of knowledge and good experience helping children in the community and providing them basic knowledge. I spend my free time studying at university, because I can use my salary to support my university degree. I wish to be a [certified] teacher in the future. Now, I passed the state teacher [entrance exam for preschool teachers] in 2018.” This was no small feat for Channy, having failed once in the past. This time, there were 17 candidates sitting for the exam, but Channy was the only one who passed.

Channy’s passion and dedication show no signs of decreasing. “I never had experience [teaching], but I never gave up because I love my students and my community. I [recently] got married and I hope I can apply all the lessons that I learnt with my children in the future; I think it is very important to teach our children if we want to see them become good citizens.  I would like to say thank you very much to Save the Children for supporting me and giving me this opportunity to change my life to be better in the future.”