Alison’s visit to the PEPY Ride School

Returning to the school was a wonderful experience. At first glance, it looked very similar to my last visit. But as I wandered around and took a closer look, the remarkable progress that PEPY has made was obvious. The numbers of attending students has noticeably grown; and with the addition of Junior High School classes, the sizes of students now range from knee high to sky high! The increased presence of teachers was also felt, with Khmer literacy classes, Child to Child clubs and Eco clubs going on all around. The installation of the XO computer classes has also made an obvious difference in the students lives; an observation that was confirmed by speaking to students in grade 7 who ‘want to study computer class all day long!’ The popularity of the revamped library also came as a pleasant surprise to me. Crammed with students pouring over colorful books, I passed some time there reading with a group of enthusiastic students.

For me though, the greatest feeling was that of recognition. In total, I counted 11 students whose faces I could remember from 18 months ago. It made me so happy to see them, and to know that they are continuing to benefit from PEPY’s ongoing involvement in their education.

All in all it was a wonderful trip that served in reminding me of PEPY’s importance in the lives of these children. May the hard work and positive outcomes continue!