Dear Friends,
Today is International Women's Day, a day we recognize the achievements of women and how far they have come in the fight for their rights within the political, cultural, and social spheres. It is also a day to recognize how hard women have worked to overcome, abuse, poverty, gender inequality and to honour how they have worked tirelessly to break the cycle of poverty and strive for a better future.
Bringing education to girls and young women is essential to breaking the cycle of poverty. K.I.D.S. has helped many girls and young women to get an education through our K.I.D.S. Education Programs and supported them with post-secondary education. Most of the mothers of the girls we have supported, over the years, have never had the opportunity to go past primary school if they even had the chance to go to school at all, many are illiterate.
Phai and Sophorn grew up in orphanages and came to live at K.I.D.S home for girls when they were young. They are sisters and are now in their last year of university, they have both held good jobs while going to school. They are happy and their futures are bright!
We met Vanna many years ago. He is a landmine victim and until Covid sold books on the streets of Siem Reap, his wife hand-washed laundry to help support their two daughters. K.I.D.S. has helped his daughters with their education and this year it was a happy day for the family when we registered the twins for accounting college. In the future, they will help their parents and ease their difficult lives.
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All the girls we have supported through K.I.D.S. education programs have worked very hard and never taken their education for granted. They know that this is their opportunity to break free of a life of toil and hardship.
Sara and Yen are two of many girls and young young women who are in our Smart Kids education program. Their parents work very hard laboring in brick factories for very poor wages. They had already started working as young girl's till K.I.D.S. sponsored them for primary school, high school a vocational training program and now for university business management. They would be illiterate and more than likely be mothers few times over by their early twenties but not for your generosity and support.
These are just a few examples of how collectively we have brought education to girls and women. Over the years we have witnessed the difference we have all made in the futures of these girls. It is heartwarming to hear and see them becoming teachers, managing restaurants, working in companies and now having of their own children by choice.
This picture was drawn by one of the girls in K.I.D.S. Farm School education program, it was on the wall of the classroom under the teacher’s house where 60 kids come to study English each evening. Thank you for making many girls' dreams of education come true and helping girl's and women take flight through education.
Until Next Time,
Adrianne and Rick