A life-changing story of Manai through child sponsorship programme

17-year-old Manai has transformed her life and her community’s future at Kampong Svay, Kampong Thom Province, Cambodia. Her story has a lasting impact and demonstrates the courage, self-assurance, and resilience she has developed while assisting World Vision with community development projects.

Manai enlisted as a sponsored child in 2012 with World Vision. Her passion and commitment led her to become a Youth Leader for Change, Community Led Child Monitoring (CLCM), and a Reading Camp facilitator. Her goal is to help the children in her community develop their literary skills and a love of reading.

“I decided to continue volunteering with the World Vision’s projects, using my resources to help my community grow. And I’ll stick with them to the end as long as the organisation is still active in my village,” she reaffirmed

Manai spends her weekends teaching young children at the reading camp and she gradually inspired her to choose teaching as her dream job “I used to observe my teachers teach young students, and it made me frustrated on their behalf. However, after experiencing teaching firsthand, my perspective changed completely. I now recognize its significant value and wish to be a teacher when I grow up,” said Manai.

“I think so much is getting better in my community regarding violence against children. Usually, when parents get in a fight, they abuse their child, or sometimes when they drink alcohol, they abuse each other, but now that so much has changed in our village, they are far more mindful of the damaging effects of violence,” she continued.

The sponsor’s unrelenting faith in her potential fills her with hope and reassures her that she isn’t alone in her journey. Acknowledging these acts of kindness, Manai wishes to thank her sponsors for their persistent support and motivation.

“The one thing I remember the most [about my sponsor] is their word of encouragement. One time they wrote to me, ‘Study hard for your future’— that’s what I remember most. I feel incredibly loved; it makes me smile for some reason. I need to keep working hard to help myself and live up to their expectations.”

Story By: Casaneth ROS and Pisey Sar