My name is Sopheak, and I come from Popel village on Kulen Mountain. I am the eldest son in my family, with a younger brother, and we live together with my mother. Life at home has never been easy. My mother has been living with cancer for many years, and her illness keeps her from working. Because of this, I had to pause my education for a time, even though I always hoped to continue.
Everything changed when Kulen Outreach offered me the opportunity to return to school with full support. I’m now in grade 11. Living at the Boarding School has been a positive experience for me, though it’s not always easy being away from my mother. My brother is still very young, and I often worry about how much she has to manage on her own. Still, my mother encourages me to keep studying and focus on my future, even when I offer to stay home to help her.
I’ve promised her that I will work hard, earn a strong degree, and build a future that allows me to support our family and help her heal. Her strength inspires me every day, and my dream is to make her proud.
