From our first visit to Cambodia over 7 years ago many lives have been changed thanks to the compassion and generosity of our donors – like you – and the Step2Foundation team. Together we have positively impacted Cambodian communities improving quality of life and providing greater opportunities.

We can impact change through a commitment to supporting communities.

We have a deep commitment to improving the lives of people, especially children. Step2Foundation believes that equality starts with education. In 2019 we have worked with communities in Siem Reap to continue our School, Clean Water, Teacher Training and Volunteering as a Teacher projects. Our aim is to break the poverty cycle by building a brighter future for Cambodian children.

Projects that made a real difference

Growing the primary school in Svaychey

“We believe that the foundation of change is education and every child deserves the right to live and learn.”

Our priority is to provide a safe, functioning school environment, and this has stayed at the heart of our foundation’s mission. This has contributed to an enhanced learning experience and kids have access to educational supplies, take part in English programs, computer skills, Khamer literacy and mathematics. All of that with the support and dedication of qualified teachers.

More than that, the school also counts on a sanitation infrastructure, a vegetable garden and a self-sustaining clean water supply, ensuring that clean water can be provided to the kids

 

Our vegetable garden now provides breakfast every morning for the kids in our school in Svaychey village.

Clean water projects that change lives

“Safe drinking water is a fundamental human right.”

No child should die from dirty, polluted drinking water in 2019, however, about 40 per cent of primary schools and 35 per cent of health centres in Cambodia do not have access to safe water and sanitation. Drinking contaminated water leads to diarrhea which is the second largest cause of mortality for children under five.

Step2Foundation was determined to put in place a long-term solution to overcome this problem. This year alone we have installed 5 water filtration systems. These self-sustaining systems draw on groundwater and produce up to 40,000 litres of pure filtered drinking water a day and positively impact the lives of everyone in the community. Each system costs approx. USD$10,000.

Teacher Training Program to develop a sustainable school program

“I am the youngest sister and my parents are farmers. Before Step2Foundation it was hard for them to let me go to school. Now I am a teacher. I can help other children to get knowledge and a good job in their future.”

This year we have supported five young women who have completed high school to attend further education at the Australian Centre for Education (ACE) in Siem Reap. This is an important step toward empowering Cambodian girls and changing their entire lives. It empowers them to put food on the table without resorting to early marriage or other less desirable options.

As a direct result of this initiative, these women have been given jobs at our primary school as assistant teachers. They are also mentored by our volunteer teachers from Australia. Projects like this enable us to help at all stages of the education cycle and support young people. It’s a program we would like to grow.

This life-changing opportunity costs only $2,000 per student per year.
Less than a fortnight’s pay for most Australians with full-time employment.
For the average Cambodian family, this is more than they earn in a year.