The Down in the Dumps fund is all about helping people who are trying to help themselves. So we are delighted to give Sandan Svay $100 towards his English studies. 
I met Sandan when I was teaching an English class at Raffels Le Royal. He enjoys taking photos of life in the little village from hence he comes and he did a guest post that received a number of favourable comments. But how did a young man from a small village end up working at the most expensive hotel in town? He learned to speak English.
Sandan’s Story in His Own Words
I lived on a small family farm far away from the town. My parents worked hard, but they did not make much money. I got 300 riels (less than 10 cents) a day to pay to go to the school that was three kilometers from my house.
When I started school I did not know any words in English and I was very nervous when my teacher asked me to read the text. Then I talked to my mother and told her that I wanted to take the extra classes. It cost 300 riels per hour, but my mum could not afford it because I would have to buy the exam papers every month. One day the teacher asked me why I didn’t attend that private English class. I told her the truth, that I really wanted to learn but I had no money. After that she allowed me to attend the class for free, without paying any tuition.
Unfortunately, the class was closed after one month. I didn’t study English again until I was in Grade 12. Finally, an English center opened in my town and the lessons were free. I decided to study hard, to gain more knowledge. At the end of the first year I got the highest score among 150 students.
My goal is to help poor students who really want to study English so they can have better lives. That is the reason why I chose to study English Educational Management and Teaching Skills.
It costs $210 for one term for the first and the second years, and it will cost $240 for the third and the forth years. If I do my study well, the school will help me to look for a better job. It is difficult because I don’t have enough time to study. I work full time and there are five subjects to learn in the first term. But I will do my best because if I get high scores the school will reduce the fees.
Endnote:
And we hope our small scholarship will help.
