Ponheary Ly Foundation

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The Ponheary Ly Foundation creates pathways to education for children and youth in Northern Cambodia. Because School is the Answer.

SCHOOL IS THE ANSWER

CNN Hero 2010
http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cnn.heroes/archive10/ponheary.ly.html The Ponheary Ly Foundation currently works with 2,800 students across Siem Reap and Preah Vihear Provinces and believes in a holistic approach to public school education. As well as providing school supplies and uniforms, nutritious meals and clean water, libraries are created, teacher training is improved, and solar energy is fitted to allow computer classes in off-grid areas. The government curriculum is enriched with language, science, sports, and the arts, including several forms of media. PLF ensures access to education for children from some of the most impoverished rural communities, and stands with our students from Kindergarten to High School and on to Vocational Training and University. PLF is accredited with both Great Non-Profits and Guidestar non-profit watchdogs.

10/13/2026

New Grade 7 intake for Srayang Learning Center - all enrolled for the next exciting chapter of their educational journey! 🥳

For youngsters from the remote communities of Preah Vihear, being able to continue beyond primary school isn't an automatic rite of passage. Not only are there physical distances to overcome, but often learning gaps that mean students are not equipped with the sufficient foundational knowledge for this next level.

That's why our entrance exam to SLC is so important: combined with the semester exams that the schools enforce, it helps ensure that students are really ready for this big academic transition into middle school.

Students just like Vanna:
"𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘴𝘢𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 1 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦 6. 𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘱𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘮𝘺 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴. 𝘈𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘗𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘮 𝘗𝘦𝘯𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘷𝘢𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.
𝙉𝙤𝙬 𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙟𝙤𝙮𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙩 𝙎𝙇𝘾! 𝙄𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙪𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙖 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙧."

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10/10/2026

✏️ 𝗔 𝗵𝘂𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘆 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹! 📚

Grade 5 students at TaBra Primary - the newest school to join our pathway in Preah Vihear - recently sat for their first-ever practice entrance exam for Srayang Learning Center!

Click through below for the full story on why these exams are so important for the development of the school and its students; how it brings us one step closer to helping them finish Grade 6 in their home community; and of course, crucially, how they did!
🔗 https://www.theplf.org/2026/10/08/a-big-milestone-for-tabra-school/

We are so proud of how the students, teachers and parents came together to seize this opportunity, and we can’t wait to cheer this cohort on as they step into Grade 6 next year!

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10/07/2026

Our libraries are stocked full of so many different types of books, aiming to cater to all aspects of a student's development.

Just like Visal, who has been greatly inspired by this meditation book: he now does 30 minutes of meditation practice every morning, which he says has helped in his study AND increased his love of reading even more. Resulting in him being the highest borrower at Chey library last month. 🥳

Way to go Visal 🙌 proving that reading really does rock! 📚

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10/03/2026

So much to love about this! 💫

In today's world, with digital technology in the palm of our hands and increasingly available to all ages, knowing how to moderate consumption and remain safe online is crucial.

And seeing that information being passed down from older students to the younger generation is another wonderful example of PLF mentorship in action. 🙌

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09/30/2026

🌟 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀 🌟 all graduating in English TESOL from Paññāsāstra University of Cambodia in Siem Reap.

They are (clockwise from top left):
𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗿𝗼𝗲𝘂𝗻
Our very own 𝗞𝗮𝗼 𝗔𝘆 (PLF Workshop Trainer)
Our very own 𝗣𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗮 (PLF IT Teacher)
𝗦𝗿𝗲𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗼
𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗵

Well done on this huge milestone 👨‍🎓 We are so proud of you all for your hard work and determination!

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09/27/2026

Meet Blinh - one of the increasing number of Preah Vihear village students to make it all the way through to Grade 12 - who is now on her way to study Rural Development at the Royal University of Agriculture in Phnom Penh! 🥳

"𝘔𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭. 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘓𝘍, 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘴.

𝘕𝘰𝘸 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭, 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘢𝘭! 𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘴. 𝘊𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺, 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘮𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘣𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘵. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘫𝘰𝘣𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭. 𝘔𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘸."

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09/24/2026

For many children in rural Cambodian communities, primary school is often the end of the road for their education - because the next milestone is literally too far away.

Our work in Preah Vihear ensures rural students keep going ever forwards - beyond the village limits, beyond the wildest dreams of their parents, accessing opportunities that will expand their lives.

Rural youth connected to education. Every day. Come rain or shine.

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09/21/2026

🚚 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗸 # 𝟰 - 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲! 🫡

This chonk is ready to join our fleet in Preah Vihear, trundling through the rural lanes everyday bringing village students to secondary school in Srayang. With a growing number of those students staying the distance all the way through to Grade 12, seats were getting squeezy!

After a few weeks being fitted out in Siem Reap, and with our friends at Unique Prints adding the finishing touches, this bad boy is ready to gooooooo!

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09/18/2026

𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗲𝘁 🚀

PLF began its very earliest work out of Knar Primary School in Banteay Srei district, and over the past two decades we have continuously adapted and transformed to better serve the students there, always maximizing the trust our donors place in us. A pivotal moment in that journey was the launch of the Knar Village Learning Center in 2016.

𝙉𝙤𝙬, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙞𝙫𝙤𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣.

Starting this new school year in November 2026, instead of running our programs out of the center, we are taking them on the road and expanding our reach across a much larger portion of the district.

By shifting funds away from the running costs of a fixed physical building and redirecting them purely into mobile and community-wide programs, donor dollars will go a lot further. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙧𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚.

👉 Click through to read the full details of this exciting transition!
🔗 https://www.theplf.org/2026/09/08/extending-our-reach-in-banteay-srei/

09/16/2026

Our libraries are increasingly an opportunity for students to connect with each other, as well as with the full range of PLF's programs.

Libraries have been extra busy during the school holidays with the following activities:
📕 A special book sharing event at our Urban Learning Center, to which librarian Phary also invited new Grade 10 students, with a focus on program overlap with IT classes. Students were encouraged to register for their library cards; while Grade 12 student Sreynoch talked about the importance of getting a head start on computer classes now to avoid any schedule or study-load clashes later on.
🏆 Chey Learning Center introduced new book report awards that support English classes, with categories including Best Summary, Most Improved in Reading, Best Presentation and Most Creative.
🥇 Top Reader awards at all locations!

As ever a huge shout out to all our library teams for your new ideas and creativity! Together you are inspiring a small army of bookworms and equipping them with skills for life.

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Address

PO Box 17034
Austin, TX
78760

Telephone

+15125893921

Website

http://www.theplf.org/

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