In the late 1970s, Cambodia faced a tragic period marked by a mass genocide orchestrated by the Khmer Rouge and led by Pol Pot, who radically pushed to transform the country into a self-sustaining agrarian socialist society. This ruthless campaign targeted educated individuals, specifically teachers and students bearing the brunt of the violence. Shockingly, between 70-90 percent of all teachers and 67 percent of students were killed during this dark chapter in Cambodia’s history, shattering the nation’s education system and compelling them to rebuild it from the ground up.
While significant efforts have been made to improve the educational system, Cambodia’s population continues to struggle with low levels of education. Astonishingly, more than 10 percent of children in the country still lack access to education. One of the largest barriers to overcome is the lack of essential infrastructure. Inadequate instructional space and a shortage of sanitary facilities have led to many children falling behind, with adolescent girls and children with disabilities being particularly affected.
This summer, HXP Builders will work to help make a positive impact in Cambodia by building two additional classrooms for a local school. The current structure has only simple bamboo sticks to make outlines of walls and the students have to sit in water puddles when it rains, which is moderately consistent in Cambodia. Building two sustainable structures will provide students with the opportunity to gain a quality education in a more comfortable manner and will have a generational impact on local students.