I returned to Cambodia on the 15th of September, 2025, arriving at the new Techo International Airport on a day they were celebrating the Grand Opening. There were thousands of people there but my entry went smoothly and just minutes after landing I was through customs and back out into the furnace where Dara was waiting.
We found a two bedroom apartment and I moved in the same day with Seng Hak (in picture above) who is working at a restaurant just a block away. He has just finished high school and has come into the city because he is interested in attending university. As it was before, evenings are often spent sharing a meal and reliving memories with Watopotian alumni, and playing grandpa to a growing number of grandchildren.
The Dayschool in Prey Veng continues to grow and is now well established in the community.
With the holidays now over Dara and I have started to make the rounds again to evaluate the needs of the children we will support this coming school year. Our goal is to support 50 needy students, however, because of limited funding we can only help about 25 at this time. We are hopeful more funds come in before the school year starts in November.
These four were the first to be considered. Without identifying them, here is just part of their histories. One lost their mother after a long illness just a month ago. Another lost their father in a motorcycle accident two months ago and now lives with his grandmother and three siblings all of which are physically or mentally challenged. One lives with an aunt because their parents are not capable of caring for them. Another was born in prison and has since been abandoned by the mother, while the father still has three more years to serve.
We will keep you updated on our evaluations over the next couple of weeks. We are also working on updating the official SAHAKA website which at this moment has outdated information. The SAHAKA donation page however is up to date for those that may want to help us in this coming year with a tax deductible donation. If you live in Cambodia you can make a QR donation to the SAHAKA FOUNDATION bank account.
