In Cambodia poverty is so bad that parents often have no alternative than to make their daughters work at a very young age. Many families live in precarious situations and public schools are characterized by over-crowded part-time classes of which girls often drop out at an early stage.

In 2006 the school “Happy Chandara” was opened, 12 kilometres from Phnom Penh in Cambodia, through the initiative of the French-based association “Toutes à l’Ecole”, founded by French journalist Tina Kieffer. The Happy Chandara school offers primary and secondary level education to young girls whose families are the poorest in this region. In addition to the basic school program, the girls receive an education in computer sciences, English and French. The school also emphasizes the learning of values, graphic arts and sports. The girls are cared for through food supply, medical follow-up and support for their families who are often suffering from insecure living conditions.

Happy Chandara’s role is vital for the future of the young Cambodian girls. For this reason the Atoz Foundation decided to support a whole class of 30 girls in order to provide a future for them. What makes this partnership unique is that each of the girls from this class has been individually paired with an employee from Atoz. The students and the employees exchange letters, report cards and pictures. This is an opportunity to create a unique link with a girl, to monitor her academic progress and to see her moving towards a bright future.