For the first time in three years, 16 year old Lida is able to go to school again! School-in-School, a new Asian Hope outreach program, is providing free evening school to Lida and many other children living in the impoverished neighborhood surrounding Logos International school. School-in-School began as a means to address the lack of quality education for Cambodian children in the community.
The after school program meets inside Logos International School, (thus the name School-in-School) and focuses on supplementing the Cambodian government school’s curriculum. It began with grades one and two and eventually added a homework club, and then math and English classes.
Lida’s parents died when she was very young, and she went to live with her grandparents. When Lida's grandmother fell ill with liver disease, Lida had to quit school to stay home and take care of her. Burdened with medical expenses, her grandparents have since been unable to afford the school fees for Lida. As the oldest grandchild in the house, Lida stays home and helps run the household while her two younger cousins attend government school.
Lida heard about School-in-School when Asian Hope volunteers walked through her neighborhood passing out flyers. She was excited at the thought of being able to attend school again. There was only one problem; School-in-School was only for first and second grade. Lida signed up anyway. When Chenda Ban, School-in-School administrator, read Lida’s application she was unable to accept it because Lida was too old and did not meet the criteria.
Lida, however, was determined to get back into school and kept signing up in spite of rejection notices. Fortunately, School-in-School added an English as a Foreign Language class and Chenda, who hopes the program will bring change beyond the classroom, was able to accept Lida into the program. Now Lida wears a big smile at School-in-School. “It’s good for me because I’m not able to go to school like others,” s
he says of the program.
School-in-School began with 52 students, and in over two months has more than doubled to 125 students! Many of the students had never heard about Jesus. They are now beginning to see and feel His love through the teachers, several or whom are Logos graduates, as they pray in the classroom and take a genuine interest in the students’ lives.
Lida will have more job and educational opportunities available to her as she gains fluency in English. Opportunities that can change the life of a girl who is otherwise unable to access an education. However, Lida’s fight is not over. Her educational needs require more than a daily 75 minute class. Sometimes she struggles with attendance because of demands at home. Although her academic journey is rough, because of her persistence and the opportunity School-in-School provides, Lida is able to call herself a student once again.
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