Samaritan’s Purse is providing select students in rural Cambodia with access to computers and training through our Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) program.
The steady clatter of fingers typing fills the computer lab. Around 40 students sit at three long tables, their minds swirling as they learn to type out words in Khmer using an English keyboard. Over the past two years, Samaritan’s Purse STEM program has introduced Cambodian students in remote areas to the world of science and technology as well as the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Tida, 14, loves these lessons. She is eager to learn more in her favorite subjects—physics and computer classes. This eighth grader comes from a family of five supported by her father’s small business.
“As an aspiring future business woman, she hopes to apply the skills she is developing now into her work,” said Chhai Ra, a Samaritan’s Purse staffer in Cambodia. “Having the ability to type up documents and organize online files will only become more important to her as she enters the digital world.”
Tida is grateful for this training. “STEM helps me and my school. Now we have a computer lab, experiment lab and materials, and library. Thank you, Samaritan’s Purse, so much for your love and support.”
Creating Hands-on Learning Opportunities
Tida’s computer teacher, Mr. Puntaea, appreciates how Samaritan’s Purse has given his rural students a quality environment for learning by supplying computers, books, and other materials such as a projector to enhance lessons.
Computer teacher Puntaea used to have to teach his classes without any hardware. With gift of laptops from Samaritan’s Purse, he finds his students much more engaged in his lessons.
“Puntaea has noticed that students who have tangible materials are happier and more excited to learn,” said Chhai Ra. “He values how interested his students are in the field of technology as a whole, knowing how crucial it is for future opportunities.”
Puntaea also sees a marked difference in the quality of education he is able to deliver since STEM started at his school.
“Before Samaritan’s Purse implemented the STEM project in my school, it was so hard because we didn’t have computers to study or practice. I just followed the textbook. Now, I teach computers with confidence.”
Sharing Jesus at Every Turn
Principal Banton oversees all of these projects and could never have imagined that his school would be blessed with these resources, lab rooms, and library books. He is thankful that Samaritan’s Purse is helping to prepare his students to lead the country in the future.
Principal Banton sees the STEM programming from Samaritan’s Purse as a blessing and prays it will continue to be offered at his school.
As our STEM program is implemented, Samaritan’s Purse team members share the Good News of Jesus Christ—both personally as well as through printed resources in the new library. Please pray that students, faculty, and administrators would be open to the eternal hope of the Gospel. Cambodia is a predominately Buddhist nation.
We praise God that more than 50 of the nearly 1,200 individuals who have benefited from STEM training have come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
