In 2011 when the Heng family began working with CFI, they lived in dangerously dilapidated housing on the outskirts of Battambang and often lacked enough food for all six of the family members. The mother, Sreyoun, was the primary source of income for the family, and, even with her eldest daughter working part-time at a [...]

Pictured Above: The school manager, Samith, checks in with a student who had recently overcome behavioral issues. CFI provides a safe environment for at-risk children and young adults living in poverty to develop the skills necessary to succeed in life. Social skills and emotional control are an essential foundation that need to be re-built when children [...]

Sitha* is a hard-working grade 11 student taking English and computer classes with CFI. After her mother passed away, Sitha had severe difficulties with her caretakers; today, she is in CFI’s Independent Living program, which allows her to concentrate on her studies and well-being. Despite the difficulties she has faced, she continues to grow academically [...]

In development, as in most fields, unintended consequences are inevitable. The true test is how an organization handles those consequences. Children’s Future dealt with one such issue this month, when Kimhour, a 13-year-old grade 6 student, stopped attending her after school classes at the learning center. Until recently, Kimhour’s family was receiving monthly rice stipends [...]

We often talk about the great work being done for the children of Battambang, and now we finally have the data to back it up. This month, CFI supporter Nikki Bernabe (MSW Candidate, U. Denver), shared the findings of her evaluation of Children’s Future’s social work program. The impact evaluation analyzed a sample of Children’s [...]

April 14th marked the most important holiday in Cambodian culture: Khmer New Year. The week-long break is full of festivities, games, and, most importantly, family reunions. However, in the rural areas of Battambang, the New Year break is a time when many children go missing. Because of the proximity to the Thai border, the lack [...]

In advance of the Khmer New Year break, Children’s Future celebrated The Outstanding Student Award Ceremony. At these ceremonies, which happen twice a year, students are awarded for their achievements in school. Of the 161 students taking after-school classes at the learning center, 27 students were recognized for perfect attendance meaning 60 students received recognition [...]

Last week, the staff said goodbye to computer teacher, network administrator, and long time member of the Children’s Future family, Lorkfong Bot, known to most as Fong. Fong was recently awarded a nine-month scholarship to study programming in Phnom Penh and is leaving to pursue this incredible opportunity. Fong has been volunteering with CFI since [...]

At the age of 9, Thearana and her siblings were left to care for themselves when their parents traveled to the Thai border in search of work. Due to the absence of an adult caretaker, Thearana barely attended her classes at public school and was in danger of failing grade four. Children’s Future learned of [...]

Child trafficking is an unfortunate reality across Cambodia, and especially in areas, like Battambang, near the Thai border. Families struggling to make ends meet are often coerced into selling their children into modern-day slavery, involving manual labor and sex-work. One of Children’s Future’s students, a 12 year-old girl named Sela, fell victim to this unsettling [...]