I became a teacher in 1986 while in the refugee camp Site II in Thailand, near the Cambodian border. It was the time of the Khmer Rouge regime in my home country.
At least 250,000 displaced persons moved to this camp so that Site II was called “the second capital city of Cambodia”.
In the camp, my aim was to fight any kind of exclusion and give all children the opportunity to learn. I have always liked playing, teaching and helping disabled children because I knew that they were able to learn as well as other children.
When the UN opened schools for children with disabilities in the camp, I decided to participate, and eventually became the principal of the Site II Special School. I worked for a few years for the United Nations until my first meeting with Benoît Duchâteau-Arminjon, the founder of the NGO Krousar Thmey.
Children with disabilities deserve care and protection
Disabilities in general are seen as a curse in Cambodia. The Buddhist belief that disabilities are a consequence of bad deeds in a past life often results in even greater exclusion of disabled people.
For these reasons, families rarely come out and say they have a child who is blind. They keep it hidden as if it was something shameful for the entire family.
I wanted to offer a comprehensive education program for all children, even those who were blind. The first school for blind children opened in 1994 through Benoît’s involvement.
Together we created the Khmer braille to be as close as possible to the Khmer language. International braille was not complete enough for the Khmer alphabet, which is more complicated than others.
Learning to move first, then read and write
The first step is mobility. Children who come to school for the first time are not able to walk because they have always stayed home. Even taking a shower is a challenge for them.
When they learn how to move around on their own, it is already a great success. At the beginning, we follow them and take care of each one. Children also show true solidarity among each other.
At the same time, we teach them how to read and write in Khmer Braille. We use different tools such as appropriate learning materials in relief.
Blind children can get information by hearing or touching. We make tools by ourselves in the school and we use a Braille printer we received in 2014 from the government. It is only the second such printer imported to Cambodia, after the first one we bought in 1997.
Taking down barriers to full integration into society
Teaching disabled children is a lesson about life. One of the most interesting experiences is when I cover my eyes and I let myself be led by the children. I understand how they feel every day.
In Siem Reap, Krousar Thmey created “Seeing in the Dark”, an exhibition to raise awareness about the daily challenges faced by blind people. Visitors are guided by blind people through a light-free environment, taking a motorbike and going to the market.
It proves an essential point: blind children are able to become independent, even with their disability.
The program is implemented in partnership with the ministry of education, so students are taught according to the national curriculum of Cambodia. The program now has 69 teachers and 250 children in four schools, as well as 29 integrated classes in public schools across the country.
Today, some of the children I’ve taught have received their high school diploma and go on to the university. They find jobs either while studying or at the end of their studies. It gives me immense satisfaction to see them succeed in life.
The final objective is to integrate them fully in the society. When people understand that it is possible, they will learn a lot about disabled children.
This is the second in a series of 4 blogs by teachers selected as finalists for the 2015 Global Teacher Prize. Read the first blog from Kenya by Jacque Jumbe-Kahure: Why I became a teacher
Find out more about GPE’s support to Cambodia