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Update on Thai-Cambodia Tensions – Children Refugees

We continue to monitor the increasing military tensions between Thailand and Cambodia. Thus far military action has been confined to the border areas, and not an immediate threat to our students and staff. However, Siem Reap is only 90 miles from the border and is the closest major city. Unfortunately, that means thousands of refugees from the border areas are fleeing into Siem Reap and putting a strain on the city’s residents and resources.

Spitler School is welcoming at least 13 of these refugee children into the school. We hope that they will be able to return safely to their own school, but in the meantime, we will try and provide as much education as we can to these vulnerable young students.

We also have three refugee students attending Kurata School and three students attending the middle school and high school.

We sincerely hope these disputes can be resolved soon so that these students can return to their homes and schools.


We would sincerely appreciate your donation to help the children of rural Cambodia
realize their amazing potential.

The Doors Are Open

While the U.S. celebrates Thanksgiving and the Holidays, the Cambodian schools are celebrating the new school year. This year, the Spitler School Foundation has over 600 children (equal numbers of girls and boys) attending Spitler School this year, including 76 new learners in our kindergarten classes. There are also 155 students attending Kurata School, a small, government-built primary school where the Spitler School Foundation provides funding for an English program, computer skills, and a library.

As Malala Yousafzai reminds us: “One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.” We are excited to see the changes these students will bring!


We would sincerely appreciate your donation to help the children of rural Cambodia
realize their amazing potential.

What I Did on School Break

The “summer” break in Cambodia happens September and October. As we look to the
new school year, if our students were asked to write an essay about “What I Did on
School Break,” they’d write about…

English Words & Computer Keys

Our partnership with GVI volunteers thrives during school break as volunteers continue to offer English lessons to full classes of avid young learners. We also keep our computer lab open for students during the break to continue to hone their computer skills.

Wildlife & Fish

Our students were treated to a day in the countryside where they visited the Angkor Wildlife & Aquarium. Thank you to GVI for sponsoring and organizing the adventures full of colorful fish and wildlife!    

Spitler students enjoying Angkor Wildlife & Aquarium
Spitler students observing fish at Angkor Wildlife & Aquarium

Parades & Friendly Waves

The staff and students at Spitler School make the new school year a celebratory event. A couple of weeks before school starts, Spitler School stages a joyous parade through the community announcing the new school year and encouraging families to make sure their children are enrolled and ready to learn.