RW Supply + Design’s mission is that we exist UNTIL EVERY CHILD IS HOME . The following story was written by Love Without Boundaries, an organization we have partnered with in Cambodia.

How Education Transformed Luka’s Life

Luka’s family lives at a local landfill site where we (Love Without Boundaries) have been providing education and nutrition assistance since 2016. (Life at the Landfill, a blog by our CEO, Amy Eldridge, describes the conditions for impoverished families living in this toxic environment.) Luka and his family live and work at the landfill site, picking through mounds of trash to collect recyclables to sell for cash.

At age 14, Luka was one of the first students to benefit from our Cambodia Education program’s Catch-up Class. Catch-up class is an innovative program where older students who have not attended school regularly — if at all — have the chance to catch up to their peers.

Like many students living at the landfill, Luka didn’t even know how to read when he started Catch-Up class. After loads of hard work in Catch-Up class, he was able to graduate from our Believe In Me (BIM) Rangsei school in 2018 at age 16.

Entering high school was very exciting for Luka, but also a bit frightening. He didn’t know many other students and felt like a bit of an outsider because of where his family was living in the landfill. But Luka decided to study hard and make the most of this opportunity to create a better future for himself.

By the end of the year, we could see an increased confidence in his abilities, sense of self-worth, and the very smile on his face.

Luka continued to work hard and progress through high school. An extended interruption of studies due to the global pandemic made matters more difficult, but he persevered. At the end of the 2023 school year, Luka finally reached the final step in his precollege education journey: taking the 12th grade national comprehensive exams. What an incredible milestone for a student whose education began in his teens!

We were so proud when Luka passed his comprehensive exams and graduated from high school.

Continuing His Education

The next step for Luka was continuing his education at the Royal University of Phnom Penh to major in Environmental Studies. LWB’s Cambodia College Scholarship Program helps make this possible by covering many of his educational costs.

Luka made the huge adjustment to living far away from his family, although not without a touch of homesickness. Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, he has been able to stay in touch with his parents back at their home at the landfill. He is adjusting well to campus life and is working hard to master all the new concepts being presented. To date, he has taken Chemistry, Physics, Khmer Civilization, English, and Psychology.

In addition to his studies, Luka works a whopping 40 hours a week as a waiter in Phnom Penh restaurant. (In this part of the world, teens are expected to contribute financially to their families. As a dutiful son, he is working hard to send funds back home each week.) Luke has come to enjoy living in the university student housing and has made many new friends. It’s great for him to be able to just “hang out” with his fellow students during those few precious hours when he isn’t studying or working.

Luka tells us that classes are more difficult than those he had taken in high school, and he occasionally struggles with some lessons. However, he is determined to keep trying his best, and we are confident that he will succeed.

Just think — in a few short years, Luke could be the very first person in his family EVER to earn a college degree!

Beating the Odds Through Education

Luka’s journey is an inspiring example of how education and determination can transform a life. From growing up in a landfill to now excelling at university, this remarkable young man has truly beaten the odds with his perseverance and hard work. Luka’s success shows not just his own strength, but also the amazing impact that LWB’s education program can have for vulnerable kids from disadvantaged backgrounds.

And this is just the beginning for Luka! As he continues his studies, we are confident that he’ll not only lift himself out of poverty but also make a real difference for the environment, his community, and his family.

Luka’s incredible story proves that with the right support, dreams that once felt out of reach can come true.

Whether here or in Southeast Asia, every child deserves a HOME and the chance to move out of poverty. The ability to provide opportunities, for these deserving kids, like Luka, is solely because of the work that you do each day!