Ponheary Ly Foundation Canada (PLFC) is a registered Canadian charity educating impoverished rural children in northern Cambodia. Students from these areas, born miles upstream from the bustling cities, make up the forgotten population of rural Cambodia – the 80% who don’t get access to the country’s scant education services and resources.

Working alongside PLF Cambodia, we work to empower these young students to pull themselves, their families and their communities out of poverty.

The children in these schools are supported at every stage of their education.

From the bicycles & trucks that take them to school… to the nutritious breakfast that starts their day… to the uniforms and supplies for they need for studying… to libraries full of books… to clean water and toilets… to workshops in everything from hygiene to gender equality… to computer labs and training…. to scholarships for our best and brightest to go to university… and much more.

Three primary schools in remote northern Cambodia. A learning centre in the town of Srayang for Grade 7, 8 & 9 students, who arrive in huge trucks every morning from their villages. Student dorms in the city where gifted students live while attending senior high school, far from home. And scholarships for our best and brightest to attend University in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh.

In addition to PLF Cambodia, we work with Eyes Open and Not Yet Foundation to provide everything these students need to succeed.

We’ve been at it more than 10 years.

And it’s working.

(Details on our Projects page).

Meet our intake to the Girls’ Scholars Dorm in Siem Reap, as they Take the Big Leap!

A huge life chapter opens up for these exceptional Grade 11 students as they move to the urban dormitory. Each one is the FIRST in their families to ever reach high school. Leaving home and being separated from their families is such a monumental step for young Cambodians – especially girls. Their courage and the sacrifice shows just how determined they are to lift themselves out of poverty.