We are so grateful for any contribution you want to give us.
WHO WE ARE
Association of
Cambodia Child First
WELCOME! WE ARE AN ENGLISH AND MANDARIN SCHOOL FOR CAMBODIAN CHILDREN IN SIEM REAP.
Here at Association of Cambodia Child First (ACCF), we are driven by a single goal to supply the children of Siem Reap with the right tools to become employable adults. Our goal is to teach the children English. We aim to achieve this goal by attracting English-speaking volunteers who can create and then implement an English language curriculum. With proficient English, the children have a better chance of earning an income in the thriving Siem Reap tourism industry and beyond!
At ACCF:
A - It is the hope of the Association of Cambodian Child First to provide the following
C - Community involvement and believer in our work from the past, now and future.
C - Career to create opportunity to have better life for Cambodian children.
F - Focus on education and sponsorship to all underprivileged and poor children.
Vision Statement
A - Association of Cambodia Child First’s vision is to provide free educations, sponsorship, stationary, food, clothes, and support for sustainable villages in rural areas of Siem Reap.
Mission Statement
A - ACCF works to help to all underprivileged, poor and vulnerable children by providing free education through community-based care. We give the children with the high quality education. Every child has equal right to have the value education. Our work will
WHAT WE DO
At ACCF, we believe education plays a quintessential role in breaking the cycle of poverty.
We support our students and their families through free language lessons and monthly material support. Including uniforms, school bags, hygiene products and other resources necessary for their education.
The school teaches Monday through Friday, and consists of six classrooms. We currently support 220 enrolled students from Stoeng, Taphouk, and Kouk Trach villages. The lessons are delivered by our 6 employed teachers and volunteers.
Contextual information
The average low-income Cambodian household earns somewhere between $50 to $70 USD a month, which is lower than the 2.15 USD (PPP) poverty line established by the world bank in 2022. Many of these families struggles with physiological needs such as food and shelter. In addition, older children often bare the responsibility of taking care of younger siblings, or working to financially support the family. There are other roadblocks to receiving a good education: few government schools provide quality education service and private schools charge high fees which most Cambodian families are unable to afford.
Education is crucial in breaking the poverty cycle. By improving employment opportunities, and offers a support system for vulnerable students. Especially in a tourist destination like Siem Reap. The regions receives almost 1 million visitors per year, and the tourism industry created many employment opportunities for individuals that speaks foreign languages.
OUR TEAMS
Yoem Yat
CEO & CO Founder of ACCF
After years of experience with various NGOs in Cambodia, combining his nursing and WASH backgrounds with his managerial skills, Yoem Yat rises to the highest challenge of effectively leading and inspiring our team on the ground. He is the heart and soul of ACCF.
It all began with a young guy named Yoem Yat.
Yat hasn’t finished his secondary school when he was 13 years old. As a child he missed school for many years in order to help his family earn a living. His four brothers and three sisters were missed the school too, It’s cause of his family living situation. In order to the badly year in March of 2006, his older brother Yung had an accident on the way back home from his work. It was such the sadden news for the whole family. Everyone was shock and unbelievable. Suddenly, Yung has sent to the hospital by his friends after few hours. But everything was late and he was gone so far. So the doctor sent him home.
During the funeral of his brother, Yat was being a monk for his Khmer culture. After he was a monk for few weeks, Yat interested in his monk life. It was because of he was finding himself with Buddhism life and follow up the Buddhism role and continue his education at the old pagoda in Siem Reap.
Times were flying so poor that he was supported by the local monastery, but it was there that he received an inspiring education and like many of his generation Yat was motivated to assist younger Cambodian through education.
Since 2006 to 2009 with his monk life, Yat seen his goal and keep his education to studied Pali (Buddhism language) and English. Through the times, Yat has steered the project forward – finding overseas supporters, building a rural school in 2010 then building the ACCF school for particularly disadvantaged children in 2016, commencing a scholarship program to send top students to university.
The story is far from over, and of course you can be part of it as a volunteer teacher in Cambodia, as a sponsor of a child, or as an ongoing supporter.
Yoem Yat
English teacher
Hi, my name is YOEM YET. I’m 30 years old. I graduated in English literature at South East Asia University in 2018. I’ve been teaching English since I was 15 years old. Since I stepped into class, I’ve aspired to teach poor kids, who live around my community as a volunteer teacher of English at non-profit organization schools. I know that teaching English is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that could change my whole life. I’ve been teaching here, “ACCF” for three years as a teacher of English. I’ve strong teaching skills, mental toughness, and high IQ teaching. I’m a teacher who tries to lead by example while encouraging my students. I’m very coachable and assist my students with leading practice and coaching other teammates to success. I work hard year-round on my teaching skills. I’ve joined the ELT conference outreach workshop for a year at DTSO in Siem Reap town. I got a certification with a high grade of teaching skills in English.
Horng Hon
Chines Teacher
My name is Horng Houn, I’m 31 years old. I have successfully completed in faculty of English Teaching Methodology 4 years and I had been a teacher training at FBIS in the end of year 4. During learning at university, I have been working at Khmer Art Center. As the result, I worked as an English, and Chinese Teacher and salesman (carving skin)in Little Angels. Moreover, I taught English at Sam Art School NGO for 1 year. On the other hand, I worked as Telemarketer at Angkor Call Center for 1year. I worked with Manulife company for 1 year. last but not least, I worked with Senteurs D’ Angkor company in Siem Reap at Airport (working as a Seller) for 1 years and worked as Customer service at PP for 5 months. Based on my work experience I have been provided a good customer service to the passengers and solve any problem with customer as well.
Vun Vean
Administrator and English teacher
Vun Vean is our administrator and an inspirational English Teachers at ACCF. He has 2 sisters and 3 brothers in his family. He has the badly living background in his family while he was 8 year old, because of his parents couldn’t supported him to school, so Vean has decided to move to live at his good parents in Siem Reap province. He has the good chance to get free education while he was with his good parents. After the years of his education from high school to university for four years, he has applied to be an English teacher at ACCF.He is responsible for his job and he is very happy to works at ACCF. Because, he wants to help to underprivileged and poorest children to get free education as he was to be too. Recently, he is our good administrator and English teacher at ACCF.
Hem Puthy
Accountant and English teacher
Hem Puthy is 22 years old and he has successfully completed the training course related the Professional Certificate in the specially of Accounting. He also has an experience of teaching English with local NGOs in Siem Reap for 4 years. With the experience of Finance and four years of teaching English he uses his accounting skills and teaching skill to ensure smooth office processes and the meticulous upkeep of our financial records.
Hon Seyha
English and Khmer teacher
Seyha is our English and Khmer training teachers at ACCF. He was our ACCF student at high level in 2021. He is good at English and Khmer languages. He really wants to be an English and Khmer teacher in the future. As his challenging to finding himself for his dream. He decided to apply to be our training teacher at ACCF. Suddenly our Excellency, Yat had accessed him to be our English and Khmer training teacher to drive him to reach his goal shortly. Seyha is a kindly and gentle boy. He has 3 sisters and 2 brothers in his family. He has the badly living background too in his family. While he was 15 year old, he was to be a monk for few years. It’s because of his parents couldn’t supported him to school, so Seyha has decided to move to live at the pagoda in Siem Reap province to continue his studies. He has got the good chance to get free education while he was at the temple. After the years of his education from Buddhism school through high school for many years, he has reached his goal to be an English teacher at ACCF. He is responsible for his job and he is very happy to works at ACCF. Because, he wants to help to underprivileged and poorest children to get free education as he was to be too. Recently, he is our good Khmer and English teacher at ACCF.
Congratulation!!!
OUR MAIN DONORS
The Lippman Family
Marie and Harley Lippman are our sponsors through Bright Minds
Marie and Harley Lippman ( and link Harley Lippman to https://www.genesis10.com/our-ceo) and the Lippman Family are our sponsors through Bright Minds ( and link Bright Minds to this website: https://www.brightmindscambodia.com/). Each month, the Lippman Family funds our teachers and projects for the children.After a decade of supporting Cambodian children in Siem Reap, Marie and Harley Lippman created Bright Minds in 2015, a center under the NGO Follow Your Dreams and under the supervision of the Cambodian Minister of Education near Phnom Penh. Its purpose is to foster empowerment through education and alleviate poverty. Bright Minds is home to 20 children, 10 boys and 10 girls, ranging from 5 years-old to 18 years-old. At the center, the boys and girls live in two dorms and have the opportunity to study in the library, in the computer room or in the garden. The children can also relax and fish by to the river next to the center.
Giving Back
Marie and Harley Lippman are committed to remaining involved in the children's lives for many years to come. They are invested in funding Bright Minds in Phnom Penh where they assist the children with their education through college. And, they are also supporting Association of Cambodia Child First in Siem Reap by providing the teaching of the English language to the local children, as well as supporting them with weekly food distribution.
