PIO believes that every child has the right to an education We believe that through education we can break the cycle of poverty and build a brighter future for the children of Cambodia.
Phymean and PIO want to
• Help children find their dreams: Many of the children on the garbage dump don’t have faith in the future. At school, Phymean and the teachers encourage the children to have dreams and to develop their interests.
• Give children hope: By seeing the children’s progress and creating opportunities for them to display their talents, Phymean and the teachers show that the children’s situations can change.
• Give children love they can depend upon: Phymean and PIO stay in touch with the children for many years. “They are like my own children,” says Phymean. “I want to see them be successful and happy.”
The People Improvement Organization (PIO) is a local NGO operating in Phnom Penh Cambodia. It was founded by Cambodian woman Phymean Noun in 2002, from that time it has continued to provide quality education and support to children and their families in Stung Meanchey , Borey Keila and Borey Santepheap 2.
PIO is committed to providing quality education to children in need. Children attending PIO are:from families living in poverty, living in homes where they are at risk of harm or are of school age but who are not at school. The school is for children who are unlikely to complete their education unless they are helped and encouraged in their study.
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Children attending PIO are selected solely on the basis of their need. The schools welcome all children, regardless of gender, religion, ethnic group, or race. All PIO students receive school uniforms, school supplies, a daily meal, clean water and access to health care. There is no cost to either the child or their family. PIO supports students from Kindergarten through to University.
Relevant
The organization provides quality education from Kindergarten to High School for those most in need, PIO students receive all that is necessary to ensure that their education is complete and free. PIO operates under the approval of the Ministries of Youth, Education and Sport (MOEYS), Labor and Social Welfare.
Effective
Attendance at PIO is entirely voluntary and yet the numbers increase every year. Families send their young children to PIO because it provides quality education at no cost. It is a school that cares about the children it educates.
Efficient
With an operating budget of $350 000 per year it costs PIO less than $1 per day to provide free education, school uniforms and school supplies a daily meal, clean drinking water and basic health and dental care for 1300 students.
Impact
PIO continues to change lives and give the children of the poor the hope of a brighter future. A number of children who once labored on the garbage dump are now at high school, university or have found employment.
Sustainable
PIO continues to grow. It has the staff and resources to provide the education most needed in the communities it serves. Its leaders have a clear vision of how the lives of those born into poverty are changed through education.