Enhancing Rural Education in Cambodia

The Beijing Changier Education Foundation, a special consultative status body of the United Nations, paid a friendly visit to Cambodia from October 19 to 23, 2023, at the invitation of the Cambodian Ministry of Rural Development. During the visit, Zhang Yinjun, chairwoman of the foundation, and her delegation visited the Ministry of Rural Development and had discussions with Math Mara, the State Secretary of the Ministry, and other officials.

Zhang and her delegation went to Mondul kiri Province to attend the handover ceremony of the Lancang-Mekong Primary School, which was donated by the China-Cambodia International Cultural Exchange Center. The Beijing Changier Education Foundation donated 100 sets of multilingual educational videos themed on adolescent health courses, and 100 sets of schoolbags and school supplies for local students.

During the visit, Zhang also visited the Cambodian-Chinese Expatriate School run by overseas Chinese organizations in Cambodia, and projects such as the HIC Island Hotel, founded by Lang Li, a Tsinghua University graduate and president of Living Stone Group. She also conducted cooperative exchanges with representatives from various parties, including the China-Cambodia International Cultural Exchange Center, the Lancang-Mekong Development Foundation, and the Cambodian Office of China Foundation for Peace and Development.

The China-Cambodia International Cultural Exchange Center organized and hosted the aforementioned activities. Du Fujun, chairman of the center, invited Zhang and her delegation to revisit Cambodia next year, hoping to make joint efforts to initiate various non-profit undertakings in Cambodia.

This event served as the second stop of the Beijing Changier Education Foundation’s participation in the Belt and Road Initiative. Mondul kiri Province, located in the eastern part of Cambodia, is a poverty-stricken rural area. The Lancang-Mekong Primary School, located in a Muslim settlement of the province, was constructed as the fifth primary school under the assistance of the China-Cambodia International Cultural Exchange Center. The completion and handover ceremonies of the school attracted wide attention from various sectors in Cambodia, with prompt coverage from the National Television of Khampuchea and more.