I had the opportunity to meet with brother Ouk Vanday, an architect of the Doung (Coconut) School on Phnom Kirirom. I have long followed his activities on social media regarding the Dong School and your mobile library, which aim to promote reading across various provinces.
After hearing the story behind the establishment of the Doung School, I would like to sincerely commend your spirit, unwavering determination, and concrete actions in creating this beneficial achievement, despite not having substantial personal resources. Starting with the use of borrowed land within Kirirom National Park to establish the “Doung School”—and through tireless efforts to mobilize resources from various benefactors and persuade local villagers to allow their children to receive skills training there—Vanday and the school’s volunteers have helped enhance the knowledge and skills of over 150 children in the village. These efforts represent a truly positive contribution to society and the local community.
Regarding the notification from the Kampong Speu Sub-Operational Zone to dismantle certain structures—including the teacher’s house at Doung School, which sits on land designated as a military historical site—I have:
- issued an order to Military Region 3 and the Kampong Speu Military Operational Sub-region to suspend demolition activities and maintain the status quo, allowing Doung School to continue operations and teachers to reside in their homes as usual to teach students.
- tasked H.E. Eang Sophalleth, Minister of Environment, and H.E. Chham Chhoeun Sophorn, Governor of Kampong Speu Province, with assigning technical officials to urgently inspect and verify the site in person. They are to devise an appropriate and sustainable solution that ensures “Doung School” can continue its training activities for the children there. In addition, it is necessary to assess the actual situation of Kirirom Primary School, which needs to play a complementary role alongside Doung School in educating the children living on the mountain.
- and to help alleviate the school’s burden, my wife and I have decided to provide financial support of 5 million Riel and one ton of rice per month to Doung School, starting from September 2026.
