About Us
Our story starts with a service project to help a small school in Sien Reap, Cambodia.
Two brothers witness hardships in Cambodia and get inspired to help.
The Trip.
Liam O'Keefe visited Siem Reap, Cambodia and worked on roof repairs at the New Hope school in 2022. This was part of a service project during his gap year before starting college at Brown University. Liam was struck by the poverty and the lack of educational opportunities for children in Cambodia.
Common Ground
The school's founder, Prosh Seam, noticed Liam's Brown hat and told Liam that he had been admitted to Brown in 2001, but due to the terrorist attacks in the U.S., he was not able to get a visa to attend. They bonded over this and discussed Prosh's lifetime dedication to educate Cambodian children in English, and his desire to expand the the school to include 7th and 8th grade and to let more kids attend. Liam gave Posh his Brown hat and decided then that he wanted to help in a much bigger way.
Taking Action
Liam returned to Miami and told his brother Mac about his experiences in Cambodia. Mac told Liam about his visit to Siem Reap several years ago and how Mac was moved by the children who were forced to beg for money from tourists rather than attend school. Mac wanted to help as well.
They decided to form a nonprofit and focus their efforts to raise money to help Prosh continue to educate Cambodia's youth. Together they founded the Cambodian Education Project!
Mission statement
The Cambodian Education Project was founded to open doors for Cambodian Children through education. We will raise money to educate children in underdeveloped areas of Cambodia who have little to no access to a formal schooling system. We will also support the children through mentorship.