The Cambodia Rural School Project

on the new building:	"I am happy with the new school building because it is strong and it keeps everything inside safe. The villagers have never seen a concrete building like this one! The old building was very difficult to learn in because it had torn wooden walls and a grass roof."
on his past and why he became a teacher:	"I have been teaching for 17 years. During Pol Pot time, I was a farmer in Kandal Province. After the war, many of the older people who had great knowledge died (many intellectuals like teachers were persecuted and killed during the genocidal regime of the Khmer Rouge under Pol Pot, from 1975-1979). I wanted to share my knowledge with the next generation of Cambodians. I have to teach the next generations of Cambodian to give them knowledge."
on the future of his students:	"I believe there are two options for the future of my students. One is that if they can continue to go to school and gain knowledge, they will became civil servants or businessmen and women. The other is, if they cannot continue to go to school, they will become farmers."
on the favorite subjects of his students:	"My students like to learn all subjects because they think that all of them are very important. I know that they like to read stories because they think story books help them learn other subjects."
on how he keeps his students interested in school:	"I always give good advice to my students. Also, I help create sports teams to keep them interested."
message to the donor:	"I thank Toranosuke Akamine very much for providing this new school building for the people here."