"I came to the United States from Cambodia in August of 2014 through the Harpswell Foundation's partnership with Rhodes College. I feel very lucky to be able to further my education here. Phnom Penh is a big city, so there are many similarities to Memphis, but there are also differences. For example, the food is not the same. We eat rice every day, but Americans don't have it so often. We put our hands together and bow when we greet each other; that's not done here. And the weather is hot most of the year in Cambodia. I'm so glad that I got to see snow in Memphis! Another difference I've noticed is in the way young people interact with older people. In Cambodia, we don't joke around so much with older people or treat each other as equals. There is not that level of familiarity. We would never call older people by their first name. We address women as 'Auntie' and men as 'Uncle', always with respect."
The Harpswell Foundation is committed to empowering and educating girls and women in developing countries. Although there are no legal barriers to keep young women from getting a higher education in Cambodia, they are often prevented from doing so by the lack of a place to live. Young men can live at the Buddhist temple while they study; young women cannot. As a result, education is effectively denied them. The Harpswell Foundation is working to change that. To date, they have built two dormitories for young women at the Royal University of Phnom Penh, providing housing for 80 women. They also provide scholarships and conduct after-hours programs focused on leadership skills for women. Every year, they send their top four graduates to America for graduate education. Makara is one of those students.
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