My name is Arrow Hargis, I’m an 18-year-old Princeton University student. I have the privilege to volunteer at Phare Ponlue Selapack and teach art to kids. I teach with Lokru Lao, one of the founders of Phare and a former student of the French humanitarian Véronique...
What makes a place so special that it keeps calling you back? For Gabriel Monson, a 72-year-old traveler from Australia, Phare Ponleu Selpak became more than just a stop on her journey. It is a community that feels like home. What began as a simple visit turned into...
Nestled along the peaceful Sangker River, Battambang is a charming town that often goes unnoticed by travelers but offers a unique experience for those who visit. Known for its relaxed atmosphere, stunning architecture, and lively arts scene, this small yet...
If your mornings were gently filled with the sound of prayers and sacred chants, you were likely in Cambodia, near a pagoda, during the sacred period of Pchum Ben. This essential festival for honoring ancestors attracts thousands of people to temples between September...
At the heart of Khmer mythology there is a fascinating legend: the union between the Indian prince Kaundinya and the Naga princess Soma. Thousands of years ago, Cambodia was an island occupied by the Naga, half-human, half-serpent creatures, venerated as the...
Every year in mid-April, Cambodians celebrate the traditional holiday known as Khmer New Year – or Songkran – over the course of three festive days. The holiday is rooted in Buddhist traditions and is an important time for Cambodians to get back together with their...
If you’re ever traveling to Battambang in October, you might hear people talking about the water festival – or you might find yourself caught in the middle of it unknowingly if you’re down by the Sangker River and surrounded by racing boats and cheering crowds. ...
Pchum Ben Festival is a fifteen-day Khmer festival that honors the memory and legacy of the seven generations of ancestors for many people in Cambodia. About 60 members of the Phare Ponleu Selpak community, mostly including Phare Kindergarten, practiced and...
The campus of Phare Ponleu Selpak is home to volunteers from Cambodia and all around the world. This week we’re proud to interview KIM Eunkyoo from South Korea who’s helping change lives through the arts across a few different subjects. Across the table, KIM Eunkyoo...
Khmer culture is an essential source of inspiration for art students at Phare Ponleu Selpak. The architecture inherited from their ancestors is present throughout Cambodia, and is often found in temples and places of religious worship. A Special School Trip to...
« I am a Cambodian national living in the U.S. since 1979, when I moved to Washington DC and joined the World Bank to work on development globally and more specifically to contribute to the socio-economic development of my homeland. Since I retired in 2013, I have...
November marks the end of the European Union Aid Volunteers (EUAV) deployment after they have joined Phare team this past year. The volunteers arrived in November, January or June for a duration of six months, nine months, or one year. The 10 volunteers have offered...
