STAFF
Soriya
Born to a poor family in the Cambodian countryside, Soriya works as what is called a pagoda boy in Cambodia – staying at Wat Tramneak assisting monks in return for free housing and food. He is passionate about languages and was hired as an English teacher at our free pagoda school. He enjoys learning additional languages and in his free time teaches introductory classes in Japanese and Spanish for fun. Soriya is currently studying at Build Bright University and expects to finish his Bachelors in English in 2019.
Synoun
Synoun didn’t attend high school but took up sewing when she was just 17 years old. Over the years she has honed her skills and now boasts over 20 years of experience sewing, capable a making anything from local school uniforms to complicated upholstery. She briefly worked as a private sewing teacher and has been leading our sewing program since 2010. Synoun now lives in Siem Reap city as is married with three children.
Eddie
The co-founder of the organization following a volunteer experience in Siem Reap, Eddie has been assisting local staff with programming and leading the development arm of the organization since its beginning in 2009. Originally from the United States, he has been back and forth between Cambodia and lives most of the time in Siem Reap. He has been more recently focused on building a financially durable organization through social businesses. Eddie has a Bachelors Degree in Spanish and Theology.
That
That is a part-time accountant for Bridge of Life School. Originally from the countryside he moved on his own to Siem Reap to support his four younger siblings (while making trips home to the rice paddies to help out on Sundays). He has been studying accounting since 2008 and has worked as our accountant since 2010. He now holds a M.A. in Accounting from Building Bright University and works full-time at a large microfinance institution. He is married and has one child on the way.
Paren
A former Bridge of Life English student, Paren is originally from the floating villages of Kompong Khleang but grew up in Banteay Srey. After learning English he worked in the hospitality industry and later a large NGO before being hired in 2012 as an English teacher. He currently manages all of Bridge of Life’s educational programming and works as a tour guide for Community First where he shares his homeland. Paren has a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration.
Chea
Our longest-serving, full-time team member, Chea teaches English language classes in Kompong Thom province. Born to a poor family, Chea left home at eighteen to become a monk where he stayed for 10 years studying and later teaching English. Upon leaving he moved to Siem Reap where he found employment at a private school. He was hired in 2011 to open our English language classes in Kompong Thom. Chea is happily married with two children.
Sea
Sea has been working in the aid sector his entire life. Earlier in his career he worked for Bridge of Life School as an English teacher but, passionate about clean water related issues, he left to work at Splash and later Water for Cambodia. Sea is currently employed full-time at —– but he works as a clean water consultant for Bridge of Life, monitoring biosand filters in the floating villages and tracking progress. Sea has a bachelors degree in and is married with two children.
Computer Teacher
Passionate about technology and sharing it with others, he has been leading our computer courses at Tram Neak pagoda. He teaches Khmer/English typing as well as email and Internet use for monks and other students who live in the area. He previously