Introducing Staff
Who are you?
My name is Kem Kunthea. I am 30 years old. I am married to a former LCDI classmate, Azarin and have a two year old daughter called Sarawin. I am the director of LCDI and I manage the school administration and provide leadership and direction for the school staff.
What is your background?
I was born in Kampot province in 1980, a year after the Khmer Rouge were defeated by the Vietnamese and their Cambodian allies. My Father worked in the province with the Department of Mines and Energy and my Mother taught in a primary school. I have four younger brothers.
I finished high school in 1997 and spent time studying computer and English in a small private school. A friend of mine mentioned to me a position going in Phnom Penh and so I came to work in the city.
How did you become involved with L-CDI ?
In 1999, I was asked to work in a school teaching English, computer and taking care of student’s bicycles. I came to work in the house inside the school. One of my main responsibilities, aside from caring for bicycles was to wake up the principal’s son early in the morning to do exercise.
In 2000, a small group of those involved in the school decided to start a local NGO called L-CDI. I was the vice-director of the NGO and we were tasked with assisting Cambodian youth to find work and develop life skills.
In 2005, I became the director of a remodeled LCDI after problems with the original director. I gathered 20 former teachers and worked with them in a rented house to re-open the school. We restarted the school in the provinces and after 3 months, we restarted the Phnom Penh facility. I have been director since that time and have worked with the staff to overcome many challenges.
What is your vision?
I want all the youth who have dropped-out out of the education system to get education and training so that they can find jobs, develop their character and live better lives. My vision is a self sufficient LCDI with centres all over Cambodia, teaching the youth about the value of education and the need to develop their character and change their lives.
(Kunthea shows his blue thumb, stained by the ink during the signing of the LCDI lease agreement)
