About Us

“Hi from Australia! My name is Louise and I help Sim with his bookings. I first met Sim in 2009 when I took a 3 day tour of the Angkor Archaeological Park. My daughter, who had been there on her GAP year earlier recommended to us to engage a guide to see the temples and we were so glad we did. He is extremely knowledgeable and engaging and the Angkor culture and history just came alive for me. Spending time with Sim became the highlight of my 25 days in SE Asia. I was extremely touched by his dedication to family and the children of his village and his plans. If you meet him, he will tell you his story, so I won’t go on about it here.

I was so impressed I decided to help him get more work to fulfil his dreams. I also wanted others to have a wonderful experience as I did.

Sim's dream of building a free English Language School in his village has come to fruition. He has organised a teaching space at his parent's house and hired teachers who implement an after-school language program.  Each child is also given a meal to help their nutritional needs.  Tourism is the Primary Industry in Siem Reap Province, after subsistence farming, and english language is a necessary skill to get a job.  Initially Sim funded the entire project himself from his own income.  Recently, friends from Australia have pledged regular donations to assist with the costs.  If you visit you may feel able to make a donation to help fund this project too. Visit the Thrive Cambodia Inc website for more details.

Sim (Eorn Shin Channa) was born in Siem Reap Province in 1982 being the youngest of 7 boys.  At 16 years of age he became a Buddhist Monk in Siem Reap. There he learned Sanskrit and Balinese.  He spent 6 years in the monkhood studying the great Hindu and Buddhist teachings, their stories and history. 

 

As with most Cambodians, Sim taught himself English and has perfected it through working in the tourism industry.  He learned Spanish when living in an ex-pat Spanish household in Siem Reap.

 

Sim has a wealth of knowledge of the history, carvings and statues of the temples of Angkor. 

 

He is a licensed tour-guide with the Tourism Authority.

So, when I returned to Melbourne I built Sim a website and my friends and I pay for web ads to bring traffic to his site. Sim’s spoken English is very good but not his written, so I answer the emails and make arrangements for his clients and relay them to Sim via email and phone calls. 

 

Since starting in June 2009, Sim has gone from having very little work (1 or 2 clients booked through hotels per month where they take up to 50% commission) to 7-14 days per month.  He is so good at his job that he is generating referrals.

 

Sim has begun building his Free English language school for the children in his village from his income.  He has some timber for tables and structure.  His father and his friend have begun cutting the wood with a hand saw and they hope to begin building in a couple of months.  He has arranged for a local teacher to work in the school which will operate out of normal school hours and will pay him with his tour guide income.

 

When I returned to Cambodia with my husband in 2010, I was able to see for myself the good work that Sim had been doing.  We had a wonderful time and feel privileged to have met Sim and his family.

Sim will be adding to his side of our story...but is so busy with working and his free english language school that he finds it hard to get to it!  However, the school has opened and a nonprofit, non-government charity has been formed to support the school and to improve access to basic education for the Som Rong Village community:  check out the website for Thrive Cambodia Inc.