The World’s Children’s Prize is an internationally recognized award on the same level as the Nobel Peace Prize according the the New York Times. This year the award went to Phymean Noun—an activist in Cambodia helping children who scavenge garbage dumps for survival get an education. And her story is incredible.

Phymean Noun has been working to improve the lives of children in Phnom Penh (the capital of Cambodia) for over thirteen years. She not only believes in the power of education to change the world, but has dedicated her entire life to helping some of the world's most disadvantaged children achieve a better future. Noun quit her job working for the UN in 2002 to start the People’s Improvement School, which provides education for 1,200 children a day.

The People’s Improvement School makes education a reality for children living in extreme poverty in Cambodia. Phymean Noun also provides non-traditional education and vocational training for women and children so that kids have the chance to get a safe well paid job after graduating from high school.  

What inspired Phymean Noun to help some of the most disadvantaged children in the world?

Noun grew up in a Cambodia where education was extremely restricted, and banned entirely in her community. During 1975 to 1979 over 1.7 million people died of starvation, disease, and exhaustion from over-working because of genocide. Noun was separated from her family at the age of 15, and worked to pay the school fees required to get an education. Education got Noun to a successful position working at an international nonprofit for twelve years before her mission in life changed.

For Noun it was one daily lunch that changed everything. Noun says she was eating lunch when a group of children living on the street asked her for money or food and she asked them to wait. As she threw out her leftover lunch, she noticed the children picking through the trash to eat what she had thrown away. This experience inspired her to start the People’s Improvement School.

Children who are not in school need education more than anything. In conflict zones, and areas of extreme poverty education it offers the best chance for a better life.

The winner of this year’s World’s Children’s Award gives hope that each person, no matter where they are in life, has the power to make the world a better place.

You can go to TAKE ACTION NOW to call on the United States Government to increase access to education for all children.