Sophak Meas

My name is Meas Sophak. I was born on 13 February 1989 at Kampong Chhnang Province.
I have eight brothers and sisters and I am a seventh child in my family we are farmers and live in the countryside. My family is poor, so I stay in the pagoda and became a monk in 2005 until 2016. During that time went stay close to my studies because I thought if I had knowledge I could find a good job and I could help my family and help other people in my own country. In the Buddhist school, the subjects were the same as public school. In 2012-2013 I worked as a volunteer monk as a Dharma Teacher in a local prison in Battambang Province, to instill morality, and values in a daily life to the prison inmates for their rehabilitation. Moreover, I also joined several actions to help poor children, and families and helped building homes for them. I left from monkhood in 2016. After that, I worked Monday to Friday as an English teacher in a private school near Khmer-Thai border which school very poor children. On the weekend, I study at University of Management and Economics in Battambang Province. My Major is Humanity, Art and Languages with the emphasis in teaching English as a second language. In addition in 2016-2017, I worked as English teacher at Khmer New Generation Organization in Battambang and there, I was promoted to a position in charge of managing students attendance as it is a challenge to make sure students will not be pulled out of school to help parents. I still live in the pagoda where I have been living while attending the University to get my education. I care about aging people, children and communities as a hold. I hope that what I do it will help to contribute to the better life for the poor people in my country as I am one of them.