Japanese teen funds library for Cambodia school out of her pocket
By HIROSHI TAKAMATSU/ Staff Writer
November 13, 2018 at 07:00 JST
OSAKA--Instead of spending the gift money she received each New Year's and on entering school, Miyu Ozawa saved it for her future.
Thanks to her savings, primary schoolchildren in Cambodia are on a path to a brighter future themselves.

They are the beneficiaries of a new library funded by Ozawa, 16, a second-year student at Tezukayama Gakuin Senior High School in Osaka.

“I had saved the money, which my mother used to tell me not to spend on games or for having fun,” she said. “That turned out to be useful in the end.”

During her spring vacation following her graduation from junior high school, Ozawa worked as a volunteer on a 10-day tour in Cambodia, where she helped with classes at a primary school.

Ozawa turned to a girl while skipping rope with children and asked her in English, with gestures, what she felt happiest doing. The girl looked Ozawa squarely in the eye and said, “Studying.”

After returning to Japan, Ozawa began thinking about building a library in Cambodia because it appeared that while the country had schools, it did not have enough teachers or teaching materials.

“Books will give you a first step for studying on your own,” Ozawa said. “I hope some will aspire to be teachers in due course after encountering books."

Thirty copies each of a textbook of English and a schoolbook for the local Khmer script were furnished in a room in the school building, where the walls were repainted. Spanking new desks and chairs were also introduced.

The total cost of $6,000 (670,000 yen) was funded by Ozawa's savings.
http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201811130001.html

Beautiful, Beautiful story. Especially that line about what makes her the most happy. Powerful.

Always heartwarming when a total rookie steps in, throws money at it, and the school director has a chance to ca$h on it pretending he used school budgets to finance (part of) it.

Miyu Ozawa, I sincerely hope you marked everything you gave to the school in a non removable way to prevent corruption from the school staff.

For everyone planning on making a donation to schools in Cambodia, you can PM me for tips and tricks.