A decade of dedication: Aunty Neang’s story of nourishing Cambodia’s future

Every morning before sunrise, as the village of Phtorl Rompus still sleeps, 66-year-old AuntyHem Neang lights her stove and begins to cook. By the time children arrive at school, steaming pots of rice and vegetables are ready to serve—meals that fill hungry bellies and fuel young minds.

Neang is one of the many unsung heroes behind Cambodia’s School Feeding Project, implemented by World Vision in partnership with the World Food Programme, and funded by the United States Department of Agriculture. The project reaches 16,077 students (7,831 girls) across 75 primary schools in three districts, providing daily hot meals, promoting school gardens, improving WASH facilities, and raising awareness on nutrition, hygiene, food safety, gender equity, and local capacity building.

At the heart of this effort are the 180 cooks (137 women) whose care and commitment ensure children have the nourishment they need to learn and grow.

For more than 10 years, Aunty Neang has worked as a school cook at a Primary School in Sandan District, Kampong Thom Province. Her dedication to children’s well-being is unwavering. Each afternoon, she prepares the kitchen—organizing supplies,vegetables, and firewood—and at 4:30 a.m., she begins cooking so that breakfast is ready by 6:30 a.m.

“The main reason I have worked here for more than 10 years is because I find deep empathy and satisfaction in preparing meals for children,” Neang says. “My grandchildren also eat the meals I cook at this school as they study here.”

Beyond her cooking duties, Neang tends a small rice field, raises chickens, and grows vegetables to supplement her monthly incentive of 250,000 Riels (USD 62.5). Her work notonly sustains her family but strengthens her entire community.

The school feeding program has also created new opportunities for others. Neang’s son, Nal Neat (31), returned from construction work in Phnom Penh two years ago to join the school kitchen. Together with another local cook, Uncle Sou Ring (66), they form a devoted team committed to serving nutritious meals for students.

“Working here brings me joy,” says Neat. “I’m proud to work beside my mother and contributeto something meaningful for our community.”

Mr. Nhoem Sin, the school director, praises their dedication: “When the bell rings for breakfast, children line up eagerly for their hot meals. I deeply appreciate the cooks’ compassion— especially Aunty Neang, who has served for more than a decade. Thanks tothe project, they now have a new, standard kitchen that makes their work safer and easier.”

For Neang, every meal is more than just food—it’s love in action, a simple act that builds the future of her community. And she is not alone. Across the project’s 75 schools, 190 cooks like Aunty Neang bring the same dedication and care each day, nourishing Cambodia’s children and empowering their communities to thrive. 


World Vision, in partnership with the World Food Programme and with funding from the USDA, implements the School Feeding Project.

In Cambodia, the project serves 16,077 students— including 7,831 girls—across 75 primary schools in three districts. It provides daily hot meals and promotes school gardens, improved, WASH infrastructure, and awareness campaigns on nutrition and hygiene. The project also emphasizes food safety, gender equity, and local capacity building.