Our History
The seeds of The Cambodia Academy were sown in April 2004 by Hans Eide and John Barrett, members of the Foster City, California Rotary Club. During a Rotary project to distribute wheelchairs in rural Banteay Meanchey province, they were touched by the spirit of the children and were inspired to establish a school dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty through education.
Over the past two decades, the school has flourished thanks to the dedicated support of Rotary clubs and individual donors worldwide who share our conviction that education is the cornerstone of success.
In 2010, the charity received nonprofit recognition from the State of California, solidifying its commitment to transparency and accountability. That same year, Richard Howell joined the board along with Hans and John.
Over the years, the charity has developed and grown, improving donor management and payment processes with software, engaging with Rotary clubs around the world, seeking institutional grants, developing programs to increase single student sponsorship, and hosting fundraisers to provide needed support for operational funding needs.
For each of the past five years, The Cambodia Academy has earned Candid’s Platinum Seal of Transparency, the highest level of recognition for nonprofit openness and accountability, giving donors added confidence in our strong governance, financial transparency, and responsible stewardship of every gift.
Academically, the school has strived to emphasize English language instruction and the acquisition of IT skills. Since inception, we have provided 20 hours a week of English language instruction and in 2023 we installed a 35-seat computer lab. We routinely have a 100% pass rate of our grade 9 students on goverment exams.
Hans Eide passed away in 2016 and the board is committed to carrying on his legacy.