In much of the world, education is a given. But for many students across Southeast Asia’s marginalised communities, the path to the classroom is marked by long distances, limited resources, and a quiet determination to keep going.

Behind every student is a story of resilience. Despite inherited challenges, many continue to show up and strive forward. With the right support, they don’t just overcome barriers — they thrive.

This is where the Eileen Yee Educational Fund makes a difference. By covering essential costs such as transportation, uniforms, and exam fees, the fund helps remove the hidden barriers that often keep students out of school. To better understand why this support matters deeply, below are some of the barriers faced by students in the villages we work with.

A Long Road to the Nearest Classroom

In rural regions of countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Cambodia, students often walk hours to school across rivers, steep hills, and farmland. During the rainy season, those journeys can become nearly impossible.

For some, the schools are frequently under-resourced. Classrooms may be dilapidated, with no electricity, running water, or basic materials like books and desks. Teachers are scarce, and those assigned to remote areas may rotate in and out quickly due to poor working conditions and lack of support.

Poverty That Steals Potential

For families living on just a few dollars a day, education competes with survival. Uniforms, transport, and exam fees can be out of reach. Children are often pulled from school to help with farming or care for siblings.

As one educator explained, “It’s not that parents or grandparents don’t value education. It’s just that survival comes first.”

Poverty also shapes what happens inside the classroom. In some countries, key exam content is only taught in paid extra lessons. As the US columnist Joel Brinkley wrote in his book Cambodia’s Curse, “Teachers routinely withheld curriculum from classroom instruction, instead offering it only to students who paid extra for private lessons. If you wanted to pass the national exam, you had to pay. If you couldn’t, you failed.”

Even in countries with stronger systems, success in university entrance exams often depends on access to additional books or tutoring. Students from lower-income schools have to self-study — while still helping at home.

And yet, even amid these challenges, students continue to dream:

“This financial aid will help me get essential books for the university test,” said one student. “If I have anything left over, I’ll save it for tuition.”

It’s a reminder that potential exists in every corner — it simply needs the chance to rise.

Basic Needs Left Unmet

In several rural schools across the region, students are forced to navigate daily life without even the most basic hygienic facilities. Some schools lack clean toilets, safe drinking water, or private areas for personal hygiene. For adolescent girls in particular, the absence of sanitary pads or proper facilities during menstruation can lead to missed school days — and in some cases, dropping out entirely.

These are not isolated issues. They are widespread and under-discussed barriers that disproportionately affect those already most at risk of being left behind.

Families in Crisis, Role Models Missing

“What stood out most,” said Suyin Lee, Discova’s Managing Director and Chairperson of the Eileen Yee Educational Fund, “isn’t just the absence of a stable home. It’s the absence of a role model. These children may not feel the weight of social stigma, but they carry a quiet burden — they are growing up without someone to show them what’s possible. Without that example, they quietly stop believing in their own potential.”

In one school, teachers estimate a roughly 50/50 split between higher education and employment. But behind these numbers lies a deeper issue: some students never even consider university because they’ve internalised the idea that it isn’t “for people like them.”

“They think their future is already written,” a school counsellor shared. “Their parents work in factories. Their grandparents farm. So, they assume that’s their path too.”

Yet when you ask these students what they hope for, a different story emerges. “I want to be a photographer,” said one student. “This scholarship will give me the chance to study English and travel the world to capture its beauty.”

For students without strong parental figures, the influence of dedicated teachers becomes even more crucial. In the same school, we found a group of deeply committed educators who consistently go beyond their job descriptions to ensure that every student, no matter their background, sees higher education as a real possibility.

Hope in Action

Across Southeast Asia, communities are working to break these cycles. Schools, NGOs, and local leaders are finding ways to address practical needs while nurturing long-term ambition. Initiatives like the Eileen Yee Educational Fund are doing more than providing financial support — they’re restoring belief in what’s possible.

“I love drawing,” said one student. “I want to sell my art to earn money and build a better future.”

“I want to study English and become a teacher to help others learn too,” another one expresses.

These aren’t just personal goals — they’re ripples of impact that can uplift whole communities.

Destination news