Based on the findings summarized the history and in response to the needs of the community, we have established this school to serve children—particularly those with intellectual disabilities and autism—who have not had access to appropriate educational services. Our initiative aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 4 of the Cambodian Ministry of Education, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. Beyond addressing these needs, the school was also founded out of genuine compassion. The structure and roles of the school's founders are outlined below:

Structure

Brief Backgrounds of the Operational Committee Members of SMILE SKID International School:

Ms. NGET Sochheat
 is the Director of SMILE SKID International School and holds full responsibility for all aspects of the school’s operations. She is the visionary behind the school and was the first person to propose the idea of its establishment. Ms. Sochheat has extensive experience in education management and has been involved in business cooperation since 2005. As the sole decision-maker, she oversees all school-related tasks, including administrative, financial, and operational responsibilities. She has also provided the capital investment necessary to establish the school and continues to lead its development with dedication and compassion.

Ms. Sochheat graduated from Net Yong High School in 2005 and went on to complete her university education, majoring in Business Management from 2005 to 2008. Following her graduation, she pursued an agricultural business venture from 2008 to 2013. Through this initiative, she developed hands-on experience in entrepreneurship, learning how to start and manage a business effectively. Her first business involved purchasing.

The daily operation of this school will be under the direct responsibility of Mr. POV Chhean as known as the deputy of SMILE KID International School. He has worked for none non-government Organizations which is nearly 20 years since 2006. He has been a lifelong enthusiast of nongovernment organizations’ works and most of his experiences are related to the disability sector, in Cambodia especially my extensive experience in education focused on inclusive education over 10 years that it has started since 2014. The highlight achievements of his work during those years were mentioned as follows:   

2020-2025, he has worked for the Karuna Battambang Organization (KBO) and his role as a Program Manager of the Project “Enhancing the Quality of Life of People with Intellectual Disabilities and Autism -SAM”. The aim of this project is the full integration of people with intellectual disabilities and autism into families and society and facilitates the children with intellectual disabilities to get an education service from the public schools that this project covers. During this period, restoring the 18 integrative classes to provide special education services to 500 beneficiaries with intellectual disabilities and autism where are in Kandal, Kampong Chhnang, Battambang and Banteay Meanchey provinces, 85 beneficiaries with intellectual disabilities and autism were mainstreamed into 26 public schools.  From 2017-2020, he was hired by Karuna Battambang organization as his role was the Operations Director Assistant and with the name of the project mentioned above, the obtaining this period, 1 commune included the disability problem in Commune Development Plan (CDP), 9 communes included problems of PwDs into Commune Investment Plans (CIP), completion of the written Commune Investment Plan (CIP) Guideline, the official written Procedure on Project WASH Construction, the official written Guideline book on how to assess the abilities of a child with intellectual disabilities. From 2014-2016, he was hired by Internation Organization named New Humanity based head office in Italy, as the project officer of the project “Care, Advocacy and Prevention for Persons with Disabilities (CAP). The obtaining this period, 4 CBR’ parent committees, and 4 model self-help groups were established, Completion of the written Manual of the CBR Parents’ Committee, the written Self-Help Group-SHG guideline, the official Lesson Plan with 8 topics for the parent meeting, the Home Visit Procedure, the Lesson Plan with 6 topics for promoting at public school and lead 21 staff with positive results.  From 2012-2013, he was hired by Battambang Disabled People Organization (BDPO) and was a Project manager of the project “Disability Advocacy and Awareness-raising through Organizational Capacity Building of Self-help Group for Disability Inclusion into the Government Development Plans (CBDI)”.  And with the main aim was to fighting the discrimination again on persons with disabilities. From 2010-2011, he, he still a KBO staff, worked with Handicap International Organization as he had to work the partnership of Handicap International -TIGA II project through a survey of the Barriers Assessment (BA), creation of Communal Disabled Recourse Persons (CDRP) and Sponsorship to advocacy the Service Providers to support PwDs’ projects. From 2008-2009, he was hired by Battambang Disabled People Organization (BDPO) and his role was the Project Coordinator of the Project “Disability Advocacy and Awareness-raising project through sewing project for women with disabilities of income generative activities for people with disabilities (ASWD)”.  And the last, from 2006-2007, he worked as a volunteer at Care Organization, as a working partner of Disability and HIV/AIDS Project to the creation Women's Deaf Self-Help Groups and to promote Reproductive Health to BDPO SHGs and other PwDs in the community.

Ms. REACH Sokhak will serve as the Special Education Programmer for this school. She brings over 20 years of experience in teaching and supporting students with intellectual disabilities and autism.

Ms. Sokhak began her career with the New Humanity Organization (HN), where she worked from 2008 to 2015 as a Special Needs Teacher. In this role, she was responsible for educating students with intellectual disabilities and autism, with a particular focus on continuously assessing the needs of both students and their parents. Based on these assessments, she developed and updated individualized development plans (IDPs) to ensure tailored educational and therapeutic support. Through her work in integrated classrooms and regular home visits, Ms. Sokhak ensured counseling and support to public school teachers, prepared lesson plans, and created pedagogical materials for a wide range of activities, including education, physiotherapy, hygiene, and sanitation. In addition, she maintained detailed and accurate personal files for each beneficiary and closely monitored their health status in coordination with referral officers. From 2016 to 2025, Ms. Sokhak worked for the Karuna Battambang Organization (KBO), where she was promoted to Class Supervisor and Communication Team Leader. In this leadership role, she provided technical support and mentoring to new staff, particularly in methods for teaching students with intellectual disabilities and autism. She also led the development of a communication assessment tool and a guidebook on effective teaching practices for this population. Furthermore, Ms. Sokhak was responsible for tracking all cases of students with intellectual disabilities and autism and coordinating with international experts within the project’s network on a semester basis.With her extensive experience, technical expertise, and leadership in the field of special education, Ms. REACH Sokhak will be a valuable asset to the school’s special education program.

Ms. NEM Chanthy will serve as the Early Childhood Care Service Programmer for this school. She brings over 10 years of experience working with non-governmental organizations, with a strong background in both early childhood care and special education, particularly in teaching and supporting children with intellectual disabilities and autism. From 2012 to 2014, Ms. Chanthy worked with World Vision as a caretaker for children experiencing malnutrition. In this role, she was responsible for assessing the health conditions of these children and developing early education plans for those who were not yet able to attend kindergarten. This experience provided her with a solid foundation in child health, nutrition, and early learning. In 2014, Ms. Chanthy joined New Humanity (NH) as a Special Needs Teacher, where she taught students with intellectual disabilities and autism from 2014 to 2015. Her work focused on individualized instruction, regular assessment of student needs, and collaboration with families to ensure the best outcomes for each child. From 2016 to 2024, she worked with the Karuna Battambang Organization (KBO), further deepening her expertise. In this role, Ms. Chanthy regularly assessed the needs of beneficiaries with intellectual disabilities and autism, as well as those of their parents. Based on these assessments, she developed and updated appropriate Individual Development Plans (IDPs). Through her work in integrated classrooms and regular home visits, she ensured that each child’s IDP was effectively implemented. She provided ongoing counseling and support to public school teachers, prepared lesson plans and pedagogical materials for a wide range of activities—including education, physiotherapy, hygiene, and sanitation—and meticulously maintained detailed personal files for each beneficiary. She also coordinated with referral officers to continuously monitor the health status of the children. In addition, Ms. Chanthy was responsible for conducting comprehensive assessments of all new beneficiaries with intellectual disabilities and autism before they were accepted into the project’s services. Ms. NEM Chanthy’s extensive experience in early childhood care, special education, and family-centered support will make her an invaluable leader for the school’s Early Childhood Care Service program.

Mr. REACH Vanna will serve as a key member supporting the Administrative Unit for this school. He brings over 20 years of experience 

working in the field of special education, particularly in teaching and supporting students with intellectual disabilities and autism. From 2003 to 2009, Mr. Vanna worked as a Special Needs Teacher with the New Humanity Organization (HN). In this role, he was responsible for educating students with intellectual disabilities and autism. His work focused on conducting regular assessments of students' needs and collaborating closely with parents to develop and update Individual Development Plans (IDPs). Through his work in integrated classes and through regular home visits, Mr. Vanna ensured the effective implementation of each student's IDP. He also provided counseling to public school teachers, prepared lesson plans and pedagogical materials for activities related to education, physiotherapy, hygiene, and sanitation, and maintained detailed personal records for each student. In 2010, Mr. Vanna was promoted to Centre Supervisor. In this role (2010–2013), he provided technical support and guidance to special needs teachers, helping them improve their methods for teaching students with intellectual disabilities and autism. In 2014, he was further promoted to the role of Health Referral Officer. In this capacity, Mr. Vanna was responsible for ensuring that the health conditions of all beneficiaries were continuously monitored and coordinated with both local and international healthcare service providers. He played a crucial role in strengthening the health referral system and building partnerships with external agencies. Since 2017, Mr. Vanna has been working with the Karuna Battambang Organization (KBO). In his current role, he continues to provide technical support to all staff, with a particular focus on screening the health conditions of students with intellectual disabilities and autism. He is responsible for conducting initial health screenings and overseeing the ongoing monitoring of students' health. Additionally, Mr. Vanna coordinates the annual review and follow-up of health cases with international experts and partners who are part of the project's global network.

Mr. REACH Vanna’s deep expertise in special education, health referral management, and staff support makes him a valuable asset to the school’s administrative and special education team.

Advisory Committee of SMILE KID International School:

All operational committees of SMILE KID International School receive direct guidance and advice from the school’s Advisory Committee. This committee is composed of key human resources who play a vital role in ensuring that all strategies and approaches are aligned with the school’s strategic plan, with the goal of building long-term sustainability. The members of the Advisory Committee each bring over 10 years of experience in school leadership and management. Their expertise strengthens the school’s ability to deliver high-quality education and develop innovative, inclusive programs. Below is a profile of one of the core members of the Advisory Committee:

Mr. SOEM Broem currently serves as the Chairman of the Department of Education, Youth, and Sports in Kampong Chhnang Province. He brings over 20 years of leadership experience in the education sector. During his tenure, Mr. Broem has been instrumental in driving significant improvements in the education system of Kampong Chhnang Province. Under his leadership, numerous school buildings have been constructed to meet the growing needs of students from kindergarten through high school. These investments in educational infrastructure have contributed to the development of a large pool of human resources within the province. More recently, thanks to his outstanding management and leadership, Mr. Broem supported the development of inclusive education services in two key schools:

  • Khsam Meas Chan Leap Primary School (Kampong Chhnang City)
  • Kampong Trolach High School (Kampong Trolach District)

These schools now provide dedicated services for students with special needs, including those with visual impairments, hearing impairments, intellectual disabilities, and autism. At SMILE KID International School, Mr. Broem serves as a General Advisor. His responsibilities will advise us including:

  • Advising the operational committees on how to establish effective school discipline policies
  • Providing guidance on recruitment of new staff
  • Advising on the development of the curriculum for the school’s Early Childhood Program
  • Promoting educational equity across all student groups
  • Supporting the school in strategic planning to ensure sustainable growth and development. For more information about Mr. SOEM Broem and his work, please visit the google map link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/i5na1FmTcZu36xmD9

Ms. REACH Makara is currently the School Director of the Albert International Academy (AIA) branch in Phnom Penh, bringing over 20 years of experience in educational leadership. Throughout her career, Ms. Makara has achieved notable success in:

  • Leading the development of high-quality Early Childhood and English language curricula
  • Building strong teaching teams through effective recruitment and staff development
  • Promoting inclusive and disciplined learning environments
  • Contributing to strategic school planning for sustainable growth 

At SMILE KID International School, Ms. Makara advises on:

  • Setting discipline policies for Early Childhood and English programs
  • Recruitment of staff for these programs
  • Developing the Early Childhood and English curricula
  • Promoting equity and quality in the school’s English education offerings
  • Providing input on the school’s long-term strategic plan. For more information, please refer to the website of Albert International Academy (link to be inserted) : https://www.aiacambodia.edu.kh/

Ms. Clara Fong currently serves as an Auditory-Verbal Therapist at Union Hospital in Hong Kong. Established in 1994 by Henderson Development Limited, Union Hospital is the first private general hospital in the Eastern New Territories. The hospital features a 7-storey main building with 200 beds, a 3-storey medical centre, a 24-storey staff residence, and an underground car park with over 170 spaces. Ms. Clara has worked at the hospital’s Union Speech & Swallowing Therapy Clinic since 2005, where she has built a strong reputation for excellence in treating speech, language, and swallowing disorders. Her work is informed not only by professional expertise but also by personal experience: as the mother of a child with autism, she pursued further studies and holds a Master’s Degree in Special Education (with a focus on speech and swallowing) from a U.S. university. Beyond her core role at Union Hospital, Ms. Clara also serves as an Advisor to a university in Hong Kong, where she contributes to the development of curricula for teaching students with speech problems and autism. In addition, she has provided consultation and training in developing countries, helping to advance best practices in speech therapy and communication intervention. Since 2019, Ms. Clara has dedicated 15 days each year to providing direct support and follow-up for clients with communication challenges in Cambodia. In 2020, she further expanded her impact by establishing a private Speech and Swallowing Clinic in Hong Kong.

At SMILE KID International School, Ms. Clara plays a vital role in strengthening the school’s capacity to support students with communication needs. Her contributions include:

  • Training SMILE KID INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL’s staff and enhancing their capabilities in speech and communication therapy
  • Advising on the development and regular updating of assessment tools for students with communication problems
  • Assisting in the creation and refinement of new teaching methodologies
  • Providing direct online instruction and consultation twice monthly — or more frequently if urgent needs ariseMs. Clara’s international experience, deep professional expertise, and personal commitment to supporting students with speech and communication challenges make her an invaluable Advisor to SK International School.

For more details on her experience and expertise, please refer to her professional profile: https://www.union.org/new/eindex.php

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