Rung Srey Leak

Cambodian literacy advocate transforming rural education through children's books

Rung Srey Leak is a Cambodian social innovator who pioneered Cambodia's children's publishing industry to combat illiteracy and cultural loss. As founder of Cambodian First Pages in 2008, she created the nation's first Khmer-language children's books, addressing a critical lack of age-appropriate reading materials in rural schools.

Growing up in a rural village without access to books herself, Leak identified literacy as the key to breaking cycles of poverty. Her organization's books blend Khmer folklore with modern educational themes, distributed free to schools in remote areas through a mobile library network. Over 1.2 million books have been distributed to date, reaching 500,000+ children in 2,000+ schools.

Innovative programs like the 'Book Bus' and teacher training workshops have helped raise literacy rates in target regions by 40% since 2012. Leak also introduced the first children's book awards in Cambodia to encourage local authors, fostering a new generation of Khmer-language literature. Her work aligns with UNESCO's literacy goals and has received grants from the Asian Development Bank.

Leak's vision extends to digital education: in 2020 she launched an e-learning platform (CFPE Learning) offering free Khmer-language courses during pandemic school closures. Recognized as a 'Young Champion of the Earth' by UNEP in 2017, her efforts preserve Cambodian cultural heritage while preparing youth for global challenges. By democratizing access to quality education materials, she's redefining possibilities for rural children in one of Southeast Asia's poorest nations.