The Marly Fund

The Marly Fund was founded by Holly Geber last May in Cambodia. While there Holly was faced with quite a quandary, because she was informed about the disturbing government sponsorship teaching programs that “support” poverty-stricken young adults to get a certificate in teaching. Holly discovered this issue by befriending Marly Sem, a 22 year-old impoverished Khmer woman. Marly is one of many in this sponsorship program and as a result being destitute to a life of poverty. Government salaries range between $20 and $50 per month for teachers putting them far below the poverty line. This coupled with little government funding for education forces many teachers to collect informal school fees from students, on average between $0.02 - $0.05 per day, to support themselves and pay for the basic needs of the school. Thus what looks like an incredible opportunity to young adults from an impoverished background is merely a continuation of the cycle of poverty for her and the students she will serve. The goal of The Marly Fund is to ignite passion and hope in young adults, like Marly, by allowing them to pursue a degree of their choice that will provide a career to bring them out of poverty. Tertiary education in Cambodia costs $1,200 per year, $500 tuition and $700 living circumstances. This is a cost Marly, and many other young adults like her cannot afford. The Marly Fund intervenes and provides a scholarship covering the cost of beneficiaries' tertiary education and basic living circumstances. The Marly Fund needs your help to break the cycle of poverty in Marly's and other impecunious young adults lives. If you wish to donate please mail a check to 7800 Edinger Ave., Huntington Beach, CA 92647 (make the check out to CCHB and write "The Marly Fund c/o Holly" in the memo). If you can or cannot donate we request your prayers for The Marly Fund, a revival in the Cambodian government and all of the impoverished in Cambodia. While the need is great, God is greater. (For all updates go to: www.themarlyfund.org)