Our History

In 2007, Phary opened her first English school (KTC) out of personal necessity.There were no English schools in her area, and due to a lack of time, it was challenging for her to take her own children into town.

As a result, she decided to build a school at her home and began teaching local children.

The school grew quickly, and within no time, she was teaching around 600 students, realizing there was a significant demand for English education.

Many students asked if they could attend classes for free, as they couldn’t afford the school fees.

In response, she began teaching about 50 children without charge. The school rapidly reached its capacity.

The journey behind KKO began when Markus from Germany came to Cambodia in 2007. He conducted an evaluation of organizations for the German volunteer program “weltwärts,” gaining valuable insight into NGOs across the country.

He observed many small schools and orphanages—some run with passion but lacking knowledge, others exploiting children for profit.

Meanwhile, foreign-funded schools often excluded Cambodian staff from decision-making.

When Phary and Markus met, they shared a vision: to create a school offering free English education to rural children who were eager to learn but couldn’t afford fees.

Phary brought her expertise in running a successful private school, while Markus contributed organizational skills and funding strategies.

Together, they founded KKO as an NGO in 2010.

With initial funding of $24,115 USD from the German Embassy and partnerships with DED/GIZ, the first three school buildings were constructed on rented land in Chreav Commune: for English classes, motorbike mechanic training, and sewing courses. The curriculum was adapted from Phary’s private school.