Teamwork at KKO

At KKO, we promote flat hierarchies. We communicate openly, enjoy our work, and trust and support one another. We share our ideas, personal challenges, and even our food. We believe that working in a supportive atmosphere is far more enjoyable than in a competitive one.

At KKO, we solve problems together. In our monthly meetings, we actively seek each other’s opinions because we believe every idea is valuable and should be considered when making decisions. There are no “bad” ideas—some may simply not fit.

While our results might not always be higher in quantity, they are always better in quality. For us, this is what being a family means.

Phary

Founder
since 2009

Sarith

Education Manager
since 2010

Malynith

Accounting Manager
since 2012

Soklay

English teacher
since 2018

Kimlay

English teacher
since 2013

Khmer for Khmer

Our name embodies our mission: Cambodians learn from experienced Cambodians to pass on their knowledge to others within their community. This is the core principle of our organization, and it’s reflected in our name: Khmer for Khmer.

We ensure that Cambodians hold leadership roles at all levels of the organization, from management to teaching. Additionally, we collaborate with skilled international volunteers who support us in areas such as new teaching methods, marketing, and fundraising strategies, helping us to improve, acquire new skills, and achieve long-term independence.

Before we started KKO, I was working with lots of small organisations in Cambodia due to my job for the German weltwärts program. I noticed that nearly all organisations had a foreign management and Cambodian staff. I wanted to take care that Cambodians are in charge on all levels of the organisation. That’s why we have Cambodians in every part of the KKO management. That’s how the name came up and what KKO stands for – Khmer for Khmer.

Markus, Co-founder of KKO