A man from Ulverston has been working through lockdown to help get young Cambodian children into education.

Ruairidh Fraser, an intern for Helping Hands, has been out in the country for almost a year working to provide children with school uniforms.

While it is free to go to school in the country, it is mandatory that the pupils all have a uniform, which prevents many families from sending their children into education.

LEARN: Education is free in the country, however uniforms are expensive

LEARN: Education is free in the country, however uniforms are expensive

Ruairidh received support for his ventures from Cumbria Overseas Aid Trust (COAT) who were pleased to provide the young man with grant to enable the purchase and distribution of school uniforms to children in a rural community.

He has been working in the rural community of Prasat Char, which is 25km from the tourist town of Siem Reap.

Hilary Pickup, of COAT, said: “Children in Cambodia are not allowed to go to school if they don’t have the uniform.

“School is free, but the uniforms aren’t.

“He has been working with children in the rural community and applied for us for the money he needed to get them into the classroom.

“He was out there initially before the lockdown but when everything was restricted, he decided to stay out there and work through the pandemic.

LEARN: Education is free in the country, however uniforms are expensive

LEARN: Education is free in the country, however uniforms are expensive

“We think it’s a brilliant job he’s doing and we want to help him every way we can.

“What I’m really impressed with is that he ordered the uniforms from a non-profit organisation, even though it would have been cheaper to buy it elsewhere.

“That’s a condition of ours; that every penny is spent on what it is meant to be spent on.”

Ruairidh has arranged purchases for these uniforms from Friends International, which is a non-profit social enterprise that provides disadvantaged workers with job placements, further vocational training and assistance in establishing their own small businesses.

The majority of the uniform producers are single mothers in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, who have been otherwise unable to access employment.