How We Started

Judy Knoernschild and her late husband Chuck adopted Pisey in 2004. Unexpected life events and busy life caught up to their family and they had lost communication with Kampong Thom Orphanage Center (KTOC). Years later, after renewed communication, we discovered that Pisey had an older sister who lives at the Orphanage.

Our family and friends wanted to help Sophal. Adopting her wasn’t possible as adoptions had been closed. We knew we wanted to help Sophal and our best thoughts were to support her future by supporting her education. Then we thought: if we’re sending educational support for one, why not do it for all.

Meet the Team

Director & President

Judy Knoernschild

Judy is a mother to 4 kids, and mum to Sophal. She is a church pianist, piano teacher, and restaurant owner. A passionate environmentalist and humanist.

Director & Treasurer

Jon Schmidt

Jon and his wife, Harriet, are key reasons for the visible success that Sophal Project has accomplished. They manage and organize events, fundraising, and so much more.

Leader

Chea & Ka

Chea is our vital link to Cambodia. He is the former director of KTOC, but is still very involved with the orphanage. After surviving the Khmer Rouge, they devoted their lives to educating Cambodia’s youth.

Sisters

Sophal & Pisey

Since graduating University, Sophal works in Phnom Penh and is on her way to homeownership. Pisey is studying Psychology at UWM and is working on community engagement and nonprofit leadership.

A small drop of water can cross oceans, being felt across the world.

Our Success

Sophal Project supports education and wellbeing of children in Cambodia, helping them achieve their dreams. Our support has helped increase the passing rate for KTOC high school graduates in the national college entrance exam to 95%. Since our inception, 146 KTOC individuals have studied or graduated from university. We remain committed to helping more children succeed, as evidenced by our success stories such as Chamroeun, Yunna, and Sophal.

Education

The Past

Acceptance Rate

At the Sophal Project, our mission is to support the education and wellbeing of children in the Kompong Thom Orphanage Center and the surrounding areas of Cambodia. We are proud to have helped many young people achieve their dreams of a brighter future through our programs. In Cambodia, high school graduates are required to take a national college entrance exam similar to the ACT exam in the US. Unfortunately, historically, the passing rate for children from the Kompong Thom Orphanage Center (KTOC), has been low, hovering around 30%.

2012 - Present

KTOC Improves

The situation has improved dramatically in recent years, and this is largely due to the support provided by the Sophal Project. More recently, in 2018, 18 out of 19 KTOC high school graduates, or an impressive 95%, passed the national college entrance exam. Since the start of Sophal Project we have had 146 young individuals from KTOC study / graduate from university. We are proud to have played a role in this achievement, and we remain committed to providing the support and resources necessary to help even more children succeed in their academic pursuits.

2020 - Future

Success Stories

Recently, some of our program graduates have gone on to accomplish amazing things. Chamroeun, for example, completed a prestigious internship in Korea and has received his Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. He now works for a solar company doing overseas business development and senior research. Yunna has graduated school and studying for a law degree. Sophal has also graduated, and has an accounting degree from the prestigious Royal University in Phnom Penh. These success stories are a testament to the power of education and the impact that our organization can have on the lives of young people in Cambodia. We are committed to continuing our work and helping even more children reach their full potential.