New picture book, song videos, 2026 project plans

The picture book by Sokha has been completed 👧

TukTuk has been consistently creating original picture books, collaborating with overseas picture book authors and early childhood education specialists. These books are carefully drafted based on ideas from target teachers and aligned with Cambodia’s preschool curriculum.

This year, however, marks an exciting new chapter for TukTuk: the staff have decided to write their own picture books! The first of these, A Day in the Life of Neartei, was authored by Sokha, TukTuk’s longest-serving administrative and accounting staff member. The story follows Neartei, a preschool student, through her daily routine—from waking up in the morning and preparing for preschool to attending classes and returning home. The book aims to inspire children to develop positive habits in their own lives.

During visits to our target schools, we were thrilled to see teachers eagerly reading the book to children using the kamishibai storytelling method. Sokha herself joined in, delighting the children with her narration. More picture books, each reflecting the unique creativity of our staff members, are already in the works. We invite you to explore these books and discover the personal touch each staff member has brought to their creations! 👀

More action songs 🎶

As highlighted in last month’s issue, two enthusiastic JICA volunteers who played key roles in our February workshop have created a video showcasing the ideas they introduced during the session. In addition to the songs shared in the workshop, the volunteers also videotaped various creative teaching methods inspired by their kindergarten teaching experience in Japan. These videos are being progressively uploaded to our website and YouTube channel.

The response has been overwhelmingly positive. Right after the workshop, several participating teachers requested access to the song materials presented by the JICA volunteers. Notably, four of these YouTube videos ranked among the top 50 most-viewed videos in March, demonstrating their appeal beyond the initial target audience.

We remain committed to sharing diverse and valuable content with our community and hope that teachers will continue to engage with us by sharing their insights and feedback. Together, we can foster an enriching exchange of ideas and resources!

Khmer of the month

Khmer Word: Sok Peap Luoh

April 7 is recognized as “World Health Day,” marking the anniversary of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) establishment. In Cambodia, health awareness has been steadily growing, with the phrase “Sok Peap Luoh” (“good for your health”) frequently used as a sales slogan. Concerns about excessive sugar and salt consumption from an early age are also gaining attention, and it’s now common for preschool teachers to caution children about eating too many sweets.

Reflecting this awareness, we pay close attention to health considerations in our teaching materials, even thoughtfully selecting the illustrations we include to promote healthy habits. 🍬

Khmer Food: Chrok Svay (Pickled mango) 👇

Looking ahead to the 2026 project -3- 🏫

Since last month’s issue, we’ve shared updates about the 2026 project, and March brought exciting new developments.

One significant step is the planned expansion of target areas. Currently, the CLIP3 project operates in five areas, but we’re preparing to add a sixth area next year to make TukTuk materials accessible to even more teachers. To support this expansion, we conducted a preliminary survey and visited preschools in the new area. Schools in the CLIP3 project initially faced similar challenges, but many teachers have now become role models for others. Including this new district will bring us closer to our goal of elevating early childhood education across Pursat Province.

Another development involves our participation in technical meetings. These bi-monthly gatherings allow preschool teachers to share lesson plans, teaching materials, and mock classes while exchanging ideas to improve their skills. In the 2026 project, TukTuk plans to join these meetings as an assistant, working with target teachers who will act as facilitators. This will allow us to demonstrate how to use TukTuk’s materials effectively.

To prepare for this role, we’ve attended technical meetings to observe current practices. In one session, teachers presented mock classes based on their instructional plans, receiving feedback from district early childhood education staff. TukTuk also contributed by sharing a song that complemented the lesson content, offering additional teaching tools for a broader audience.

We’re thrilled to see these efforts coming together as we work towards advancing early childhood education!

Looking ahead to the 2026 project -4- 🎥

Building on the article above 👆, our next initiative is creating an educational YouTube video series for children! Last month, we shared that Pil, one of our Voluntukers, painted the exterior walls that will serve as the video backdrop. Now, Olivia, our new Voluntuker (featured in this issue’s spotlight👇!), has brought it to life with vibrant colors. The mural, inspired by Cambodia’s natural countryside, is beautifully finished with staff handprints—a creative and personal touch. We’re excited to see how this backdrop will enhance the videos!

In the meantime, the prototype video is well underway. Fy and Choven have taken on acting roles, engaging children with TukTuk materials in a fun and interactive way. Adrian’s studio, entirely handmade, features soundproofing and excellent lighting to ensure quality production. The whole staff has come together to craft this prototype, and we can’t wait to see the final result!

Three-month outcomes (Jan - Mar 2025) 🎉

The first quarter of 2025 was another fast-paced and productive stretch for TukTuk!

Main Highlight

February 2025 – We held our 5th Workshop, followed by a school visit to reconnect and support participating teachers.

• TukTuk’s Social Media Growth (and still climbing! 🙌)
• Facebook – 7,405 followers
• Teachers' Facebook Group – 6,199 members
• Telegram Channel – 3,670 followers
• YouTube – 9,455 subscribers
• Rermork Digital Library Visitors (Jan–Mar 2025)

41,056 people accessed the platform during this period.

Looking ahead, we’ll keep the momentum going with more workshops and follow-up school visits. We're also excited to be developing two new picture books along with accompanying teaching materials.

You can explore the full activity reports for this quarter here.

Voluntuker spotlight | Olivia

This month, we introduce Olivia, who painted the exterior wall that serves as the backdrop for the video, as featured above☝️. It has been over a month since she arrived from Australia as a Voluntuker, and though her volunteer period is coming to an end, her contributions have left a lasting impact.

What made you decide to volunteer at TukTuk? : The original creator of TukTuk, Mayu, is my Japanese sister! Mayu came to Australia almost 20 years ago for an exchange program to teach Japanese at my primary school and stayed with my family! We kept in contact, and I knew that if I had an opportunity to visit her in Cambodia, I wouldn’t hesitate! I also loved the idea of volunteering at TukTuk and learning more about what Mayu had created, so I feel very lucky to be a part of this organisation and contribute to its mission.

What do you do at TukTuk?: I’ve been involved in printing and assembling books for local preschools participating in TukTuk’s programs and for online sales. I’ve also been updating online resources on Teachers Pay Teachers website so teachers around the world can access and purchase TukTuk’s original books, worksheets, and Kamishibai. Recently, I painted a mural that will be used as a backdrop for the charity’s videos—a highlight of my time here!

How is volunteer life at TukTuk?: Volunteering at TukTuk has been an experience I’ll remember forever! I feel so lucky to be part of such an amazing, inspiring, and welcoming team of people who have made volunteering here a lot of fun! It is clear that TukTuk has such a positive influence on the community.

What would you recommend to people who want to come to Cambodia?: For others visiting Cambodia, I would recommend trying the local street food and experiencing the traditional culture and way of life in Cambodia, as well as visiting the beautiful national parks and beaches. Travelling slowly has definitely opened up many opportunities for me, like going to a wedding! I’ve also made so many special friends and met many people who will have a place in my heart forever!

This was Olivia’s first trip abroad outside Oceania, and she embraced every moment. Beyond volunteering, she connected with local communities and immersed herself in Cambodian culture 😊. From here, she plans to explore Southeast Asia and Europe before heading back to Australia.

We look forward to meeting more amazing people through our journeys 🎵!

We are currently looking for volunteers with the following skill sets to help TukTuk bring educational resources to Cambodia;

• Google Ads
• Fundraising
• Website Development
• Videographer

If you want to get involved or know someone with skills that could help us spread positive education in Cambodia, hit that link below and say hi (we're friendly, we promise). 😉

Get Involved ⇢

Tuktography highlights 📸