Cambodia Rural Students Trust (CRST) and the Rotaract Club of Siem Reap (RACSR) 

Overview
CRST was founded in 2011 by the Palti family from Melbourne. CRST is a registered non-government organisation with the Cambodian Ministry of Interior. It operates under the conviction of giving “a hand-up, not a hand-out” to bright students from economically challenged rural families. 
In 2022, CRST supported the Charter of the Rotaract Club of Siem Reap (RACSR), which was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Bangkok and the Rotary Club of Phnom Penh Metro.
 
Mission & Approach
CRST's mission is to break the cycle of poverty through education by sponsoring high school and university students and providing holistic support including health, dental care, living allowances, life-skills training, and English and computer classes. What truly sets CRST apart is its student-led governance model. Senior students are mentored by Australian business volunteers and manage the organisation and its projects on the ground in Cambodia.
 
The organisation’s overheads and operational costs are paid by a corporate sponsor. 100% of donations go directly to education and community initiatives. RACSR’s mission is to empower youth and the local community through sustainable development projects and global collaborations. 
Social Enterprise Projects
CRST together with RACSR run several impactful student-led social enterprise initiatives that address pressing community needs and support thousands of rural students’ education:
  1. Project B – Bicycles for Education: Distributes and repairs bicycles to help rural
  2. students travel to school more easily 
  3. Project G – Empowering Girls: Delivers menstrual hygiene education and reusable kits
  4. to rural schoolgirls 
  5. Project L – Light for Education: Provides solar lights and study kits to students in
  6. energy-poor areas 
  7. Project T – Trees for Life: Plants trees to improve environmental conditions and combat
  8. soil erosion
  9. Project W – WASH for Education: Installs clean water systems, sanitation facilities,
  10. and runs hygiene workshops in rural schools 
  11. Project V – Volunteer Experience: Offers sustainable volunteer opportunities for
  12. overseas supporters to work alongside CRST and RACSR student
Through these projects, CRST and RACSR reach and inspires over 20,000 rural students annually.
 
Impact & Student Empowerment
CRST’s model fosters transformational leadership: students gain real-world experience in management, operations, and project delivery, preparing them as future leaders. The organisation’s three pillars – Education, Empowerment, Inspiration, guide this hands-on approach where students themselves drive meaningful change in their communities.
 
Rotary Camberwell - Student Sponsor
 
The Camberwell Rotary Club is the proud sponsor of student Sreypeou. We will follow her progress wish her well with her studies. 
 
In Summary
The Cambodia Rural Students Trust (CRST) is a pioneering NGO founded in 2011, enabling rural Cambodian students to break free from poverty through education and empowerment. With
a student-run governance model, external financial corporate governance, and a suite of social enterprise projects, CRST embodies a powerful approach: educating future leaders who not only uplift themselves but also their communities. CRST proudly collaborates with the Rotaract Club of Siem Reap (RACSR) on numerous projects, leaving a legacy of empowerment, hope and inspiration.