A Father in Cambodia Couldn’t Afford a $7 School Bag – So He Wove Something Far More Precious
When five-year-old NY Keng stepped into his new classroom in a small village in Kampong Speu province, Cambodia, every child noticed his school bag immediately.
While most classmates carried simple plastic or factory-made backpacks, NY Keng proudly wore a bright blue woven bag that looked like it belonged in an artisan market – not on the shoulders of a kindergarten student.
The $7 Backpack That Broke the Internet
In rural Cambodia, even the cheapest school bag costs around 30,000 riel (about $7). For many farming families, that amount can mean the difference between buying rice for the week or medicine for a sick child.
Three Sleepless Nights Under a Kerosene Lamp
NY Keng’s father simply did not have the money. Instead of sending his son to school empty-handed, he gathered the last bundle of blue raffia string and spent three full nights weaving under a flickering kerosene lamp.
The result was breathtaking: a sturdy, beautifully patterned backpack with tight weaves, strong straps, and even a small front pocket – all created with nothing more than his hands and endless love.
How the Photos Went Viral Worldwide
Teacher Sophous Suon was so moved that he posted the photos with a simple caption: “This is what a father’s love looks like when money is short but determination is not.”
Within days the story spread across Cambodia and then the world. Thousands shared it with tears in their eyes. Strangers sent school supplies, uniforms, and even traveled to the village to help other children.
“I only wanted my son to go to school like the other children. I didn’t know people would care so much.”
— NY Keng’s father (via Teacher Suon)
In a country where UNICEF reports nearly 1 in 5 children drop out before finishing primary school due to lack of basic supplies, this handmade raffia backpack has become a symbol of hope.
Today NY Keng still uses his father’s blue woven bag every single day. He says it makes him feel “strong and special.”
Some gifts cost thousands of dollars. Others cost three sleepless nights and a few meters of raffia string. Only one of them is priceless.
Tags: Cambodia, Fatherhood, Handmade Crafts, Education, Inspirational Stories
