Meet Lyta—Cornerstone Organization’s newest scholar
College or university education can sometimes feel like a pipe dream for young people in Cambodia.
In 2021, the Cambodia Socio-Economic Survey (CSES) reported a median household disposable income of 1,830,000 KHR (approximately 460 USD). The average annual expense for undergraduate or university education is approximately 5,548,000 KHR (~1,389 USD). For families residing in more rural areas, the chances are even slimmer.
Meet Lyta
Lyta Korn is a 21-year-old student from Battambang, a province over 300 kilometers (~186 miles) away from Phnom Penh. She is the eldest of four children, born to parents who are both farmers.
For young people like Lyta, universities are hard to get into, especially private ones with quality education, because tuition fees and other school expenses make studying a luxury. Providing for the family takes priority over everything else—even education. As a result, some students even quit their studies when they find jobs, leading to a decline in total higher-education enrollment in recent years. But for them to earn more to support their families, the higher the level of education they finish, the better their chances of landing a good job with higher pay.
When Lyta heard about a scholarship opportunity by The Cornerstone Organization, it felt like the first step in fulfilling her dreams and the answer to her prayers.
What is the Cornerstone Organization’s Scholarship Plan?
The Cornerstone Organization’s Scholarship Plan was created after Rogil Apostol and his wife, Janice, began teaching English to university students for free in their house in Phnom Penh in 2010. What started as a passion project soon developed into a full-fledged initiative called the “Literacy Program.”
The Literacy Program opened doors for the couple to meet various students, including Chinn Nary, who couldn’t continue her studies after her first year due to financial challenges. Burdened with a desire to help her out, the Apostols thought—why not look for someone to help fund Nary’s education? They reached out to their network—and someone responded. Nary became their first scholar, finishing a Bachelor of Science in Physics at the Royal University of Phnom Penh in May 2015.
Currently, Cornerstone Organization offers the following scholarship programs:
• Full Scholarship Program for University Students: includes full tuition fees, a monthly allowance, free dorm stay, and financial help for other school needs
•Full Scholarship Program for High School Students: includes full tuition fees, monthly allowances, free dorm stay, and financial help for other school needs
•Partial Scholarship: free dorm stay for students from other provinces who are studying in Phnom Penh
A Chance to Help More Scholars
There are others like Nary and Lyta—those who want to finish higher levels of education but need financial help to do so. Since its establishment in 2010, the Full Scholarship Program has helped four other students. Lyta is the fifth recipient who entered university this October 2025, taking up Information Technology at the SETEC Institute in Phnom Penh.
For Lyta and the other scholars before her, scholarship programs like the one offered by Cornerstone Organization are what turn dreams into reality. Lyta hopes to become a software developer someday. In addition to that, her simple dream is to stay and support her family and grow closer to God.
With your help, Cornerstone Organization can aid students like Nary and Lyta who want to finish their tertiary education and find work to support their families.