Kristin Matzick helped fight poverty in Cambodia from Athelstone, SA

A VISIT to an impoverished town in Cambodia three years ago changed Kristin Matzick’s life — and led to her being nominated for a Pride of Australia award.

A VISIT to an impoverished town in rural Cambodia three years ago changed Kristin Matzick’s life.

What started out as a quick trip to Cambodia in 2011 turned into a mission to help the local people.

“I wanted to help someone out because I don’t have any children of my own so I started sponsoring children in Cambodia,” Ms Matzick says.

“That prompted us (her and her partner Geoffrey Adam) to head over there and we developed a close friendship with our guide who wanted to be able to help his community who were very poor.

“The poverty was really quite stark and we thought we had to help.”

Since that first trip, the Athelstone woman has returned to Cambodia nine times.

She founded Building Brighter Futures last year — a charity that aims to improve access to school for children in Cambodia.

She devotes about three days a week to the charity and is also helped by Geoffrey and sister and brother-in-law Sue and Glen Winkler.

The organisation is working with Prey Thom Primary School, just outside of Siem Reap. The charity’s sponsorship enabled 77 children to attend the school last year. It has also funded a school garden, a soccer field and playgrounds.

Building Brighter Futures is also paying for safety fences at the school and school for safety, and there are plans to introduce laptops to the children next year.

“A lot of children just can’t afford to go to school,” Ms Matzick says.

“One little boy that sticks out in my mind is a very bright Year 2 who couldn’t attend school because his parents went to Thailand and never came back and he had to look after his invalid grandma.

“We put him through our sponsorship program and he’s at school and already learning English very well.

“Last time I was there he spoke to us in English.”

Ms Matzick’s work has been recognised with a nomination for News Corp Australia’s Pride of Australia medal in the Community Spirit category.

But she says her work is far from done. She plans to work with other communities and start a program to help adults access education.

Nominations for this year’s Pride of Australia awards have now closed. Finalists will be announced at the beginning of October.