Just one book

Lida Ley at her job

Lida Ley in Cambodia had to drop out of school.
Raised on a farm by her grandmother,
her own mother disappeared in a dangerous border crossing
finding work to support her family.
Lida hid one book, just one book,
so that on the farm, away from school,
she could still learn.
With twenty dollars to her name,
she escaped at the age of fifteen,
finding work and survival in the realm of Angkor Wat.
Now Lida, twenty-two years old,
bright-eyed, confident, never one to cower,
works at her desk at Get Set-Go,
founding libraries for women.
Libraries of books!  Hundreds of books!
Loving that one book, out in the sun,
that one book, that path to the future,
paper and ink and a magic carpet,
each and every word shouting “You!  Tomorrow!,”
Lida came here to Siem Reap, to open the world,
to open the book, just that one book,
for so so many of her sisters.

Annelinde Metzner
From Women’s E-News
September 1, 2012

Lida Ley is Regional Manager of Getset-Go in Siem Reap, Cambodia, providing many and varied educational opportunities for women of all ages.

Read about their work here.

Help open a new women's library in Cambodia at GetSet-Go's new Indiegogo project.

Art class in Siem Reap.

Reading room

School

Lida serving cookies and a smile