• Society

Born with No Hands, A Man Does Not Give Up on His Dream 

• By Sem Brakdav
• February 6, 2024 11:55 AM

PHNOM PENH – Born with no forearms and only a few fingers, Uth Samrach has put all his efforts into earning a bachelor’s degree in Finance and Banking from the University of Cambodia despite countless failures in his study journey. 

Samrach's journey has not been a walk in the park. Born in Battambang province 30 years ago, he lost his parents when he was 12 and was looked after by an orphanage for a few years. The organization that took him in gave him the opportunity to pursue a primary education, but he left the orphanage as a teenager, when he decided to go to Phnom Penh for high school. He rented a house on his own.

“As a disabled person, I have encountered countless challenges and difficulties in my lifetime. Although my parents passed away when I was only 12 years old, I always strive for my best to pursue education as only education can help me achieve my dreams,” Samrach said.

“Once my parents passed away, I thought the world was too small for me and I had no motivation to go on. 

Samrach's journey has not been a walk in the park. Photo sreenscrab from video posted on ThmeyThmey25

“What always inspires me to keep going is my parents’ advice when I was young. I have been told to study hard because only I can take care of myself,” he said. 

Samrach said that despite this advice, he often thought about dropping out of school, at times when he was depressed the most.

Because of his disability, writing has always been a tremendous challenge in his day-to-day life, as well as in his studies. But he never gave up.

Because of his disability, writing has always been a tremendous challenge in his day-to-day life, as well as in his studies. 

“I got used to writing when I was in grade 2,” he said. “However, I found it very challenging when I took the baccalaureate exam. There were many questions and exercises to complete, so my hands got swollen.”

“It took me two years to pass the Bac II exam. Then, I could pass an undergraduate degree … But it was not enough for the career path I envisioned in banking and finance,” he said.

 He still intends to pursue a master's degree as it would open up more job opportunities for him. 

“A few years later, I earned another bachelor's degree, which brings me closer to achieving my dream. Some people might think this certificate is not good enough. But it is extremely important for me.”

“I strongly believe that only education can change a disabled person’s destiny like me,” he stressed. 

Despite the numerous difficulties Samrach has encountered, he still intends to pursue a master's degree as it would open up more job opportunities for him. 

 

Originally written in Khmer for ThmeyThmey, this story was translated by Rin Ousa for Cambodianess.