Photos: Rising energy prices disrupt education on Cambodia’s Tonle Sap lake

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that rising fuel and energy prices are disrupting education for families living on Cambodia’s Tonle Sap lake, where children travel by boat between floating homes and schools. The photo essay centers on 13-year-old Sou Sreynich, who lives in a floating village and sometimes misses classes when her family cannot afford the higher cost of fishing trips and other transport-related expenses. Her mother had already delayed her schooling because the lake crossing was considered unsafe.

The article says the price pressures are tied to the wider impact of the US-Israel war on Iran, which has pushed up fuel costs and, in turn, made it more expensive for children and teachers to reach school. Families on Tonle Sap rely heavily on fishing and casual work, and many also face rising prices because supplies must be brought in by boat. When household money runs short, children may be pulled from class to help earn income, including fish processing and farm labor.

Al Jazeera also notes that the strain is not limited to Cambodia. The report cites a UNICEF warning that a prolonged conflict could push millions more children into poverty, especially in parts of Africa and Asia. Aid groups say financial pressure can force families to choose which children remain in school and which must work, increasing risks of exploitation, trafficking and hunger. The reporting adds broader context that climate-related flooding and drought are already making life on the lake more difficult.