ABOUT US
MISSION
Small Art School (SAS) is a self-financed art school, founded by a Japanese art teacher – Tomoko Kasahara, with the aim to provide free art education to under privileged Cambodian children, especially for those children who have the will to learn but lack the opportunities to do so.
VISION
Our aim is to provide opportunities for children to experience joy through different art activities that would encourage their creative expression and artistic exploration. Meanwhile, we aim to help our young adult students in developing their professional art skills and capabilities as we support them towards achieving their dreams.
HISTORY
Tomoko had been an art teacher for 31 years at Japanese public schools in Tokyo, Japan. During the span of her career, she dreamed of putting up a school that offers free art education somewhere in Asia. When she turned about the age of 40, she was set to make her dream a reality. At that time, she prepared her own funds and visited some Asian countries such as Nepal and India to find a location upon where to build her dream art school.
Early 2003, Tomoko met some Cambodians in Tokyo and learned about their history, education, and current situation at that time. They relayed their concern about how there were very limited opportunities for children to go to school in Cambodia. Upon hearing about this, Tomoko decided to visit Cambodia to see the current situation herself. During this visit, she then realized that it was the perfect location upon where she wanted to pursue her dream of building a free art school for children. Specifically, she chose the location of Siem Reap, Cambodia, where you can find the world heritage ruin temples of Angkor Wat.
At the age of 59, Tomoko decided that it was time for her to retire. And on December 2008, she founded the ‘Small Art School in Siem Reap, Cambodia. With her passion and hard work, she was able to build her dream of putting up a school that stays true to her vision. Today, ‘Small Art School’ (SAS) continues to provide free art education to children in Cambodia, with its art programs growing rapidly over the years. To communicate better with students, Tomoko is accompanied by her Khmer and Japanese interpreter Hea Cheav in all her art activities, providing not only Japanese-Khmer interpretation, but also conversational Japanese lessons. Currently, SAS also teaches at 5 locations near their school in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The school has taught approximately over 800 students in Cambodia with ages ranging from 3 to 24 years old.
With passion towards helping children, Tomoko and her colleagues continue with their efforts to provide free and quality education that promotes their students’ creative expression while allowing them to cherish joyful experiences as they grow. They are very proud of their students who have deepened and broadened their knowledge and creative abilities through Small Art School’s programs and activities.
TEACHERS
Tomoko Kasahara
She has a Master’s Degree in Art from Tokyo Educational University. In 1976, she started her career as an art teacher at a public high school in Tokyo. She had been an art teacher in Japan for about 31 years. It was her dream to put up ‘Small Art School’. Upon looking for a location, she visited India, Nepal, and finally decided to build the school in Siem Reap, Cambodia in 2007. She started teaching art in Cambodia at an orphanage center and also taught the neighborhood children. In ‘Small Art School’, she provides all art supplies and education for free.
Hea Chheav
He is from Beng Melia (one of ruin temples in Siem Reap) and has a total of 8 siblings. He grew up at the temples since he was 6 years old. When he was in a temple in Siem Reap, he heard that there was an orphanage center where he can learn Japanese so he asked the director at the orphanage center if he could stay there, and they accepted him. He was 12 years old at that time. Since then, he studied hard to be able to speak Japanese well. He won first prize at a Japanese speech contest in Phnom Penh, 2008. He started working as an interpreter for Tomoko in 2008. He is currently studying at the Build Bright University in Siem Reap, and is majoring in Business.
Yuko Sakata
She is from Chiba, Japan and has a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts from Temple University in Philadelphia. She had been part of the social service sector for South East Asian refugees and immigrants and was in charge of the programs there. She moved to Siem Reap in Nov 2009 and became an art coordinator at the SAS. She is involved in the public relations, marketing, and sales in SAS.
“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” Albert Einstein