Lumen Education
Publication for Literacy & Cultural Preservation in Cambodia
Our Impacts
Lumen Education Program is a publication-centered social venture based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, co-established by Minjung (Michelle) Lee and Alex Lee. We co-author multilingual books with Cambodian youth and educators, then place those books into local children’s libraries and classrooms, especially in communities where books are difficult to come by.
During our time in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, Lumen Education has witnessed a sharp contrast: tourists, hotels, and souvenir shops on one side, and children with almost no access to age-appropriate books in their own language on the other. Libraries were nearly impossible to reach or nonexistent. The few books that children had access to were often of foreign origin, including unfamiliar landscapes, names, and narratives.
At the same time, Cambodia has an extensive tradition of oral storytelling: folk tales, legends, and family stories shared across generations. Lumen was created as a small, practical bridge: a Cambodian publication that aims to turn local oral stories and everyday experiences into illustrated children’s books in Khmer, English, and Korean and uses parts of our proceeds to build and sustain libraries for the children who inspired them.
As of July 2026, three children’s libraries in Siem Reap have been established in collaboration with Angels for the Journey.
Popular Books
អាម៉ុក ជាសៀវភៅរឿងអំពីក្មេងស្រី ស្រីលក្ខណ៍ ដែលរៀនធ្វើម្ហូបត្រីអាម៉ុកជាមួយយាយនៅពេលបុណ្យភ្ជុំបិណ្ឌ ហើយយល់ថា ម្ហូបមួយចានអាចកាន់ទុកអនុស្សាវរីយ៍គ្រួសារ ការគោរពបុព្វបុរស និងវប្បធម៌ខ្មែរ។
Amok follows Srey Leak, a young girl learning to cook the traditional fish amok with her grandmother during Pchum Ben, showing how one beloved dish can carry family memory, gratitude, and Khmer culture.
Amok은 프쭘번 명절을 앞두고 소녀 스레이 렉이 할머니에게 전통 생선 아목을 배우며, 한 가지 음식 안에 가족의 추억과 감사, 크메르 문화가 담겨 있음을 깨닫는 이야기입니다.
Languages: Khmer / English / Korean
«ភ្នំព្រុស និង ភ្នំស្រី» ជាសៀវភៅរូបភាពបកស្រាយរឿងព្រេងខ្មែរ អំពីប្រភពឈ្មោះ “ភ្នំព្រុស” និង “ភ្នំស្រី” នៅកំពង់ចាម។ តាមរយៈការប្រកួតសង់ភ្នំពេញយប់ និងយុទ្ធសាស្ត្រឆ្លាតវៃរបស់ស្ត្រី កុមារអាចយល់អំពីរឿងរ៉ាវពីក្រោយភ្នំទាំងពីរ និងមាតិកាថា ប្រាជ្ញាអាចខ្លាំងជាងកម្លាំង។
Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei is a picture book retelling the Khmer legend behind “Men’s Hill” and “Women’s Hill” in Kampong Cham. Through a night-time hill-building contest and the women’s clever plan, children discover how these two hills got their names and how wisdom can be stronger than strength.
Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei 는 깜뽕참에 있는 ‘남자의 언덕’과 ‘여자의 언덕’ 이름의 유래를 들려주는 크메르 전설 그림책입니다. 남녀가 밤새 언덕을 쌓아 내기하는 장면과 여자들의 영리한 계략을 통해, 아이들이 두 언덕 이름의 이야기와 힘보다 지혜가 더 강할 수 있다는 메시지를 배울수 있습니다.
Languages: Khmer / English / Korean
Cultural Relativism.
Global Connections.
Cultural Relativism. Global Connections.
In partnership with the National Library of Cambodia, Lumen provides free Korean language and cultural exchange programs for learners across Cambodia.
A glimpse into our Zoom classes
Featured In
Teachers & Writers Magazine (NY)
Learn more about our literacy initiative and community-based educational work through an article written by one of our team members.
