Hannes Schmid is a world-renownedphotographer, humanitarian and the co-founder of Smiling Gecko Cambodia. Bornin Zurich in 1946, he gained international recognition for his iconicphotography, capturing rock stars, fashion and documentary subjects. In 2012, alife-changing encounter with a young Cambodian girl trapped in a beggingsyndicate shifted his focus from art to social impact. Determined to addressthe root causes of poverty, he founded Smiling Gecko Cambodia, an organisationdedicated to providing education, vocational training and sustainable economicopportunities in rural Cambodia. Today, his holistic approach is transforminglives, proving that long-term change comes not from charity, but fromempowerment.
Hannes Schmid: Smiling Gecko Cambodia wasborn out of a very personal experience. In 2012, I encountered a youngCambodian girl who had been horrifically abused and sold into a beggingsyndicate. That moment changed everything for me. I started researching theroot causes of poverty in Cambodia and quickly realised that charity alonewould never be enough. What was needed was a holistic, sustainable approach,one that provided education, vocational training and economic opportunities.
So, in 2014, we established Smiling GeckoCambodia as an independent NGO. Today, we operate a 150-hectare campus inKampong Chhnang province that integrates education, agriculture, vocationaltraining and social enterprises to provide real pathways out of poverty.
Hannes Schmid: The idea is simple. Povertyis not just about money. It is about lack of education, job opportunities,healthcare and even cultural identity. To truly make an impact, we created anecosystem where these elements work together.
At the heart of the campus is our school,where children receive a high-quality bilingual education. Alongside that, werun a training hotel, the Farmhouse Resort & Spa, and various agriculturaland vocational training programmes. Our students do not just sit inclassrooms. They gain hands-on experience in farming, carpentry, hospitalityand even music production at The Gong, our cultural centre. This ensures theydevelop practical skills that lead to real employment opportunities.
Hannes Schmid: Education is the only way tobreak the cycle of poverty. Cambodia’s education system is still recoveringfrom the Khmer Rouge era, when intellectuals and teachers were targeted andkilled. Today, many rural schools are severely underfunded, and teachers areoften unqualified. Most children in these areas receive only a basic education,if that.
At Smiling Gecko Cambodia, we offer astructured education from nursery to high school. Our students are taught inKhmer and English by both local and international teachers. More importantly,we integrate vocational training so they can graduate with job-ready skills. Weare not just giving them an education, we are giving them a future.
Hannes Schmid: Yes, this is a veryimportant step for us. Right now, our secondary school students are learning intemporary classrooms made of bamboo and corrugated iron. These structures arenot ideal, they overheat in Cambodia’s extreme temperatures, making learningdifficult.
With Alpadis’ generous donation, we arebuilding a new, modern secondary and high school designed by Swiss architectsatelier oï. This facility will offer a proper learning environment for studentsin grades 7 to 9 and the first years of high school. It will also house sciencelabs, a library and digital learning resources. The goal is to prepare ourstudents for university or skilled careers, ensuring they have opportunitiesbeyond subsistence farming or low-wage labour.
Hannes Schmid: It is not just about thestudents, it is about transforming the whole community. The school will providejobs for teachers, administrative staff and maintenance workers. It will alsocreate demand for local businesses supplying food, construction materials andschool resources.
More importantly, it will serve as a modelof what quality education can look like in Cambodia. We hope that bydemonstrating success, we can inspire systemic change in the national educationsystem.
Hannes Schmid: Education does not stopafter high school. When we look at how to foster societal progress, we mustalso consider higher education. Cambodia lacks an institution dedicated toapplied sciences, which are critical for industries like agriculture, foodprocessing, medical sciences, tourism, hospitality and gastronomy. These arefields that align with Cambodia’s resources and future potential.
To address this gap, we have partnered withthe University of Zurich and the Zurich University of Applied Sciences toconduct a comprehensive study on the country’s educational landscape. Thisresearch, funded by these Swiss universities, has helped us identify the mosturgent needs for Cambodia’s future.
As a result, we are now planning theSmiling Gecko University of Applied Sciences. This institution will focus onhands-on, industry-relevant education, modelled after Switzerland’s highlysuccessful dual education system. The goal is to equip students with the skillsand scientific knowledge they need to drive sustainable economic development.
We are currently in the development phase,working with local universities, the Cambodian government, foreign governmentrepresentatives and private industries. Our aim is to welcome the firststudents in 2028 or 2029.
Hannes Schmid: Cambodia is facingsignificant challenges, particularly in agriculture. Over four million farmersproduce crops, fruits, rice and fish, yet a lack of knowledge, research anddevelopment hinders their ability to sustain the fast-growing population, letalone prepare for the future. On top of that, climate change is makingconditions even more difficult, with rising temperatures, floods and poor soilconditions threatening food security.
The World Bank predicts that hunger willspread in the Mekong Delta if we do not develop resilient infrastructure andinnovative agricultural solutions. This is where education plays a vital role.A strong higher education system will not only create skilled professionals butwill also drive innovation, research and technological advancements needed totackle these issues.
Hannes Schmid: The dream isself-sufficiency. Right now, we rely on donations, but we are building a systemwhere our social enterprises, like the Farmhouse Resort, our agricultureprojects and The Gong, generate enough revenue to sustain the campus.
We also want to expand our educationalmodel. Our goal is not just to help one village but to create a blueprint thatcan be replicated across Cambodia. If we can prove that holistic, qualityeducation works, then perhaps we can convince policymakers and donors to shifttheir approach.
At the end of the day, this is not aboutcharity, it is about empowerment. We are giving people the tools to build theirown futures. And that is the most powerful gift of all.
