Retired Raleigh teacher starts nonprofit to help kids in Cambodia

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A retired Raleigh teacher is helping you give a gift that will help generations of families thousands of miles away.

Susan Barbitta created the nonprofit, Cake For Kids Cambodia, after going abroad to teach English there in 2009.

The trip changed Barbitta's life after she realized how much of a need her students had and how big of a difference she could make.

Barbitta combined her two passions -- baking and helping children -- to start a charity that sends baked goods as a thank-you for donations that help a village in Cambodia.

"We always build projects that help the village, or help the children directly," Barbitta said. "We never invest in a particular family or a particular person. We've served over 2,500 children, we built six wells, 21 septic tanks, and countless rice drops, for when they happen to hit famine.

"It's always about education, Building libraries, and helping the infrastructure of some of these state-run schools," she added.

Cake For Kids Cambodia uses all money raised for books computer labs, water filters, and essential items to support the children of Cambodia. None of the money is used to pay for baking ingredients or shipping.

Barbitta makes the trip to Cambodia about every other year to visit the village that her nonprofit is helping to transform.