The Apsara Granny initiative originated from the creative collaboration of photographers Ken Bo, Hao Taing, and Raphael Pech. Their vision was to photograph elderly women dressed in traditional Apsara attire, reimagining a cultural symbol typically associated with youthful beauty.
CCF’s granny program provided the perfect partnership. Initially, the concept seemed unconventional. How could the traditional image of an Apsara, celebrated for youth and beauty, be redefined through ageing women? The project sought to flip this perception, celebrating the grace, dignity, and beauty that comes with age.
The first portraits featured Granny Mao and Granny Rin, whose radiant smiles, warm skin tones, and captivating presence embodied the spirit of the project. Apsara Granny officially launched on Mother’s Day 2024, receiving overwhelming national attention and heartfelt support from across Cambodia.
Apsara Granny 2.0
For this version, CCF involved female students as writers, photographers, and artists, fostering an intergenerational collaboration that paired the grace and stories of the older generation with the creative expression of the younger. This approach transformed the project from a continuation into a reinvention, blending tradition and innovation.
Apsara Granny 2.0 was officially launched on International Women’s Day 2025, further cementing the project’s message: beauty is not bound by age. This edition celebrated the resilience, strength, and wisdom of older women, challenging perceptions and proving that beauty is, indeed, timeless.
Wonderful Woman Wall Cambodia
In 2022, we partnered with German artists Ina Treihse and Danilo Halle from Freiraumgalerie on the Wonderful Woman Wall—an art project celebrating female intergenerational empowerment featuring CCF’s grandmothers, mothers, and daughters. Building on this, the concept was revived for Apsara Granny, led by CCF university student Meyhour and supported by CCF high school girls.
Thank You
We are deeply grateful to our generous supporters, without whom the Apsara Granny project would not have been possible.
