Inspiring youth for a promising future in Cambodia
Following the International Youth Day celebrations, World Vision is honouring the outstanding accomplishments of young Cambodian leaders driving positive transformation in their communities. These young advocates have shown extraordinary dedication to child protection, education, community development, and climate action. Through their advocacy and leadership, they have raised awareness of significant issues like child malnutrition, violence against children, and environmental sustainability, encouraging lasting improvements in their communities.
We want to celebrate their bravery, determination, and unparalleled commitment to building a better future for their household, community, and for Cambodia.
Yaru (16 years old), a community advocate and youth leader, is committed to combating child abuse and raising awareness about its impacts in Phnom Prek district, Battambang province. She actively participates as a Youth Club leader in her community, focusing on eradicating violence against children and promoting youth participation. In recognition of her commitment, Yaru was invited to speak at the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights in New York in May 2023 to share the impact of her action on her community. Yaru was also invited to speak at the #1000 Girls conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The event served as a dialogue between children and high-level leaders of World Vision International to spread the word about her project and her advocacy for child rights locally and globally. Yaru continues to collaborate with community partners to promote positive parenting and highlight the global issue of violence against children.
Rima (19 years old), an advocate from urban Phnom Penh, serves as a youth representative for the children and youth council and is the Leader of a child and youth club in her community. Rima received an invitation to participate in the 11th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) in Bangkok, which was co-organized by the Secretariat of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Save the Children, Global Partnership for Education (GPE), Plan International, World Vision, and UNICEF. She represented the local children's and youth council to participate in the monitoring and assessment of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development's (SDGs) regional implementation. Rima leads significant initiatives such as the Eliminating Violence Against Children Campaign, Children's Participation Promotion, School Dropout Reduction Project, Children's Rights Advocacy, Village Clean-Up Campaigns, and Climate Change Awareness Project. Through these efforts, she has successfully reduced violence, increased school attendance, and raised environmental consciousness, proving that youth-led action can drive substantial community transformation.
Sitha (18 years old) is an inspiring young leader from Kirivong district, Takeo province. She serves as the Leader of a Children and Youth Club and recently started her journey as an English teacher at a private school. Through the recognition of her outstanding effort, Sitha was invited to the 2023 Youth For Change Conference - Re Imagine The Future, in Singapore. The conference aimed to educate young people about creative solutions to environmental problems and climate change, using World Vision's interventions and success stories as demonstrations. She used her painting on climate change to illustrate her concerns and how she collaborated with World Vision to improve the green environment.
With a profound commitment to her community, she led impactful projects such as the Sanitation Campaign, Effects of Alcohol and Drug Use Awareness, School Dropout Reduction Initiative, and the Recycling Project. Sitha's leadership and advocacy for moral education and community service have empowered her to share vital knowledge on sanitation, substance abuse, and education, positively influencing children and her community. She overcame challenges by engaging her community through educational activities and debates, proving that youth can drive meaningful change. Sitha continues to inspire other young women her age to get out of their comfort zones, embrace their strengths, and pursue their dreams with courage and determination.
May (15 years old) from Kirivong district, Takeo province. A boy who once struggled in poverty and faced daily challenges such as inadequate sanitation and lack of educational resources. Today, he is a leader in his community's youth club; he led initiatives such as the Community Learning Service Projects, which focused on sanitation, domestic violence prevention, and anti-drug campaigns. May was invited to join the Sponsorship Programme - Night of Hope in Singapore, where he discussed his encounters with Christ through his time at World Vision and the positive impact the sponsorship program offers to sponsored children such as himself. This event was a joint dialogue between cooperatives, donors, Individual donors, and hundreds of audiences. His leadership and dedication have improved his community's living conditions and set a powerful example of how youth can drive significant change. May dreams of becoming a police officer to help his community further and continues to inspire others with his vision for a better future.
Souy (17 years old) is an advocate for child protection and ending violence against children from Mungkul Borey district in Banteay Meanchey province. As a dedicated member of the Children and Youth Club and the Children and Youth Council, she actively facilitates discussions on child protection and educates peers on combating abuse. Recently, Souy was invited to join the Young Minds Camp in Bangkok, where she learned about understanding social identity, connecting values and actions, envisioning effective leadership, and children's role in climate action and child-led research. She also advocates for child malnutrition, food insecurity, and climate change issues to UN agency members (UNICEF, UNEP, WFP, OHCHR, UNDP, IOM), Child Line Thailand, and ASEAN CWC. Inspired by her experiences and the incident she witnessed, Souy is leading child-led research in her community on the impact of climate change, with the findings set to be presented at the Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in Manila, Philippines, in October. Her commitment to this cause is also reflected in her involvement in community reading camps to enhance children's education. With notable achievements, including a certificate of becoming a Children and Youth council from the CYC workshop in Phnom Penh, Souy aspires to leverage her skills to further advocate for children's rights and contribute to a safer, more supportive environment for vulnerable children in her community.
Saviet (18 year old) is a youth leader from Kampong Svay district in Kampong Thom province. She is dedicated to advocating for child protection, focusing on ending violence against children and combating early child marriage. As a student in grade 11 and a committed volunteer with World Vision, Saviet takes on several impactful roles. She leads the Children and Youth Club, facilitates Reading Camp sessions, and implements Community Analysis Social Accountability Child Protection initiatives to address child protection issues through community engagement and advocacy. Saviet's commitment was recognized locally and globally, and she received an invitation to attend the Young Minds Camp in Bangkok. There, she was involved in advocacy campaigns against child malnutrition, food insecurity, and climate change and learned about effective leadership, social identity, and the role of children in climate action. During a luncheon, she and other attendees discussed these problems with Child Line Thailand, ASEAN CWC, UNICEF, UNEP, WFP, OHCHR, UNDP, and IOM. Saviet is leading child-led research on climate change in her community, with findings to be presented at the Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in Manila. Her personal experiences witnessing domestic violence have driven her passion for promoting positive discipline and improving children's lives in her community. With aspirations to see all children in her village grow in a safe and supportive environment, Saviet continues to lead significant change through her leadership and advocacy efforts.
Narin (18 years old) is a youth leader who strongly focuses on child protection, climate action, and community development from Borribor district in Kampong Chhnang province. As a leader of the Child Club and a committed volunteer with World Vision, Narin has led impactful projects such as awareness campaigns on violence against children, community tree planting initiatives, and installing solar lights along dark paths to improve safety. Recently, At the Young Minds Camp in Bangkok, Narin gained knowledge on social identity, leadership, and climate action. She advocated for food insecurity, climate change, and child malnutrition to representatives of UN agency members (UNICEF, UNEP, WFP, OHCHR, UNDP, IOM), Child Line Thailand, and ASEAN CWC. Speaking on behalf of the Cambodian participants, Narin highlighted the importance of youth involvement in community activities and decision-making processes to tackle these issues. Now, she is leading child-led research on climate change in her community, with the results to be presented at the Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in Manila. Her vision is to see a transformed, well-protected community where children grow up in a safe space.
Chanthorn (17 year old) is passionate about ending violence against children from Santuk district, Kampong Thom province. As a student and an active Children and Youth Club member, Chanthorn has made significant contributions through awareness campaigns and cleaning initiatives to promote child safety and positive discipline. His personal experiences of witnessing violence against his cousin have fueled his commitment to creating a safer environment for children in his community. Recently, Chanthorn attended the Young Minds Camp in Bangkok, to take part in advocacy activities on child malnutrition, food insecurity, and climate change with UN agency members (UNICEF, UNEP, WFP, OHCHR, UNDP, IOM), Child Line Thailand, and ASEAN CWC. Chanthorn is now doing child-led research on how climate change is affecting his community; the results will be discussed in Manila at the Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). His vision is to see all children in his village live safely, excel in their studies, and be treated with respect and kindness. His ongoing efforts to mobilize peers and participate in awareness activities reflect his dedication to this crucial cause.
SengE (20 years old), from the ChiKreng district in Siem Reap province, has emerged as a transformative leader in the community through her involvement with World Vision. Initially a sponsored child in 2011, SengE benefited from various sponsorship activities, including Community Service-Learning Projects (CSLP), life skills sessions, and leadership training. These experiences empowered her to address critical issues in her village, such as a lack of understanding about child rights, domestic violence, and limited educational value. As a Youth Leader, SengE has significantly impacted her community by promoting child education, reducing domestic violence, and enhancing local awareness. Her dedication has improved conditions in her village and propelled her into a professional role in accounting and finance, all while continuing to volunteer to advocate with World Vision to drive positive change.
Young leaders in Cambodia are now equipped by World Vision's long-standing commitment to the country to lead transformative change in their communities by addressing vital concerns like environmental sustainability, Livelihood, education, child participation, and child protection. Through comprehensive programs and partnerships, World Vision has built a legacy of resilience, equipping communities with the tools to continue thriving long after the involvement. These stories of young advocates are a testament to the enduring impact of collective action, inspiring a brighter future for all Cambodian children.
BY: Pisey Sar and Casaneth Ros (Communicators, World Vision International in Cambodia)