Whether in the shade of a fir tree or a mango tree, the end of the year is becoming increasingly clear to everyone. It seems like the perfect time to sum up the year of 2023, particularly regarding the many professional and academic successes achieved by Krousar Thmey’s young beneficiaries. Many of these lively, hard-working students have completed their training, landed their first job, or gone on to complete their secondary education. The fruit of hard work, their success leads them on the road to self choice, regardless of their origin or profile, and they can benefit their entire community. Spotlight on the exciting news from the University and Career Guidance project.
Starting a New Life
Krousar Thmey supports and guides each young person according to his or her abilities and aspirations. For some, the vocational route enables them to develop practical skills and quickly enter the job market. This year, six young people supported by the Foundation completed their training with our partners’structures and then landed a job in their chosen field: three of them completed the curriculum offered by the Sala Bai hotel school in Siem Reap, another graduated from Don Bosco in Sihanoukville, yet another completed his training as a mechanic while the last one just completed a beautician training course at the Phnom Penh branch of Caritas. They now work as cooks, bakers, waiters, mechanics, or in a beauty salon. “I’m very proud of them”, says CHE Phirun, head of the University and Vocational Guidance project. “They worked hard, showed they were passionate,e and seized the opportunity offered to them. They are about to start a new life.“
Sreyleab, Thy, and Sreynang at their graduation ceremony in Sala Bai, in July, with CHE Phirun.
For others, continuing their studies can also open up new horizons. This is the case of young Sophea, who, after graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in management, won a scholarship to study for a Master’s degree at the Beijing University of Science and Technology in China, where he has been studying since September.
Creating a Virtuous Cycle
Sreyheng, 20, chose to continue her studies at Phnom Penh’s Royal University to become a teacher and then an educator. “It’s important for me to pass on the knowledge I’ve acquired and encourage young people to follow through on their commitment”. Alongside his studies, Sreyheng also gives English lessons to the poorest children in a Takhmao community. Set up in September by Krousar Thmey’s Child Protection program, in collaboration with the local authorities, these free courses aim to raise the level of the most disadvantaged pupils. “I want to see them succeed,” reports Sreyheng, “it’s essential that they learn English, it will serve them for the rest of their lives!”
Sreyheng teaches English to children from a disadvantaged community
Including the Rest of the Community
There’s good news in the field of special education, too. Nine blind or visually impaired students have graduated from university, including Makara, who spent three months at Krousar Thmey’s Phnom Penh offices last spring. He now holds a degree in social work from the Royal University of Phnom Penh. Three deaf students have also graduated in computer science, one of the most accessible paths for people with hearing disabilities.
On the institutional front, the 4th National Forum on Inclusive Employment was held on November 3 in Phnom Penh. The event provided a forum for meetings between experts and practitioners in the field of inclusive employment in Cambodia, as well as between candidates and potential employers. The event was also marked by a major announcement from the Cambodian government: the creation of a grant to finance vocational training for people with disabilities, pledging the sustainability of the Foundation’s actions over the past 30 years.
