Host Mom: Vannary

Host Mama Vannary

My host mom Vannary is known as the respected assistant director at the local high school but to me she is a modern day superwoman.  She is an inspiration to me and I hope to many other girls and woman in Cambodia.  She works, has a family, and still has time to expand her education on the weekends, which is why she will be speaking on a career panel at a camp in March.  I want young adult Cambodians to see that it is possible to have it all, career, family, and education.  Her most important job is instilling this hunger for life in her four daughters and she does it quite well.

My host mom is literally my source of strength during my service.  She makes sure that I'm happy, healthy, always fed and worries about me just like I'm one of her own.  She loves me without reservations and that is more than a volunteer or anyone could ask for.  Although I look forward to the day where I return to the comforts of my homeland, I will be leaving a part of my heart here with her.  She will always be my Cambodian Momma!

Kind. Intelligent. Respected. Boss.

Post provided by K6 PCV Jennifer Reinert; she is a Community Health Education Volunteer in Pursat Province

International Day of the Girl Child

GIRL RISING
_____________________________________________________________________________________ On December 19, 2011, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 66/170 to declare October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child, to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world. The term “girl child” is commonly used abroad to distinguish the unique challenges faced by those under age 18 from those faced by women.

Here are some statistics (click the link!)

Girl Rising (http://girlrising.com/). This inspiring film tells the stories of nine girls from across the world who have found the courage to challenge the bounds that society and circumstance placed them in, from poverty to child marriages to cultural constraints and more. Directed by Academy Award nominee Richard Robbins, this film brings the reality of the lives of young girls in the developing world to light in a powerful way. Through education, self-determination, and unconquerable spirit, these young women are changing their lives and helping others do the same.

One of the nine girls is Sokha. “This is not the end. It is the beginning.” Sokha was a Cambodian child of the dump: orphaned and forced to pick through garbage to survive. But, through a series of miracles, Sokha finds her way to school – and, like a phoenix, she has risen to become a star student on the brink of a brilliant and once unimaginable future. Sokha's story is written by Loung Ung. Loung is one of the most powerful voices to emerge from modern Cambodia. An orphan of the Khmer Rouge, she fled Pol Pot's brutal regime at the age of 10. Loung's bestselling memoirs have brought home the tragedy of Cambodia for millions of readers. Through the lens of her own extraordinary experience, she speaks directly to the fractured reality of her country as the past continues to reverberate through the present.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
There is a Girl Rising Curriculum! for 5th graders all the way to college students. Although the curriculum has some focus on 2 stories of girls from Nepal and Peru, the curriculum can be adapted to focus on the Khmer part of the film. The film will be available at our post soon, but don't let that stop you from doing activities now (or whenever). The film is not in Khmer unfortunately - yet still a great resources for English Teachers! You can also use this curriculum without showing the film and adapting the lessons to be discussion based.

Create your own event and get resources to help! Go to http://10x10act.org/idg/ and register at that site!

The Spotlight is on...ROS Kunthea!

ROS KUNTHEA. Photo courtesy of Our Strength website

Our interviewee today is ROS Kunthea. She is the director of the local development organization Our Strength in Battambang.
_____________________________________________________________________________________

“Your sex is from your body but gender comes from your community’s understanding. Women can be doctors, NGO managers, hard workers just like men; we just have to change our culture and communities.”

- Our Strength founder Ros Kunthea at Camp GLOW in Siem Reap. _____________________________________________________________________________________

Our Strength is a community based organization in Battambang that focuses on reproductive health and relational services for women in Cambodia. The name Our Strength calls upon Cambodian women to focus on the strengths they already have and show every day. It also focuses on utilizing that strength for the empowerment of all and to make the future brighter for Cambodian women. Our Strength has worked with Peace Corps on numerous Camp GLOWs, educational workshops, and nutrition trainings in past years. They have an energetic staff of young women led by Ros Kunthea, better known as Theary. Theary is the co-founder and current director of Our Strength.

Introduction:
My name is Ros Kunthea (Theary), Director at Our Strength NGO, I am 32 years old, I am married and have one son. I am currently four months pregnant. I originally come from Siem Reap province. I work with the women’s health team, and I teach reproductive health to women in the community. I also teach about domestic violence. I want women to know what services are available to them. My goal is for women to understand health. I want to educate them so that they can advocate for themselves. I want women to be able to protect themselves. In the future I also want to be a teacher at a university.


What activities related to Gender Development are you involved in? We have many activities. First we go to the villages to meet the village chiefs. It is important that we all work together. Then we do home visits so that we know how many women in each village have health issues. We plan for meetings with women in villages A village chief will gather women for us and then we prepare a workshop for the women. After, we talk with VHV’s who want training VHVs. The VHV’s help assist in the training with the Our Strength staff. We then offer to take those who are sick to the hospital.  We work in village communities by listening and responding to women’s health and social needs. After attending the workshops women have a better understanding of their health



How did you get to where you are today?
I have been with the program since its inception in 2009. My previous experience in community development and women’s health education includes work with Cambodia Health Education Development, Caritas International, and Siem Reap’s Catholic Church Rural Development Project. I was born and raised in Nong Chan refugee camp on the border of Thailand until I was 11, when I moved to Siem Reap with my adoptive mother and two brothers. Now. I am planning a future for my family, including my husband and son in Battambang. Service to women grows out of my experiences growing up in a refugee camp and resettling in Cambodia.

I observed women suffering disproportionately under the burden of war, displacement, food insecurity, and lack of access to basic health and education services. I am passionate about constantly improving the quality of Our Strength’s work by listening to women so that our programs may better support those without other access to health services or education. My hope is to see women grow in their knowledge, skills, and confidence, so that they can gain strength to protect themselves, their families and communities. I am especially committed to working towards Our Strength’s sustainability, by investing in staff education and capacity building, so that our organization may support itself by providing services to other organizations and groups in Cambodia.


What do you think is the most important issue facing Cambodians today?
I think reproductive health, sexual health, and gender and violence education are the most important issues Cambodia is facing. Many women and men are still shy and don't want to talk about their health problems or to talk other about the problems in their family. Other issues include

- Women’s knowledge of health issues are still limited. 

- Culture and social barriers about value and power are still affecting men and women.

- Many women think they should be submissive to their husbands.

- Many men use violence because they think this will earn money for the family. 

- Many women are afraid to do advocacy with men.


What kind of advice to you want to give the youth of Cambodia?
I want all the youth of Cambodia to try to study hard and not only study in school, but to find and learn more from other forms of information, social media, family, community, or other NGOs about health and other problems. Also, after they know how to help they are able to find a solution and share this with other people in their community.


What is your favorite thing about your country?
My favorite thing is its women and students, even though we have poor families we try to spend time to learn more about health and life.


Finally, I have confidence, even though my NGO is a small program, that we can help many people. Many women talk to me and explain that they were very happy with the workshops. Our Strength educates and shares knowledge to women. It helps give them information that they may have not known about before regarding their health from women of their same age.



Spotlight interview provided by Community Health Education PCV Nicholas Branch

The spotlight is on...KIMHENG PANN!

PCV Jane Campbell and Kimheng penn at a wedding ceremony

Hello Everybody! My name’s KIMHENG PANN.
I’m 31 years old and I live and work in Baray district Kampong Thom province, Cambodia. At the moment I’m a teacher of Moral Civics and English at Baray high school in my community. I also work for an English Access Micro scholarship Program at Cambodian Islamic Women Development Association (CIWODA) supported by the US embassy from 2008 till now and I have another one job at Cambodia Muslim students Association (CAMSA).

All jobs I’m working with the students in Baray high school and the youth in my community to development, I help them to study English languages, moral, computer, enhancement activities, cultures and give opportunities to the students for volunteering working on tree planting, gardening, school environment, and in formal English lesson to the children of their neighbors.

I always dream about my future goals - I’m going to become a good leader to help the youth and share experiences with them...especially girls. I want all the youths in Cambodia to have good habits, practice good culture, have high knowledge, self-confidence, be brave, responsible, and be involved in their community between studies. I hope they will become good youth in our country and have good jobs in their future.


What activities related to Gender Development are you involved in?
I partner with Peace Corps Volunteers to help all students improve in many ways in Baray community especially helping the youth to develop.

Futher more I have been working on these activities:
- I have just completed working with Peace Corps Volunteers and Camp STAR (Students taking active roles) 2013 in Kampong Thom Province; prepared by Peace Corps Volunteers, we had four schools participate and had boys and girls join together.
- In March I completed presentations about “HIV/AIDs/Gender” on the Grand camping at SONTOUK mountain in Kampong Thom.
-On International Women’s Day 2013 I lead the students and prepared a workshop in my community focusing on “Gender, Moral and Law related to women.” I had 347 students from Baray high school participate and it was supported by the Ministry of Tourism.
- June 2012 I presented on the topic “Empower of women in Cambodia” at the first ever boys conference in Kampong Saom Province with Peace Corps Volunteers.
- In March 2012, I worked with Peace Corps volunteer Jane, to organize a workshop in Baray high school focusing on “The youth volunteerism workshop” and helped boys and girls work together to help their community.
- In October 2011, I worked with PCV Jane to bring 12 females students to participant Camp Glow (Girls leading our world) in Kampong Cham Province. I presented on the topic “Goal setting and what the student should do in their community”.
- On Women's Day 2010, I prepared a meeting with 32 students to talk about “Human Trafficking” which included a field trip to Prasat Sombo Prey Kok, a historical site in Kampong Thom Province. The students read a document about “Women in Cambodia” which they practiced reading on the bus ride to the field trip.
- I helped train students to become trainers to give a presentation about “Violence against on women in family” at a public meeting at the Baray district office on Women’s day.



How did you get to where you are today?

The first job I had working for the English Access Microscholarship program at CIWODA, I received the position because I was chosen by Mrs. Mariyas kop secretary general at Ministry of Women’s affairs. Following this job, I worked at CAMSA. I also have been successful by using various activities and good communication with other people as well as partnering with Peace Corps volunteers. Nowadays all jobs I’m working in my hometown, Baray district, Kampong Thom Province, Cambodia.



What do you think is the most important issue facing Cambodians today?

Presently, Cambodia is developed than before but I always think that Cambodia still has problems especially amongst teenagers and youth whose main problems are education, morals, and culture. Most people in Cambodia always say the world's “Youth is the main resource for country development.” Nowadays, is this true or not?! If we look at all their behaviors and their activities, what are they doing now? How about their studies? Do they know they are most important for their country's development in the future? What they should do for themselves, family community and their country? Do they know that their country development in the future is in their hands? Although, everything is running development in Cambodia but I think that have advantages and disadvantages.

Students that study at university now, are also working between their studies because most of them come from poor families and they need money to support themselves during studying. Their studies are going in the same direction must be graduate of university. Some of them are much more energetic than students in High school and they can control themselves more. They try to search everything in order to increase their development. Some of them have scholarships in either public or private schools and also have some students have scholarship to study abroad and some students work in volunteerism between their studies because volunteering is a part of the training. They want work experience when they graduate university so they are more capable of doing better job. So they are marvelous and we should be proud of them. However, If we look back to the students in high school, it is most different. The percentage of high school students is much more than university in Cambodia and the education system is low level. I think that a little bit students try to study hard but most of them like playing more than studying.

Most schools still have some students that are truant, cheat on exams, temperament in their activities, fighting, drinking alcohol and a little bit students taking drugs. Some schools have not yet improved their education system and don’t try to control them. There is also a high percentage of girls that stop school to work in factories in Cambodia or neighboring countries.

In addition, most parents have more concern for their daughter than their son. Some parents do not allow their daughter to study at university after they graduate high school. Some parents worry about their children's behaviors when they leave home too far away from them. They don’t have support from their families all the time.



What kind of advice do you want to give to the youth of Cambodia?
Absolutely! Youth is good to get in touch with our society and it is most important that they attend to our community. The attendance of youth can enhance many activities, especially for gender equality. When youth are involved in the community it can improve the relationship between boys and girls, they can share their experiences, and it can improve education in society. I know that it’s not easy to work with the youth because they have many challenges; they need flexibility and patience, to use good communication, motivation and thanks-giving with them. I want them to get a lot of very good advice from people and to share experiences with them and I’ll try to do everything that I can do for them, try to show them the way to study, how to practice, how to work and live. What should they do when they leave home to study? Do they have goals or not yet for their future? How to get a good job?
Before and now I like working with the youth in my community because I want to help them. I love them because they try to work hard and they have goals in their future and I also give everyone to have opportunity to participate.



What is your favorite thing about your country?

Firstly, Cambodia is an amazing place for tourism everywhere around my country is so beautiful with beaches, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, mountains and especially Angkor Wat. Secondly, the character of Cambodia people are friendly, kind, have good relationships especially the children that are respectful, grateful for their parents and look after them when they are older. Lastly, the traditional and culture is very fascinating. I love the ceremonies, the dress, and the dancing.

Anything else? What do you like to do in your spare time?
I like planning activities and thinking, listening music, chatting with friends, travelling, reading books, watching TV, and I like dancing.


Spotlight interview provided by PCV and fellow WIDGAD leader/founder Jane Campbell

The Spotlight is on...HEN Vanny

HEN Vanny in her element; the classroom

HEM Vanny is an English teacher and exceptional leader in Kampong Cham Province, Cambodia.

What activities related to Gender Development are you involved in?

I have been involved in many projects besides my teaching in public school. Firstly, I am an English Club Leader. I lead my team to achieve our goals like; the students can improve their English about how to write, to read, to speak, and to listen with confidence. The students have learned to be a leader by my integrating leadership lessons to them. The students improve their social skills by sending them out to the communities to learn more about different lives of the people in different families.


Second, I am an art club leader. I and my Peace Corps Volunteer counterpart help the students to have a chance to do what they want to do. I and the PCV are responsible to find the resources like the budget for materials, paint, field trips, and guest artist presentations. The goals in our art club are to show that our students are happy to show their talents and are able to reach their dreams in any way. Most of the schools in Cambodia do not have a chance to study art. 
I also like working with Peace Corps activities like Camp GLOW and Camp BUILD every year.



How did you get to where you are today?

I have been teaching in Hun Sen Kor High School for about fourteen years. I love my job because I can help many people, mostly adults in my community. I have a chance to develop my country by sharing my knowledge. I can share my experiences by participating in some workshops that are set up by NGOs or for the youth.



What do you think is the most important issue facing Cambodians today?

I think the most important issue facing Cambodia today are health problems, especially women’s health. Most of the women who do domestic work don’t really have time to get an education about health care. They learn from the older generation but the older generation doesn’t know much about how to keep healthy because Cambodia went through a war in the past, especially for the people who are older than 35 and live in remote areas. Unfortunately, they do not receive a good education about health. 
Most of the people in the countryside don’t get enough information, such as the news about social or world issues because they are poor and they need time to earn money for food every day.
The education needs to improve the qualities in order to reach the international standard to develop human resources.  



What kinds of advice do you want to give to the youth of Cambodia?

The youth should volunteer to share their knowledge to the community. The youth should also be involved with social activities. The youth should have strong abilities and be responsible to develop our country.



What is your favorite thing about your country?

My most favorite thing I like about my country are the people. The people of Cambodia are friendly and generous. By my observation people always help each other when others are in trouble.


Spotlight interview provided by PCV and fellow WIDGAD member Irene Primmer

The Spotlight is on...MOEURN Chantrea

MOEURN CHANTREA on a field trip to Angkor Wat with Camp GLOW in Siem Reap. Chantrea attended Camp GLOW as part of the Royal University of Phnom Penh's Career Services Advising team.

Today's interview is straight from MOEURN Chantrea. His voice is preserved (unedited) in this article. See for yourself how extraordinary he is!

Hi sister!

Sorry for reply you late. Hopefully we can meet soon. I am waiting to help as possible. Thanks so much for coming to help Cambodian youth and Cambodia society.

These are my answers but, I do not know sure it make sense for your questions. Let me know if you have some problem.

1. Please introduce yourself. For example: Name/Profession/Age/Province, future goals, etc.
My name is MOEURN Chantrea. I am male with twenty three years old right now. I am studying at two universities at Phnom Penh include the Royal University of Phnom Penh and University of Cambodia. I was born in Angkor Chey village, Sralop commune, Tboung Khmom district, Kampong Cham province. I want to be the politician in Cambodian because I think that I can work together with national assembly to drafting law to protect people interest and the best one is that improving people lifestyle by given them free and fair in front of the law. Cambodian people need professional law maker to support whole society and well collaboration with foreign partner.


2. What activities related to Gender Development are you involved in?
A. The activities that I enjoy the most to improve Gender Development and I always involve like, thinking positive to women, give values to her, do not look down on her, work group with girl, sharing experience with girl, give her opportunity to participate to workshop or social work, encourage her to be brave, do not violate to woman right, help my sister and mother housework, avoid domestic violent in community by telling villagers, report to police when I saw the domestic violence, love brother and sister the same, well collaboration in study and work with girl.

For instance, I am working with the Human Rights Organization for Transparency and Peace. My colleague also have women and I am well discussion with her so solve what we are concern and need her help. I do not want to think that she is weak and does not have ability to do. The second experience is working with Career Advisory Service. Working this project I always let my women team have the same chance as man even though I am team leader. Women have opportunity to speak what they want because students in workshop also have girl student. The third experience in my house. When I came back school to home, I like helping my mother and sister. I never think that housework is for only women. The last one is in my class. Improving understanding and well classmate I always discuss and share my knowledge to class. For example, in university, students need to do presentation after they have research. All team member have the same chance to present and sometime I choose girl to be team leader because she have well education and strong confident. If they do not have more convenience, I encourage them and want them try because we can learn from experience.


3. How did you get to where you are today?
To be the present act, I need to do some interesting points. First, the beginning point is that choosing university and majoring attend at university. During in grade 12, I need to make sure that which major I have to choose and university is specialize on that major. I tried to ask my teacher and university students to give more information. Then I need to know my ability and activity which I like the most because it could let me easy to catch at university class. As result, I choose the Royal University of Phnom Penh in Khmer Literature major.

Second, the medium point is finding part time job for volunteer. Two years went by, I have work with the Career Advisory Service project to help student at high school to know how to choose major, university, live in Phnom Penh, and pass scholarship in university. We do not need to wait great time to have experience without asking someone or after graduate because it let us waste time and low experience to get job later. After I have volunteer at the Human Rights Organization for Transparency and Peace in translator position. I hope that to get more experiences for improve my knowledge in study and social work.

Finally, the highest point is reading book. Reading book always let me understand more clearly and have more convenience. I have to spend my time to read book everyday even though some book does not relate to my major. I got lots points from it and always use in work and class. In conclusion, student needs to be hard working and well collaboration with other because it boosts us has more knowledge with great point. We also have to read news to know what was happening and had happened up to now.


3. What do you think is the most important issue facing Cambodians today?
The most thing Cambodian youth facing most is unemployment rate increase. Most of youth in Cambodia do not have job yet even though they have graduate. The reason let me know that they did not think the three main points attend university. They do not know clear which major, university and themselves. So, they study at university did not get well score and knowledge. As result, they do not have strong ability to work and experience so, how can another institution need them. I hope when we improve this case, unemployment will be reduced. I do not want to put pressure to government on education because we need to respond together.


4. What kinds of advice to you want to give the youth of Cambodia?
I have some information to give you and it does not mean that I am perfect person. I am just the same you but, I have more experiences than you and I hope we can share together.

- Try to study hard

- Care health

- Avoiding from drug

- Thinking about three main point to attend to university like interest, ability and opportunity.

- Well collaboration in class and social work

- Open mind and waiting feedback to correct to wrong one.

- Self-study and need to think that we the new generation which have to lead Cambodia later.


6. What is your favorite thing about your country?
The most things I like in Cambodia are Angkor Wat and ancient temple because I need to protect them with great proud of that. They always boost me try to study and more glad.


7. Anything else? Weird hobbies or talents?
No more lets me most interesting. What I am concerning when Cambodian youth have well responsible in social development because sometime they do not want to hear the word politic. We live in politic society so, why do not we can know and talking on that. Thanks. I am so sorry for my bad grammar and structure. I am waiting for your feedback.

- Chantrea


Spotlight interview organized by WID/GAD committee associate, Meghan Henshall

The Spotlight is on...Siphen Meas

Siphen Meas and PCV Andrea Doersam at an Art Olympics Event in Phnom Penh

Introduction:
Siphen Meas is a woman of many trades. She works as a local high school English teacher in Angtasom, Takeo while operating a homestay business at her residence amongst the rice paddies. In what little free time this allows her, Siphen holds free private classes for local students at a school she built on her property. She also assists and holds positions with Peace Corps and Books for Cambodia. Siphen is a well known leader throughout her village of Angtasom, she welcomes visitors from many countries to her home and teaches them about Khmer culture, they in turn share their knowledge and culture with the students that attend her school, an invaluable exchange of diversity for some of the poorest students in the community.


What activities related to Gender Development are you involved in?
Siphen serves as a role model for the youth of her community. Not only does she work at the local high school for 20 hours a week, she dedicates at least an hour or two everyday to her students that come to her home. Her evening class serves as a space for students to explore who they are. They are encouraged to be creative through art, writing, music, and dance. An outlet like this for students to utilize is not usually seen within local school systems, especially in the rural areas.

There is no discrimination amongst Siphen’s students, individuality and creative thinking are encouraged in order to provide them with a greater worldview. Many of Siphen’s students obtain a high level of English speaking throughout their time in her class, and many go on to attend Universities in Phnom Penh. This year Siphen is taking on 35 students, she accepts the poorest students within the community as well as students with an exceptionally high dedication and commitment to learning and studying.


How did you get to where you are today?
Siphen’s motivation to get where she is today was all self-driven, she grew up extremely poor in an environment where emphasis was not put on obtaining higher education. She began her career as a biology and chemistry teacher. She was curious to learn English so she could meet and communicate with foreigners, so she enrolled herself in private English classes which she attended part time. Eventually her skills lead her to a job as an English teacher for secondary school.

While working as an English interpreter (in addition to her teaching job), Siphen met a woman named Jennifer Wilson from New Zealand who was working with VSA as an early childhood advisor. This friendship sparked an interest in opening the Meas Family Homestay business after Jennifer’s family came to stay with Siphen at her home. Siphen’s homestay business has been operating since 2002, and is growing by a number of tourists every year, which is increasing the knowledge her students are able to achieve. Many student organizations, such as Pacific Discovery Company have been frequenting her Homestay since it first opened, these groups participate in community projects (such as building latrines, painting murals, creating and improving libraries). When Siphen recognizes a need, she will initiate a community project for visitors to help with. Many of her guests had heard about her homestay through word of mouth, but recently she has been featured in popular travel publications.

These experiences have lead her to where she is today, she will continue to strive to make more improvements within her community, and increase the understanding between foreign and Khmer cultures.


What do you think is the most important issue facing Cambodians today?
“As an educator, I feel very disappointed about the education quality of Cambodia and that it is dropping down, the number of stats in reports show high rates of passing, but the quality is not there.” Compared to when Siphen grew up, she thinks that students don’t care as much about their studies, they are not as responsible and do not want to work hard to study to pass exams and to obtain a higher degree. In general students are starting to value materialism more since the introduction of modern technology in Cambodia. The middle class people especially are very focused on gaining material items, in the past students went to the library to read, now they have the ability to use the telephone to find answers. Many people look up to the wealthy and this discourages people to be interested in working as teachers, it’s hard to find people willing to work hard in an area that will not make a lot of money. Also, corruption makes it so hard to get real work done. There are always people asking for money to do things they should do on their own, it’s a big issue for educators. Every school has it, when they have exams, students do not think they can do it on their own, teachers give answers for money and students cheat all the time. The ministry of education needs to change their attitudes to reflect the written law, it needs to be more strict and more fair.


What kinds of advice to you want to give the youth of Cambodia?
“I would strongly advise that they show respect and are responsible for themselves, this is of such high value. Be responsible for your actions and work in a positive manner.” Siphen became a teacher to share her knowledge, she wants to pass this on to the next generation, to help and support those that don’t have the opportunity to do it on their own. She recommends that the youth should be involved with society and share what they have learned with the community through their actions. For example, if they have a skill of growing a garden, they should help other villagers to learn the same and spread the wealth of knowledge. “Don’t be pessimistic!”


What is your favorite think about your country?
“I love my people. Cambodians are so friendly and open and want to share and help others. I love my country for its nature. We are lucky to be in tropical climate where people can live outside, no snow! People here have the freedom to grow what they want and live off the land.”


Anything else? Weird hobbies or talents?
Siphen likes to read new things, especially about history of different cultures and biographies. She likes to play games, specifically banana grams. Siphen also loves traveling; she has been to New Zealand, America, Japan, Thailand and is looking forward to going to Malaysia in the future!


Spotlight Interview Contributed by PCV Andrea Doersam

The Spotlight is on...Vantharoth OUM

Vantharoth OUM and the beautiful Cambodian landscape

1. Introduction
Vantharoth OUM works for Peace Corps Cambodia as the Education program Manager. She is 30 years old and lives in Phnom Penh with her family.

2. What activities related to Gender Development are you involved in?
I am now part of the WID/GAD committee. So far, I am also a fan of GLOW Camp . I joined this committee because I feel that Cambodian girls/women need to step up from the zone they are in now and do more great things in society. I believe that there are many awesome women out there and they need to be recognized for what they are doing.

3. How did you get to where you are today?
While I was a student, I spent my summers between school years volunteering at NGOs in Phnom Penh. When I finished my studies, I was accepted for my first job as a school health education program officer based in Koh Kong province. Personally, I did not have any Medical background, but I had teaching experience and I was a team leader through my work at university and through my volunteer work. I worked there for a year, and then Peace Corps came to Cambodia. I applied to work for PC through a recommendation of my former boss. Then I was offered a job as program assistant and was promoted to Program Manager in September 2010. That is it, my experience.

4. What do you think is the most important issue facing Cambodians today?
There are many issues for women and girls such as access to higher education, better health care, domestic violence...etc.
There are many opportunities for women in careers and other educational opportunities. I believe if they could step up a little bit by themselves or someone pushed them, I think they will have a bright future. They need to be pushed, because as we know, most Cambodian women were taught to be reserved. They are not used to speaking out for themselves.

5. What kinds of advice to you want to give the youth of Cambodia?
My key words to success as a young woman starting their career are: be smart, have initiative, be proactive, and alway say that "I can do it."

6. What is your favorite thing about your country?
Smiling and how polite the local community are to people.

7. Anything else? Weird hobbies or talents?
Nothing I can think of now.

Brand new

Peace Corps Cambodia is happy to announce their newest addition to the family, the Women & Development/Gender and Development (WIDGAD) committee. We are a group of motivated volunteers (have a look at the committee on this blog!) hoping to work with Khmer counterparts to increase awareness, encourage gender empowerment, and positive change throughout the nation.



This blog will feature spotlights on notable individuals in gender development and empowerment in Cambodia. These individuals may be counterparts working directly with Peace Corps Volunteers or members of communities that volunteers live in that deserve recognition for their hard work.

This blog will also announce any activities or events led or supported by the committee or Peace Corps as a whole. The Peace Corps Cambodia WIDGAD committee is one of many and is inspired by the 8,073 volunteers and trainees currently serving throughout 76 countries around the world. An example of similar work PC Cambodia WIDGAD hopes to accomplish recently happened in Burkina Faso in which their first annual Women’s Health and Leadership Conference was held on April 10th - 12th, 2013. The conference focused on gender empowerment, leadership, and common health issues faced by women in Burkina Faso. The event was highlighted on the PC facebook page and the article can be found on the Stomp Out Malaria in Africa website.