In February 2025, my colleague and I travelled to Cambodia and Thailand to visit projects that the foundation we work for is supporting. Our first stop was in Phnom Penh, Cambodia where we visited the Passerelles Numériques Cambodia Training Centre and met with students from rural areas who are learning web design.
We were most impressed by the hard work and dedication of the young people who not only gain technical skills, but also become proficient in English during the 2-year training program.
Our second stop was Siem Reap where we visited the Teacher Development Support Organization that offers training to English teachers from Cambodian public schools. English has been introduced into the primary school curriculum in Cambodia, and the need for English teacher training is high.
Such is the dedication of the teachers that they attend training sessions on the weekend, during their free time. Everywhere we went in Cambodia we met welcoming, gracious, and kind people.
We were also most impressed by the Spoons hospitality program that trains young people in hospitality and catering skills. Should you find yourself in Siem Reap, we highly recommend a visit to the Spoons restaurant. You will not be disappointed!
From Cambodia we moved on to Mae Sot, Thailand, where we visited several migrant learning centers that have been established for young people who escaped war in Myanmar.
In order to gain acceptance to universities, since the graduating diploma from migrant learning centers is not officially recognized, the students from Myanmar spend a year preparing to take the GED exam in English. Their dream is to pass the GED and get one of the university scholarships that are offered by organizations such as Child’s Dream Foundation.
For these young people, education is the key to the future. From Mae Sot we travelled to Chiang Mai and met with organizations that are supporting youth in various ways.
We were most touched by the important work of Urban Light, an organization that provides support to young boys and men who have suffered from the sex trafficking industry.
We were also impressed by the work of Skills for Life, an organization that holistically supports Hill Tribes youth to confidently lead self-sufficient lives.
Our final stop was in Bangkok where we met with students from Myanmar who have received scholarships to pursue university studies. Their stories of perseverance and their dreams were truly inspiring.
Thank you to Siama for assisting with the travel arrangements. The people we met during our trip gave us renewed commitment to doing our best to support the needs of young people in the region.
Darcy Molnar
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