Looking ahead - Malin's goals for 2015

Hello! My name is Malin, I’m a 1st year scholarship student at JWOC. I have 3 sisters and I live with two of them. My grandma and my mom they live in Chikreng village to the east of Siem Reap.

I am looking forward to achieving my goals in 2015. For my goal in 2015 I want to work in an organization as a field staff member. I want to work there because I want to know how people in our rural society live so I can learn about what I can do to help them, first I want to understand them so I am able to connect with them better. I really want to work there because I love traveling to the country side of Cambodia, I find the people in the countryside really kind and welcoming and now people living in the city have different lifestyles to the rural population. I want to change my life, I want to experience new situations and environments and working in the field with rural communities is a perfect opportunity for this. I want to study their culture and I also want to share the knowledge with them that I have learned here at JWOC.

At Present, I’m studying at Build Bright University and work as a English teacher at New York International school, full time, but if I am able to find a job working with another organization I will cut my teaching hours down to part time. Teaching is just a small part of my dream; also I want to know one more language after Khmer and English. I told myself in 2015 I would have to learn one more language beside English. Also I am really excited to study harder and harder so I can be a good and proud employee in the Asian community. I want to help Cambodia strive to be a helpful member of the larger Asian community to do this I must try my hardest to be a good citizen.

I will always try my hardest to improve my studying so my dreams can come true, I believe that education is the key; it can lead me to do the right thing and be confident in my decisions. It will give me more opportunities to work. I hope that my fellow students can also study hard and help Cambodia grow.

Only Education Can Empower People

By Khoeurn Khart

Early in the morning when I come to work, kids are playing in JWOC’s yard and running around with their friends. Some of our students talk about their homework and families while the others share stories about things that happened in their state school.  The value of education for people in our community and the surrounding areas where JWOC works is immeasurable and helps so many. JWOC provides a positive learning environment where people can share ideas, ask questions and grow. What inspires me about JWOC is our student diversity.  I have met students from big families, some that are living in migrant villages, some that are farmers, small business owners or staff at the hotels. Our diverse student body is always growing and evolving.

At JWOC, students come to learn together and develop new friendships. They feel more comfortable and are cared when they arrive to JWOC. Since JWOC classes are only one or two hours long, our students use their free time to study either in the afternoon or the evening at JWOC both on weekdays or weekends. Apart from learning English, computer and sewing skills, some parents allow their kids to play in the library, sing, and listen to story on Sundays. It is a special day that kids learn how to cut, paint, stick and create new things with fun activities.

Our students are very friendly, and when they see me, they try to communicate in English. The skills they gained at JWOC help them change their living condition, and I am happy to hear this from them. They are able to work for hotels, restaurants, guesthouses or other NGOs. I see that things around our community have changed gradually. Kids like learning and trying new things compared to my time growing up.

From the knowledge I have gained while attending university to my work at JWOC, there is no doubt that education has shaped who I am today. Education impacts so many areas of my daily life, and it is for this reason that I feel very excited about the work I do at JWOC. Through my experiences, I learn that only education can empower people.