Brian reflects on his time with JWOC in Cambodia

Students from West Point recently came to volunteer at JWOC. In this blog posts group leader Brian explain about what they did and what they learned...
Our group had the opportunity to visit Cambodia as part of a cultural immersion program with West Point’s Center for Conflict and Human Security Studies. Journeys Within organized our trip throughout Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand; however, the central activity in our travels was working with JWOC in Siem Reap. Our group consisted of five West Point cadets, and myself, who is a member of the faculty in West Point’s Social Science Department and Major in the United States Army.

                We spent many of our 11 days in Siem Reap working with the children and young adults in several of JWOC’s English language classes. Most of the classes consisted of our group simply having conversations with the various students enrolled in the school. The students were extremely happy to have native speakers to converse with and to learn about our various backgrounds and experiences. In fact, we probably learned as much about Cambodian culture and daily life from these classes as we did from any of the other cultural immersion activities that we were part of our travels. The students and instructors of the classes where all extremely gracious for allowing us to be part of their English classes and working with them was a tremendous amount of fun for our group.

                One of the most interesting parts of my experience with JWOC was the numerous interactions we had with their scholarship students. JWOC selects these students from numerous applicants while they are in high school or early years of the college. The program provides funding for college tuition and books for these students in exchange for their service teaching at the JWOC school, working with JWOC’s microfinance project, and JWOC’s clean water project. In addition to getting the necessary labor to help run these other programs, the scholarship students gain important work skills that will help them obtain future employment. Journeys Within Hotel and Tour Company and JWOC have hired several of these scholarship students to stay on as permanent staff and many of the NGOs who are operating in the area have also hired them for their English proficiency and skills learned while serving in the program.

                While job skills and education are ultimately the outcome that most scholarship students join the program to obtain, the local community gains something far more important than simply another educated worker or even the actual well or business loan that  JWOC provided. These scholarship students serve as invaluable role models for the young children enrolled in JWOC schools and living in the local communities that they reach. Many young people in the local villages know very few educated and successful people who began life under similar circumstances, and these scholarship students show them that life beyond subsistence farming is possible. Cambodian society has almost no interaction between the wealthy and the exceedingly poor citizens, and therefore most young people grow up without knowing many educated adults.  It seems that very few paths lead to social mobility in Cambodia, and JWOC’s scholarship program is one of those few avenues. The scholarship program is a critical component to ensuring that both JWOC continues to have a skilled labor pool and ensuring that average Cambodians can have a life beyond their village.  

                We had several opportunities to work with and talk to these scholarship students throughout our time in Siem Reap. These occasions occurred during both planned interactions with the students and as we worked with them throughout JWOC’s various social programs. These students were very eager to learn about other cultures and life beyond their world in Siem Reap. Most have never traveled beyond their province and none we met had ever left Cambodia. Often times, conversations would lead to how government, schools, businesses, and every day people interact within American society. Honest discussions about their own government rarely occur and mostly they are only exposed to the local version of the news that they received from state owned news outlets. The students seemed eager to hear our opinions of our own country’s successes and failures in subjects like foreign and social policy. More than what we were saying on any particular subject, they were intrigued by our frankness and willingness to disagree with US government’s decisions. Again, many of these college students rarely have the opportunity to have open discussions with educated people or people outside of their immediate communities. These casual discussions were the most fulfilling part of my travels in Cambodia.

                All said, JWOC is providing needed community services, leadership opportunities, and free educational services in a country where quality education generally comes only to those with enough money to attend the best private schools. Given time and enough students, those they serve will become the driver of social progress in Siem Reap province. The organization was gracious enough to allow our group of 5 students and myself to be a part of their daily work and for that we are very grateful. Thank you Nicola, Alex, and the multitude of scholarship students who we were able to work with over the past few weeks. 

Alex talks about his JWOC experience

Students from West Point recently came to volunteer at JWOC. In their blog posts they explain about what they did and what they learned...

I came to Cambodia having no prior experience in Asia, and didn't know what to
expect upon arrival.  The only thing I did know was that we were scheduled to
work with a small school, run by Journeys Within Our Community (JWOC).   Having
just concluded my time with their team, I could not have been more pleased.

The element that makes their endeavors successful is hope.  Cambodia may be one
of the poorest countries in Southeast Asia, yet their future is full of promise.
On hand at JWOC, I could see the stages of youth development through
the examples of the students.

I participated in a small conversational English class for about a week with
some of the older students. Each had high aspirations- to be a doctor, a banker,
or a teacher.  And with JWOC's scholarship program for undergraduate studies,
these dreams were all distinct possibilities.  And each of the scholarship
students then in turn were working at the school, clean water project, or
financing project.  The positive leadership roles that they took gave them in
addition to their education, the vital experience that will allow them to lead
their communities in the future.

I also helped to create a mural of the English Alphabet for the younger students
on a wall just outside the classroom.  The children are an active and cheery
bunch, with backpacks over half as big as they are.  As we progressed with it,
we could watch their excitement brewing as the vibrant colors splashed upon the
wall. I watched them slowly sound their way through words we painted onto the
wall as examples, and knew that I had, in some small way, helped in their
education and of all the students to come.

Looking at the wall, it evidences the efforts of our group and many before us,
and the blank stretches show the ample room left for those left to come.  The
numerous wells built in the villages in addition to the one built within JWOC
also stand as a physical testament to the good will and efforts of supporters
and volunteers.

Having spent the hours between classes playing games in the yard, we were joined
by students of all ages, who were extremely inclusive. It is all smiles, and
with the help of the health education and support, they are healthy and teeming
with energy. They have a community of their own within this upcoming generation,
and it is clear that they are equipped with the help of organizations like
Journeys Within Our Community to dream a bigger future.

Vantha and the importance of scholarships

In this post Scholarship Programme Coordinator Vantha writes about the the difference he sees JWOC scholarships making. If you would like to know more about the Scholarship Programme please take a look here. 

As we all know human resources are very important tools to build up and be able to help people living in a community and society.

Currently in Cambodia there are many students graduate from high school every year. Some students continue their study at university with families support but some cannot and they have to find the job for earning money to support other siblings or stay at home to help family. Most of them really want to continue but the effect of family living in poor condition makes it so difficult to attend university even though they are smart students and have a commitment with studying. That is why a JWOC Scholarship is the best step to help them start to achieve their goals and also build capacity of human resources in Cambodia. 

Grade twelve students waiting outside of the classroom before final exam starts .

How does the scholarship programme change students ?

Pharin trains villagers in Antangkun Village about hand washing.

JWOC’s Scholarship Programme makes students change a lot. For example one of our current scholarship students, Pharin, has improved and changed a lot of her knowledge and abilities. We noticed during doing interview with her she was so nervous and quiet and shy but now she is so strong and confident. Right now she is studying in year four semester one and also volunteers in Clean Water project as a project officer. The impact of her working hard and studying hard is that she got a good grades from her academic studies and also she is able to successfully trains people in rural village to use clean water and improved their living with good hygiene. It is just the short story one of our scholarship student who gets benefit from JWOC Scholarship Programme.

Support the programme

Confident university students after their morning class

JWOC Scholarship Programme can only succeed its goal and help the other JWOC projects keep going with  supporters wanting to incorporate in our project and stay supporting us.

We are hoping this year the Scholarship Programme are going to get 27 new supporters for students who don’t have opportunity to continue their study and lead them to become the skilled human recourses for their country.

The difference a JWOC scholarship can make

In this post 2nd Year student Borey talks about his experience as a JWOC Scholarship Student and the difference his scholarship has made to his life. If you would like to help change a life this year please take a look at our FAQs page to find out more.

In 2007 I graduated the high school at Svay Rieng province and I came to Siem Reap to get a new job here. I hoped to study at the university because I didn't want to stop studying, but that time I had no money for study fee so I really needed  help. In 2010 I found Journeys Within Our Community (JWOC) and I applied to be a scholarship student the first time in my life. The amount of applicants was over than 300, so I had no hopefulness I can get a scholarship. But I got a scholarship! I promised myself I must study hard and do everything to return JWOC and my sponsor.

In the foundation year, I knew the university and working as a volunteer at JWOC in Clean Water Project. I need to get all grade C up in order to get the scholarship. Fortunately, for Semester 1 I got all grade A and semester 2 I got A four and a B+ in five subject. My sponsor were very happy for that result because they knew that what they gave me is not useless.

During nearly two year in the Clean Water project I receive so much knowledge and experiences. I know how to work with people, how to communicate, group working, and I can share my knowledge got from JWOC to other people in my community and to the other people who do not or not yet getting to know.

JWOC told me about how to use the internet as before I do not know what is internet and what is email. JWOC changed me so much, at first I was a person with lack of skill or even can say no skill that cannot do anything for community or society, but now I become a new person that have everything - knowledge and experience from the university and from JWOC. I am very very happy when I can see the smiling of my parents because they do not have enough money for me to study at university. I would like to say "Thanks" to my sponsor and JWOC also that chose me to get a scholarship and give me what I need the most in my life. I am so happy!!!

To hear more from our students take a look here and here. 


To learn more and to donate take a look here. 

What our scholarship students write about....

Every month our scholarship students write to their sponsors to update them on what they have been doing in their studying, jobs, family and volunteering. For the students' sponsors it is a lovely way for them to learn more about their student's life and country.
In this post we share some excerpts from their emails so you can also learn more about our Scholarship Programme and the students we support.

Bouakham- "In my English class, I always use games which I have learnt from JWOC in my teaching. Students love them very much because it helps them to relax and not stress when they are learning English. Therefore, it helps them to learn English well especially English vocabulary. Using my new skills I have opened a small English class and taught English for free for students."

Mengty-   "Last month after I finished my final exam at university, I went to my homeland with my friends to meet my family. I was feelings very happy when I met them, because I didn’t meet them many months ago. They asked me a lot about my living in Siem Reap and my studying at here also, especially my mother. She always told me that “you must study hard to get a bright future”, and motivated me to put effort to studying."

Bopha-"My most joyful time this month is working at Art Class. The children are great. They are likely coming to JWOC by themselves. That says that they really like Art Class activities and understand about its benefits. They dare express their ideas and their feeling to others. They learn to do things by themselves with less help. And the most important point I would like to share, they are more aware of their responsibilities on the environment. I am very appreciated of them. "

Savin- "JWOC have good workshop a lot. Yesterday I joined one-it is so good. I wish you good luck, good health, good happiness and get successful in your work. Sending love from Cambodia!"

Srey Ney - "This week I went to the old village for check the filter that we take to them a few months ago and asked them about the result before and after they used the filter. The answer from them is the good result because before they never understand about the important clean water and they always sick in their family because they never care about the hygiene and how they use the water. But after we went to the village and teach them about the hygiene and how to use and importance of the filter. Now they get the knowledge more than before about hygiene and activity they do every day. I’m so happy when I hear like this."

If you would like to sponsor a student you can donate online or by check, marking your donation ‘scholarship’. We ask you make a 4 year commitment to your student. If you are able to send sponsorship for the full four years that is wonderful, but don’t worry if not, you can donate for each year individually ( $500). Please make your donation before 31st August to make sure we can match you with a student for this coming academic year.

I look forward to welcoming you as a new sponsor and introducing you to your student in September!