Essay Submissions

Below is just a few of the great essays that we received from our applicants who will be attending TEDxPhnomPenh on Feb 5!

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Building the future is a very simple word with greater meaning. Building the future starts with individual person. By this I mean, the individual in our country must be educated both academically and in skills. The academic education starts with knowing the general knowledge and learning the foundation of education. While skill can be obtained through specific training or practical jobs. By having both set of education and knowledge; the person is able to survive on their own and be a well-behaved citizens. After years of practice and learning, they would become very knowledgeable in their fields of practice. The person should be having different set of skills which is needed by the society. When each of them is filled in the society, the society is like a web of human resources, working inter-dependently to achieve good development in the country. The two things stated required everyone from the top to the bottom to support. The Government should set up or reform the education so that the system can catch up to the international level and build relevant curriculum for their citizens so that it meet the market needs. While the individuals have to do what they need to do in school and expected by the society. All in all, building the future is relied upon everyone in the society working together to achieve it.

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In fact, Cambodia had been suffered a lots by many tragedies in the past. Cambodia is now developing its country in all sectors such as economy, society, politics, and relationship with other countries. So far, it has progressed to a new level, yet Cambodia has limited capability and faces various issues. As a Cambodian youth, I would like to show my strong commitment to build the bright future for my country. I think the key point for Cambodia to develop is to improve human resources. Human resource, called the brain source, is the most significant factor which fosters the economy and creativity for the country. Thus, how can we develop human resource? Of course, developing the country is not the only role of government but also all the people in the country. Besides, non-governmental organizations play important role in enhancing the society and providing the opportunities to people. Apparently, like TEDx is doing. This will provide chances for youth to learn and widen their knowledge as well as understanding. Taking me as an example, non-governmental organizations and associations have granted many opportunities to me to join in various workshops, seminars, and training. I notice that after I have involved myself in these programs, I have improved sight understanding about the society and gain additional ideas from various speakers. Moreover, I start to love to work in community services which I believe that I can receive huge positive impacts from what I contribute. Specifically, I support the ideas that we have to build human resources not only in the cities but also in the provinces. Like what I have done with my team in our project, we go to some provinces to teach the high school students and share our experiences to them. We aim to create the awareness among youth and want to leave good impacts for them since they are the main pillar for our country. Thus, I really support the culture of sharing. I believe that if we don’t improve from inside, so how can we move toward the high level like other developed countries? I would like to encourage the youth in Cambodia to build their capability and I really appreciate various organizations and associations which provides good opportunities to us to learn and share with the others. Finally, I want to show my strong interest in joining the TEDxPhnom Penh event since I have only heard and watched it on the videos. I believe I will learn a lot of things from this event.

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Share it fairly: can Cambodia’s rural population benefit from the country’s development?
Arriving in Cambodia in September last year was a shock. Getting used to the sights, sounds, smells and tastes took some time, and they were a big contrast to what I’d left in London (UK). Some of the things that first surprised me now seem normal such as more than two people on a motorbike, answering phone calls in meetings and large spiders being grilled in the market. Well, maybe the last one still provokes a reaction…

Many of the differences between life in the UK and Cambodia aren’t just cultural but arise because of the relative economic positions of the two countries. I believe the politically correct term for Cambodia’s status is now ‘less developed country’, replacing previous classifications such as ‘third world’ and ‘developing nation’. However, with GDP per capita of $2,000 in 2009, compared to the UK at just over $34,000, it is clear that most Cambodians necessarily lead vastly different lifestyles to my friends and family back home.

I say most Cambodians because there are some in this country who enjoy a higher standard of living than some people in the UK, namely the wealthy elite of Phnom Penh. For them, and for me before I came here, it is easy to become blind to the world beyond one’s own daily worries. Most people in the UK rarely think about the billions of people in the world who struggle to feed themselves each day because they are more concerned with their own problems, which, in comparison, will always seem trivial. Poverty does exist in the UK and this is also easy to ignore for those who, like me, have access to the best education, healthcare, jobs and housing.

Here in Cambodia a huge gulf exists, and continues to grow, between the residents of Phnom Penh (and other urban areas) and those who live in the rural provinces. While the recent rapid economic growth in the country has benefited mainly people in the cities, the 80% who live and work in the countryside have seen little advancement by comparison. I believe that the fundamental challenge for the next stage of this country’s development is how to ensure that this involves and benefits those outside the cities who perhaps need it most.

Coming to Cambodia has opened my eyes and helped me to understand the position that some of the world’s poorest people are in. It has made me more conscious that I am among the global minority, and to appreciate the privilege I have enjoyed in my life as a result. I think that this is helping me to gain a perspective that I didn’t have before and to consider how my own actions contribute to these inequalities, and what I can do to change. I would urge those benefiting disproportionately from Cambodia’s development to also reflect on their relative position of privilege and how this can be used to bring greater prosperity to those living beyond the city limits.

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“I’ve been seeking for a job since I graduated from college in 2008,” said Mr. Teav Sachak Reahou, a student majoring in TEFL at the Institute of Cambodia, “but I’ve not been yet offered any position.”

He is not alone. Hundred thousands of university graduates leave school each year, but only a handful of them representing 13% believed by employers can immediately handle job, reported a CAMFEBA’s 2008 report. What about the rest?

Quality of education still remains far low, while mismatch between skill providers and job demand side makes higher education far less practical and realistic to the real world of work arena.

There is always a way out, though. Having an ‘education watch group’ is a small idea, but the gain could be a giant change to the culture of education in Cambodia.

First, there should be a print or online ‘education watchdog’ where a group of educational journalists, monitors and communicators can publish daily news related to educational issues in Cambodia. News can be of a group of high school students talking about their perspectives on pursuing a university degree, a primary school teacher demanding some amount of money from her students on the ground of her low salary, a misconduct of educational providers, or more other interesting educational related news. This news will be beneficial to policy-makers.

Education watchdog also publishes interesting facts and figures relating to education issues like number of schools in Cambodia, education system, government and NGO’s actions to education, budget allocation or funding for education sector, plan for future, and so forth. Publishing of interviews with educational experts talking about education in particular fields such as employment of graduates on increase could be also of valuable information.

Second, education watchdog can be a forum or ‘arena’ for all students, teachers, educational experts, or other interesting persons to give and share information, criticize, and make suggestions for the improvement of education sector. It also can act as a coordinator to bring related people together to have their say and adapt to each other for the sake of improvement. Policy-makers, educational institutions and NGOs will make some changes knowing their weakness.

Lastly, education watchdog can also acts as a place where there can be posting of interesting national and international scholarships, job opportunities, local study courses on offer, useful tips for high school students to choose a university course, or how to find a jobs after graduating. This can make ‘education watchdog’ interesting enough to attract a large number of audience to read it and have their say.

Why isn’t it a good idea when Cambodia really needs a large number of human capitals to go globalized?

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Since Cambodia is still conserving the idea that woman is more inferior, I am with my passion willing to inspire other Cambodian women to seek the opportunity to develop themselves and our country and to change the whole perception that to be a woman is to be nobody, help them to build up their leadership at all levels for future transnational competencies and simultaneously promote our country in the international platform. I have learned that there is a large gap in terms of development in urban and rural areas in Cambodian society. This is not all; Cambodia is plagued by various social problems such as corruption, poverty, wide spread land grabbing, but to name just some. Therefore, women do play a crucial role to contribute more productively to social well-being and development. I am willing to share because I know that our society is lack of the Art of Sharing which is very important for a developing country like Cambodia. It is hard but possible, and I am happy and ready to take this challenge for the betterment of myself and my nation.

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My idea for building the future is twofold. First, in a country like Cambodia, I think finding ways to make schools more entrepreneurial in focus is essential. Second, the private sector can and should take ownership of more problems facing our world today. When everything is left to NGOs, money and resources are often inefficiently allocated. I would like to play a role in exploring the potential that businesses can play in intentionally addressing some of these things and bringing the force of consumer exchange to bear on them.

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The future belongs to those who believe in the power of their dream. My dream is to live in a world where people have access to basic education, health care and lead dignifying lives. It will not happen overnight but by investing in people, keeping an open mind as well as the zest for what you do we can bring ourselves closer to that goal.