One of the young Generation Future 2022 leaders present was Phnom Penh resident Leza Sorn, a 16-year-old gender equality champion whose Engineering For Girls project aims to foster enthusiasm for STEM subjects among young women through a series of creative workshops.
“The bootcamp was the best thing that could have happened to me this summer, I was so happy to take part in the event and to be part of Generation Future,” said Leza, while adding that she loved the “opportunity to work together with our mentors and discuss our project while taking creative photos and having fun.”
The bootcamp expert speakers were highly eclectic and included well-known entrepreneurs, influencers, and distinguished success stories drawn from the public sector, the private sector and the development sector. They included musician and influencer Sam Rocker discussing equality in gender and sexuality, while also treating the audience to a short exclusive performance, psychotherapist Sotheary Yim sharing guidance on positive mental health, photographer Chandy Mao teaching participants how to produce unforgettable images, Smart Axiata representative Yuklin Mao providing insights on website development, and Facebook representative Pheakdey Heng discussing how to best use the platform for powerful campaigns.
Other mentors who participated in the bootcamp included H.E. Samheng Boros, the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veteran and Youth Rehabilitation (MoSVY), Tina Redshaw the former British Ambassador to Cambodia, Anthony Galliano the President of the American Chamber of Commerce, and Suck Kyu ‘Brian’ Ko, the CEO and President of Hyundai Camko Motor Company.
Paniet Toeng is an 18-year-old Generation Future member from Siem Reap whose project is dedicated to combating food waste through awareness campaigns and partnerships with restaurants and food delivery companies.
“It was such a remarkable journey,” she said after the event. “In addition to being able to network with different people from different backgrounds, we also acquired the necessary skills in web designing, communication and social media management. But the best part of the event for me was the questions and answers session with the professional psychologist as this opportunity is so rare in Cambodia. It was also great that one of the young people from last year joined the conversation and shared his personal story and project on mental well-being. I loved that.”
Maria Tate is an arts education specialist and one of the mentors on Generation Future 2022 who also delivered training on the day.
“I walked into the room and was overwhelmed by positive vibes and the enthusiasm of the mentees,” she said. “It’s very encouraging and inspiring to see these young people and their desire to change the future.”
Generation Future program is supported by the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).
