Our fifth progress report is now available on the Global Giving UK website. The report describes how busy Ms Veasna Sophea has been in 2014 working with children and the local community in Kampong Thnal village in Prevy Veng province.
Posted 1 December 2014
On a recent balmy late winter’s evening in the Melbourne suburb of Brunswick East just over A$5000 was raised to support Youth Star’s activities. The money raised is almost enough to support two Youth Star volunteers for 12 months community development work in rural Cambodia.
A wonderful feast of Cambodian food was provided for the evening, with a team of Australian-based Cambodian cooks preparing mountains of spring rolls, vegetarian dumplings, Cambodian noodles and a selection of curries and salads. This was topped off by numerous Cambodian and western desserts, complemented by freshly brewed coffee and other hot and cold beverages. Around 100 adults and children attended the event – with face and finger painting provided for younger participants.
The highlight of the evening was a Skype video call featuring Youth Star volunteers and their young protégés in Prey Veng Province, who sang a song to entertain the Melbourne crowd. Mora Gibbings Executive Director — currently on leave from Youth Star — hosted this interaction in Melbourne while Mr LUY Tech Chheng created the Cambodian link. Mora returns to Cambodia in November 2014 to continue her role in Youth Star, taking over from Chheng who has done a wonderful job in this role during Mora’s absence.
During the evening the vision and mission of Youth Star was explained to the guests, with a presentation supported by photos and a video of Youth Star at work in Cambodia. It was explained that in some ways the Youth Star model is similar to the more widely known Peace Corps, with its dual purpose of helping needy communities and developing volunteers into future leaders.
The fundraising event took place in the garden of friends Julian and Nicole, who along with other Australian and Cambodian helpers were responsible for organising and preparing the festivities. It is hoped that this will be the first of many annual Melbourne Youth Star fundraising events! A special thanks to all those who donated their energy, resources and time to this event; and to those who attended the successful fundraiser.
Our fourth progress report is now live on Global Giving UK
Please click here to view the full report.
The Youth Star 2014 volunteer placements have now been underway for 3 months and are all going well. This report provides some examples of how Youth Star works with under-served rural communities to provide resources and role models to foster positive future development in these communities. The work of Miss UTH Sithea,in Krang Veaeng village in Prey Veng province, illustrates the Youth Star approach
Please click here for the full report.
Youth Star has been busy preparing for its 2014 volunteer placements, which start next week. This work includes training volunteers (for 3 weeks) and ‘local partners’ (for one week) in Phnom Penh. A local partner supports each volunteer in the community and liaises with the Youth Star office on the volunteer’s activities during their placement. Youth Star provides financial support for the partner’s travel and accommodation when this training is undertaken.
Please click here for the full report.
Earlier last month (7-8 December) two Youth Star volunteers each led two campaigns: ‘We are Good Men’, supported by Paz Y Desarrollo, and ’16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence’, supported by UN Women. The campaigns were in Kampong Thom province where both volunteers are based.
Four hundred people in the local communities participated in these campaigns to raise awareness about violence against women and girls. Participants of the ‘Good Men’ campaign were dressed in white T-shirts and supporters of the ‘Gender Violence’ campaign in orange T-shirts.
For more photos of these campaigns, please visit out Facebook page.
Are you interested in helping others and being an active member of your society? Have you ever volunteered or you are searching for opportunities to try volunteering for the first time? Come to the celebration of the International Volunteer Day 2013 and share your experience and learn more about volunteering, its benefits and opportunities in Cambodia.
On December 5th from 8am to 4pm the 3rd National Forum on Volunteerism will take place in the National Institute of Education, Phnom Penh. Volunteers from all over Cambodia can participate, share ideas and learn more about their accomplishments and opportunities. The discussions will focus on development of skills through volunteerism and possibilities of volunteering in ASEAN Region. The participants will have an opportunity to interact and learn from distinguished speakers from local, national and international organizations, representatives of the government and private sector.
The celebrations will continue from 5pm at Meta House, Phnom Penh and will include:
– A fair of volunteering organizations
– Loy9 sharing their experience with volunteering and success of the Blood Donation Campaign
– Let’s Do It!: volunteers solving problems of pollution and environmental protection
– Friends International and their unique social business model
– Debates and discussions with variety of volunteer involving organizations about volunteering opportunities in Cambodia and around the world
– Performance of Tiny Toones and Koh Thlok band.
We would like to encourage all volunteer involving organizations and volunteers to take part in this unique event and contribute to recognition of volunteers and their hard work all over the world. Having this in mind we would also like to invite you to participate in a nation-wide campaign Recognize Me!, which is giving voice and face to volunteers all over Cambodia. Please see details on www.volcam.net/recognizeme
The Global Giving Gateway Challenge from 18 November – 23 December 2013 is now complete, and we are happy to announce that Youth Star was granted a bonus prize of £1,500 from Global Giving for the highest amount of money raised at £10,198!
http://www.globalgiving.co.uk/projects/youth-star-cambodian-graduates-help-their-community
Thank you kindly to friends of Youth Star who donated and made this campaign a great success!
In an interview with Executive Director Mora Gibbings, Youth Star Cambodia was recently featured on SGI Quarterly magazine.Mrs Gibbings talks about the positive impact Youth Star is having on the youth of Cambodia.Click here to read the full article.
On September 21st Youth Star Cambodia hosted its eighth annual fundraising Gala dinner.
The 1920s theme was chosen to celebrate this decade of innovation and liberation which symbolises the work of our volunteers that have brought democracy, opportunity and on-going positive change to the communities they have worked with.
The night was an absolute blast with fantastic music and dance. Kok Thlok Artists Association blend of Western and Khmer music 70s rock and pop and DJ Lion’s varied set had the crowd dancing until 11:30pm. Highlights included Tiny Toones performing the Charleston and a best dressed competition.
It was a perfect way to honour our volunteers and recognise all the support of our friends who have helped Youth Star empower communities since 2005.
“I was originally very shy and scared to go somewhere where I didn’t know anybody or know about the customs. Now I have made new friends, become more confident and have become a facilitator of change and part of this wonderful community that is now accepting of new comers and knows how to run youth groups and mobilise its members for positive change’’.
Ms. CHORN Sopheak, group 17 volunteer, Sambo district, Kratie
The event raised $35,330 and was attended by 470 guests that included current and former volunteers, the Youth Star Board of Directors, government officials, foreign dignitaries, civic leaders; scholars and various professionals from multinational corporations and national and international organisations.
The attendance of such an array of people was indicative of the continued support received by Youth Star and the value placed on volunteerism and Youth Star’s young volunteers ability to affect positive, lasting social change.
Youth Star Cambodia would like to give a special thanks to our volunteers, the Gala committee members and the table sponsors and lucky draw sponsors. We also extend our gratitude the gold sponsors Manulife and Dermalogica and our silver sponsors AusAID, Attwood Import Export ltd, Hotel InterContinental and SL Cambodia whose assistance made this night a roaring success.
For more photos from the night. Please visit our Facebook page.
