Searching for a strong voice and freedom!
Volunteering gave me a voice and helped me changed how people think about the world!
If there was one thing I could change and say to young people in Cambodia, it would be: “Be more confident when raising your voices and concerns, even if you are in a room with all the big people. Just don’t be afraid! Because You have the power to change the world to a better place!”
My path was not easy. I’m originally from Pursat Province, where the situation for girls is different from Phnom Penh. I have an older brother and although my parents have been very supportive of him, they had a very different attitude towards me. They said they loved me and were trying to protect me, but they rarely let me hang out or go anywhere, not even a school trip, because I am a woman and they were afraid I could become a victim of a crime if I went out.
Living in the province, I didn’t know much about the society, the only thing I knew was studying. In 2013, I finished high school and moved to Phnom Penh and the world suddenly felt really big.
I met new friends, who were talking about volunteering and building their skills, how much easier it is to find a job after, and I was very interested in trying it. I wanted to try it and told my family about it.
Then another shock came. My parents were absolutely against it, they especially didn’t want me to go out to the communities. And they told me that I should just focus on studying. I struggled with this a lot, it felt very unfair, especially since my brother was allowed to do anything he wanted.
I believed that I am independent, and strong and challenged my parents a lot. And one day I just decided to start doing volunteer work without telling them. It was actually the FIRST TIME in my life that I did something without telling them!
I really enjoyed the experiences of meeting new people and learning new things, I even volunteered at an NGO called Youth Resource Development Program, but my parents never knew. It really changed my life. It made me realize that volunteering is so much more than just gaining skills, it is also about giving back to the society as a responsible and active citizen.
I only told my parents about my volunteering experience when I finished university. Now it was them who were shocked! I got a decent job right after finishing university, while many of my friends still struggled to find any work because they did not have my experience. I told my parents that volunteering was the reason why I had all these options, well-paid jobs, I even had offers to travel around Southeast Asia and the United States with ECOSOC Youth Forum for work! It helped my parents to realize that their behavior was not right, and then they became advocates for volunteering! Now they are proud of my achievements and they even tell their friends to let their children do volunteer work.
And now it’s time for us to participate more in other issues that concern us. The space for young people to have their voice is still limited. Even when I was invited to consultations, they were still dominated by the “big people”, and they expected us to be more serious and talk only about very advanced issues. Even though I get to raise my voice now, I am not sure if it is always taken into consideration. I feel like sometimes young people are called to participate, just so it can be said that youth was part of the process.
The United Nations in Cambodia SDG Leadership Lab is a completely new approach! This is a process in a friendly environment, where we actually get to give the inputs without being judged and afraid. And we all do it together, co-identify issues and co-create solution and it feels meaningful. I would like to see much more of this kind of process. I would like to copy this kind of design thinking when I come up with a new project. It’s a way which I will share with my organization. I finally felt more included and listened to. I believe that every great thing is possible if we are all in one circle and work hand in hand together.
Socheata Sokun is National UN Volunteer Partnership Building Specialist for UNV Cambodia, she is 23 years old, from Pursat Province, advocating for rights of young people.
