A day to dream BIG

Last Sunday at Kralanh High School, over 200 students came to listen to three speakers share their dreams and life stories. Students found the event informative and inspirational.
Hour Samouy
Samouy currently works as a Consultant with Ford Motor Division, and grew up in rural Kampong Cham. Her parents supported her education and she went onto complete her studies in Politics, Economics, and Philosophy at the Asian University for Women in Bangladesh. Samouy has also worked at the Harpswell Foundation and Committee for Free and Fair Election. She hopes to work in politics some day in the future, but for the time being she is focusing on learning all she can about business and economics.
Samouy’s presentation focused on leadership and idea development. She said you need to be positive in your thinking, trust your ability to achieve, model good behavior, act responsibly, and work hard to overcome your challenges. She told a story with a moral about trying to not listen to negativity, choosing to ignore those that do not encourage you to succeed, and to keep strong and focused.
Sopheak Chheng
Sopheak currently works as a Television Producer at Sabay Digital Corp and is also a DJ in the evening. Sopheak grew up in a small province north of  Kralanh. Through his hard work and dedication, he received opportunities to go overseas and study in both Norway and the United States. He discovered a passion for photography, pursued it outside of his studies, and now has turned it into a secondary income.
Sopheak told the students that he did not want them to aspire to be like him, he wants them to be better than him. He says to be successful you must always push the bar higher; keep pushing yourself to go the one step further. Sopheak believes you start to become successful when you give back to society. Click here if you would like to read more about Sopheak.
Van Endear
Van Endear is currently employed as the Assistant to the Project Manager, Yanmar Green System Co. She shared her upbringing in a small rural community, and explained that she said that she may have been poor in the monetary sense, but her mind was rich. Rich with curiosity and the desire to learn. She was not a high achiever at school and her parents encouraged her to keep studying.  When she finished high school, she was accepted into the Asian University for Women in Bangladesh to study Philosophy, Economics, and Politics. She told the students to choose their own career path, to not do what they think they should do or are told to do, and to keep dreaming big.
Endear also spoke to the students about using the internet in applying for scholarships. She referred to the Facebook page –Scholarship Finding for Cambodian Students and suggested students use this resource. The information is available in Khmer as well as English.

“I liked the speakers, they  interesting and I like to hear about their student life and now they have good jobs.  I  know a bit more about scholarships. I  dream to go to university  to become a teacher”
-Isa, Grade 11, Kralanh High School

“Listening to the speakers made me feel good and warm. Thank you PEPY for organizing.  I like all 3 speakers.  I dream to go to university and go overseas” 
-Sumthan, Grade 11, Kralanh High School