2021 ROTARY SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT
Kuoyneang Sieng was born in the small rural province of Kompong Chhnang, Cambodia. As a child, she actively participated in school activities; and was assigned to be the School’s Master of Ceremony (MC) from grade 4 until grade 12. In 2016, she was the only student chosen as the school representative to participate in the 18th National Youth Camping Program. Her hobbies are listening to music, watching dramas and educational videos on social media, and self-improvement study in different languages.
Kuoyneang graduated and moved to the capital, Phnom Penh in 2018 in order to pursue a double degree. Her first Bachelor degree was at the most famous language institution known as the Institute of Foreign Languages (IFL) where she majored in English Literature. Her second degree is through her scholarship award in International Relations at the Royal University of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Kouyneang normally spends her free time participating in voluntary social activities because that is the way she can give back to society, learn from other people, and improve her teamwork and communication skills.
She is a volunteer and a project manager of “The Share Journey” in Go Gens, Candace. She was the 2nd best researcher in research methodology, having her paper published in the journal of The University of Cambodia. She ran a digital campaign successfully named “The Invisible Disability” under the support of the U.S. Embassy aimed at raising the awareness about children with communication and language disabilities. Kuoyneang is currently a part-time teacher in English Academic Writing at RYL School and freelance translator from English to Khmer. She starts to dream bigger for her future career as a university lecturer and an official in a ministry.
QUOTE
“សូមចងចាំថា អ្នកមានមនុស្សជាទីស្រឡាញ់ជាច្រើន កំពុងរង់ចាំផ្លូវអ្នកត្រឡប់ទៅផ្ទះវិញដោយសុវត្តិភាព ដូចនេះកំឡុងពេលអ្នកបើកបរ សូមកុំធ្វេសប្រហែសសូម្បីតែមួយវិនាទីណាឡើយ ព្រោះអ្នកអាចនិងគ្មានឱកាស ឬអាចទាញពេលវេលាត្រឡប់ក្រោយ ទៅរកពួកគេវិញបាននោះទេ”
“Always remember that a lot of loved one are waiting for you to get home safely, so while driving, do not neglect even a second because you may not have a chance to pull back time to reunite once again.”
“To love your family, your life and other people’s lives, you drive safely.”
Vathana, a co-founder of the Chouy app – a mobile application initiated to promptly assist victims affected by any form of traumatic injuries mainly road crash, and also a final year medical student. Saving people’s lives and contributing his voluntary services for the community is his main priority. He spent his youth in volunteering for better community health through education and awareness raising, and healthy lifestyle promotion.
This ambitious youth lays out his own vision that he wants to promote health and well-being by preventing disease in communities. To achieve his passionate goal, he decided to pursue a Masters’ degree in Public Health at the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH). He believes that he is able to help more people in the community before they get sick and require medical treatment.
This young talented public health student also became aware of the recent emerging public health problem of road traffic crashes affecting thousands of families causing the loss of lives of breadwinners and many serious injuries and permanent disabilities to victims. This has resulted in both individual hardships to households and economic difficulties for the country. Recognizing this preventable public health crisis which is seriously impacting on Cambodia more than others social issues, he commits to be part of the solution through improving the effectiveness of driving competency and post-crash interventions.
Vathana seeks a chance to raise his voice in public to reduce traffic accident cases in Cambodia.
Vathana’s quotes:
- Do it with passion, ABC is not just only for kids, driver also needs ABC: Always Be Careful.
- Practice ABC, live longer : Always Be Careful