OYG-CAM has successfully organized 3rd Youth Networking and Team Building Camp on October 25-26, 2008 in Sihanouk Ville which was participated by 130 youth from different background. To read full report of the event please click here: 

• Promote friendship, mutual understanding and build capacity of OYG-CAM members and other youths through knowledge and experience sharing activities.
• Build team spirit and network between and among the youth.
• Set a role model for others.
• Engage and inspire youths in social and volunteer activities.

Who Can Participate?

• All youth who meet the following criteria and are approved by the Executive Committee of OYG-CAM can participate:
• Age between 16-35 years old.
• Be committed to share their knowledge and experience to and learn from others during the camp.
• Willing to share knowledge and experience to other friends after returning from the camp.
• Actively participate in all OYG-CAM activities.
• Be happy to share rooms/accommodation with others and join group/solidarity meals provided.
• Be willing to contribute 40.000 Riel or 10 US dollars (to cover the overall expense of the event)

To join this event, please fill in the Application Form which can be downloaded from our website: www.oygcambodia.org or picked up from Mr. Ly Pichey at Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) from Monday to Friday from 08.00am to 11.30am and submit to info@oygcambodia.org or deliver directly to Mr. Ly Pichey at RUPP.

To download application form please click here:  for English Form and for Khmer Form.

The deadline for submission of application is October 15, 2008 at 5.00 pm. Selected applicants will be informed for an orientation on October 19, 2008.

For further information about the Networking and Team Building Camp program please contact our Executive Committee via Tel: 012 397 899/ 012 629 294/ 012 486 983/ 012 288 388 or email: Mr. Ly Pichey: pichey@oygcambodia.org; Miss.Tuot Sopheak: sopheak@oygcambodia.org; Miss. Kong Davy: davy@oygcambodia.org; and Miss. Chhay Chansopheaktra: chansopheaktra@oygcambodia.org                                                                                                                                 

Seven members of the OYG-Cam, who are leaders of Cambodian students from various universities, have been selected to participate in summer course 2008 of the Study of the United States Institute. This is an intensive academic program whose purpose is to provide groups of undergraduate student leaders with a deeper understanding of the United States, while simultaneously enhancing their leadership skills. The program starts from June 29- August 3, 2008. During the program, students were provided lectures, seminar discussions, reading books and group presentation. In total, there are 19 participants-7 Cambodians, 5 Burmese, and 7 Vietnamese.

There were indoor and out door activities within their visit. The programs offered them knowledge on US politics, Governmental System, lifestyle, especially chances to have face to face meeting and interaction with High Ranking persons from the US Government such as City Manager, City Council, Political Activists and Congressmen. Further more, they also get involved in volunteer activities like going to Boys and Girls Club, and Senior Citizens Centre.

During the stay, they were hosted by Southern Illinois University at Carbondale where they had great opportunities to visit Spring Field, Capital City of Illinois, Chicago (the 3^rd biggest city of the US), St Louis, and Missouri. More importantly, during the last few days before returning home, they spent times in Washington DC for reflection of their whole stay in the US and participated in cultural exchanges with other participating countries from different universities.

This program is such a wonderful course for them to understand about the US political system, their lifestyle, and those from other participating countries. Most of American people are very helpful and friendly, “we have ever forgotten such great memories and experiences” said Miss Chhay Chansopheaktra, one of the participant. “What we expected before going to the US was just a small thing, but what we found there was tremendously fantastic” she added. We hope this program is still available in the future so that qualified applicants are able to experience and learn new ideas from the US and other countries.

To see more photos please click here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/26242706@N06/

During the second Youth Picnic that was held on June 15 at Dream Guarden, about more than 30 prominent members of the OYG-Cam met to discuss vision, mission, goal, objectives, activities and structure of the group. Please find the report below:

Vision: Cambodian society comprises of qualified and skillful youth who are courageous and actively participating in the development of their nation.

Mission: Working to Promote Youth Participation in Social Affairs

Goal: Raising profile and prepare the youth to be leaders of the future generation.

Objective: 1) Establish youth network and coalition among the elderly who support youth activities to help develop their society; 2) Build capacity of the youth through creating a Learning Club so that they can learn from each others and from other resource persons; 3) Provide information, assistance and counseling for the youth in seeking jobs and study opportunities.

 To view more pictures of the OYG-Cam activities please click here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/26242706@N06/

It is our pleasure to welcome another outstanding young women who is the Champion of the Youth Leadership Challenge program Miss. Sreang Lalune to the OYG-Cam family. Miss. Lalune has gone through so many challenging activities and competitions before assuming a victory and receiving an Award from the US ambassador to Cambodia, a special study trip to the United States.

We are also happy to know that Lalune will be joining the Youth Picnic on June 15. Congratulation to Lalune for being the first Women Champion of the Youth Leadership Challenge program. We are pround of you and wish you all the best of luck.

Sreang Lalune and USAID Mission Director Aron Soto

Sreang Lalune receives an Award from the US Ambassador to Cambodia

Sreang Lalune and Toch Norin, Champions of the Youth Leadership Challenge

Friends,

Many of you are interested to participate in the Ship for South East Asia Youth Program (SSEAYP). We are pleased to welcome Miss. Tuot Sopheak, Youth Ambassador who represent Cambodia to the 34th SSEAYP to join the OYG-Cam activities and participate in the second Youth Picnic on June 15. She will be on hand to share with you the experience she earned from the SSEAYP and might be able to help you make your way to be selected to the SSEAYP in the future if you are interested.

Many thanks Sopheak and welcome to the OYG-Cam family. We are pleased to have you on board with us.

Miss. Tuot Sopheak with all participants of SEAYP in Janpan

My dear friends,

It is time to meet old and new friends who have been working and studying hard but have little time to celebrate our accomplishments, make connection to new adventures and be engaged in social affairs. How can we say our mission is complete?

We would like to invite you to a second Youth Picnic to be organized on Sunday, June 15 at Suon Soben (Dream Guarden) in Kien Svay district (along the road toward Tiger Beer production factory). The main objective of the picnic is to bring together youth so that they stay connected to each others, make friends and discuss how they can be engaged in social affairs in order to help address social issues and develop the country.  Below is a tentative program:

07:30 – 09:30   : Travel to Suon Soben (Dream Guarden)

09:30 - 12:00   : Group discussion about Goal, Mission, Objectives, Activities and Management  Structure of the Outstanding Youth Group of Cambodia (OYG-Cam)

12:00 – 13:30   : Solidarity Lunch

13:30 – 14:30   : Fishing Competition and Analysis of Fish Attitudes

14:30 – 15:45   : Other entainment games, musics and social interaction activities

15:45 – 16:00   : Thesis and conclusion of the Picnic and Next Steps

16:00                : Adjourn and return home

We have so far raised 200,000.00 Riel ($50.00) to cover some expenses of the picnic. We request each participant to contribute 10,000 Riel ($2.5) to cover other expenses. Other contribution and funding from other sources are very welcomed. To make contribution please contact our Organizing Committee address below:

To confirm your participation in the Youth Picnic please contact Mr. Chea Thong or Miss. Chhay Chansopheaktra:

Mr. Chea Thong at thongcambodia@yahoo.com or (855) 092 456 288

Miss. Chhay Chansopheaktra at chansopheaktra_chhay@yahoo.com  or (855) 012 288 388

Mr. Preap Kol at kolpreap@yahoo.com or (855) 012 877 833 or (855) 016 33 42 33

Dear Friends,

Please join me in welcoming new members to the OYG-Cam family. We have received the following names who have expressed interest and are qualified to be member of the OYGC. We welcome Mr. Tum Sophea; Mr. Sreng Sopheap, Mr. Ros Ratana, Miss. Ros Marie, Mr. Mey Samedy, Mr. Long Piseth, Miss. Khuon Chantevy, Miss. Gove Kimhong, Mr. Kong Sophea, Mr. Mao Chansovannrith, Miss. Hen Vanra, Mr. Chhuop Savort, Miss. Sien Kolen, Mr. Hang Kakadareasey, Mr. Chhuon Marady, and Mr. Tang Kimsruy.

There are more new members whose names have yet been given to me. We will put their names up later. We also have photos of some the new members but not all. So those who have not sent me their photo, please send me one through e-mail: kolpreap@yahoo.com to be uploaded to our web-page so that our friends can see you.

To view photos of the OYG-Cam members, please click here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/26242706@N06/

Thank you very much.

April 06, 2008 was just a week from the Khmer New Year, I was pleased to join a picnic to Tamao mountain with a group of dynamic and energetic young people many of whom are fresh graduates and university students who were also contestants of the Youth Leadership Challenge (YLC) which is a TV show program organized by the Youth Council of Cambodia (YCC) and funded by USAID through IRI. I got to know these youth groups because I was part of the program, particularly to train and coach them on the public speaking skills.

The picnic was organized with an objective to have fun together and enhance our friendship as well as to give each other wishes for the Khmer New Year. Thanks to Chea Thong who helped organize the picnic and arrange the trip. We were supposed to depart Phnom Penh at 8 a.m from a point near the Independent Monument where we met up and got in the bus. However, we start the journey a bit late as we had to wait for one of our friends “Sokunthea” who reportedly had trouble finding the Independent Monument (we were just teasing her). Then we had to pick up two more friends and planned to have breakfast on the way which we did.

As we stopped at a restaurant near one of the local market at Kandal Steung, we were told that there was no food left, I guess they had some left but just could not afford to supply too many hungry people like all of our group at that time. so we decided to move on. It sounded like if we were starving on our way but that was not the case, you know why? Because we enjoyed so much then. Norin who is a Champion for the YLC is also a good guitarist and a pretty good singer, and Pichey who would not let his mouth shut for a minute is a good singer. The two guys performed on the bus all the way to the mountain while others also joined in singing different songs. The self introduction game which asked people to say about their personal style was also fun together with lots of jokes.

As we approached near to Tamao Mountain, we bought sticky rice cake called “Katom”, a small cake that has sticky rice inside and covered by palm leaf. We found it hard to uncover the leaf of the Katom so we had different way of eating it. Some of us just put the Katom in our mouth and crack it up it worked okay as the sticky rice leaked in our mouth after we broke the cover and finally went to our stomach . Oh man! it was fun eating this cake.

We arrived at Tamao mountain at around 11 a.m when we walked straight to the hub, a place for sitting, relaxing and having meals. Sopheaktra (a second champion of the YLC) and a few other friends went ahead to order food while others were walking around to explore things. They bought some fried ants (big ones) and ate them as snack while waiting for the big lunch.

Norin and Pichey continued the music and songs to entertain our group and other people around the hub. I was feeling a bit dizzy then after sitting with my face back to the group in the bus for a couple hours but I thought the main reason was because I laughed so much . Thanks to a friend who gave me the oil which helped me feel better.

We had lunch at 12 o’clock with different delicious foods -thanks to Sopeaktra and those who helped order very good foods – which was important for all of us – to survive -. After lunch, some people decided to take a short rest, some went straight to watch elephant performance, some walked around the zoo to see different animal and species. I walked with a group around the zoo where we saw many interesting animals and birds. We set to get together at the hub at 1:30 p.m when planned to have a group discussion about the youth situation in Cambodia.

As everyone got together at 1:30 p.m we began the session by dividing the group into three to have a discussion about three different topics: 1- where can we find the youth or which institutions are they belong to?; 2- what are the major concerns of the youth or what do they care about? 3- How can we reach to youth or what are the ways to communicate with them? Each group spent about 40 minutes to discuss the above topic and another 10 minutes to do presentation to the big group. The discussion was very participative and they gathered some very interesting and valuable information about the youth in Cambodia. The result of the group discussion is available in the next article.

For more photos, please click here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/26242706@N06/

Written by Preap Kol