5 Young Women from Harpswell Who Are Driving Global Action

According to the United Nations, there are 1.2 billion young people between 15-24 years old globally. From Greta Thunberg to Malala Yousafzai, youth are driving global action to address key challenges to building a sustainable, equitable, and just world. In Cambodia, young women from the Harpswell Foundation are engaged in a variety of initiatives and movements to drive change and build relationships with the international community. Below are five students who are driving global action.1. Soy Sreyneth ‘20Sreyneth is serving a two-year term on the U.S. Ambassador's Youth Council (AYC). She is currently the Finance Officer for the Model Prime Ministerial Debate 3 (MPMD3) competition project, modeled after the U.S. Presidential Debate. The debate competition serves as a platform for youth to play the role of Prime Ministerial candidates and debate on topics related to the economy and social issues.2. Phim Nary ‘22Through her work with Equitable Cambodia, Nary has provided training to community members on land ownership and advocacy, community development, constitutional law, human rights, and political rights. Training increased community members’ understanding of Cambodian law and their rights. 3. Meas Socheata ‘21Socheata is a 4th Generation Core Leader with Politikoffee, where she monitors trends, analyzes public policy, and organizes weekly political and economic dialogues. Politikoffee engages tech-savvy youths who are passionate about socio-economic and democratization in Cambodia. The group provides a platform for youth to discuss and debate social issues, public policy, and international relations. 4. Keo Yary '20As a Communication and Marketing Intern with Geres, Yary is working on the Kjuongo initiative to promote clean energy and reduce deforestation. She is designing signboards that will be placed in communities to raise awareness. Yary will travel to the target communities to interview the producers and write stories about them.5. Duong Sovathana ‘20Sovathana is a Program Intern-Digital Campaigner at ActionAid Cambodia. She has been supporting the Emergency Response to COVID-19 by participating in fieldwork and conducting case studies. Sovathana interviews local authorities and community members on how COVID-19 has impacted their day-to-day life. She is also supporting the organization’s coastal ecosystem initiative by creating content targeted at community stakeholders. Support Our WorkHarpswell’s mission is to equip young women in Southeast Asia with leadership skills, education, and a supportive network. In Cambodia, we do this through our core curriculum, which includes an extensive course on civic engagement. The civic engagement course empowers Harpswell students to volunteer, intern, and engage in other activities that benefit society. You can support young Cambodian women to drive global action by donating or sharing our work with your network.