By Barbara Rosasco | Why our jobs program is important
For the past few years we have continue to post a micro project for the Jobs for Cambodian Youth. We are deeply grateful to all of you who have, in the past supported our past fundraising efforts.We have continued this program because of the enormous impact it makes for the teens and young adults who participate.
Our employment opportunities revolve around our Champey Academy of Arts project. At any point in the year, our part time staff may range from 8 to 12 youth, and the roster fluctuates based upon needs at Champey and the needs of our student and young adult team. For example, our roster is higher during our Summer Arts Camp Program when our student participation surges.
In addition to the regular Champey Staff, at the present time we provide jobs to 7 university students and one high school student. Of the 7 university students, six of them are from our Kasumisou Scholars programs and include students from our AIDS Patient Family Support Program. We have one new staff employee who has just arrived in Phnom Penh from rural Prey Veng Province who is in the process of college application , hoping to get a scholarship . In the meantime, like our other students, she is working part time at our Champey Academy of Arts .Our high school student comes from our AIDS Patient Family Support program and helps with arriving guests and works to develop her English skills. Salaries for our student staff range from $ 80 to about $ 130 per month, depending upon financial need, and employment status. We also provide access to a staff lunch.
Why is our jobs program so important?
In the US and many other developed countries, there are plentiful job opportunities for teens and young adults. However, this is often not the case in the developing world. Also in the developed world, there are opportunities for students of modest means to access student employment and other ways to help support themselves.
This is not the case in Cambodia where part time jobs typically may be in dangerous , unregulated construction trades, often payin just $ 3 per day or for students to work in local bars where they are often pressured into prostitution and other inappropriate activities.
Our Jobs or Cambodian Youth provides safe and suitable employment to teens and young adults who are members of our other programs such as our Champey Academy or our college students in our Kasumisou Scholars programs. These college students are from extremely modest backgrounds and their families are completely unable to assist in their support. These jobs provide urgently needed funds to assist students with basic support of food and personal items while they attend college.
By supporting Jobs for Cambodian youth, you are also supporting the considerable efforts of a young adult or college student to move forward and break the cycle of inherited poverty .
Thank you for your generous support.
Barbara & Mark Rosasco
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