PEPY Scholarshave run Community Payback Projects since the program's inception to return to their communities to help tackle health, education, environmental, & other development issues they have identified. Youth demonstrate their leadership & team management skills they have developed at PEPY's Learning Center & act as role models in their communities and as ambassadors for staying in school. In the wake of flooding and COVID-19 our scholars want to expand their projects and need your support
This project is incredibly important to Cambodian development in rural communities. Education is still not seen as a viable path since so many families & youth are not exposed to the opportunities/careers that are afforded to those who continue onto higher education. By bringing ambassadors directly into the community, the families can see the positive changes that come from youth continuing their studies & village youth can learn from someone with the same background.
Community Payback Projects have a big impact on encouraging youth to stay in school and improving the soft skills of our scholars. With each project, the skepticism of education becomes smaller and we are able to retain more students in our rural high schools.
We envision a future where youth are supported to follow their dreams & have the resources to achieve them. Our alumni stay connected to us & their communities, attending workshops, speaking to students & parents, joining/starting other transformative initiatives, & even becoming local teachers. We have changed the mindset & behavior of communities, with a higher % of students going onto higher education every year & PEPY staff's tireless efforts to find students work relevant to their studies.
