Support the futures of 3,000+ Youth in Cambodia

This quarter, three programs of PEPY Empowering Youth continued to support young people across Siem Reap through education, career preparation, and long-term guidance. Together, our Dream Management, Learning Center, and Scholarship for Higher Education programs helped students build confidence, strengthen practical skills, access higher education, and take important steps toward employment and greater independence. The results below show how sustained support creates numerous meaningful opportunities for young people.

Dream Management Program

Reach: 2,152 students attended weekly Dream sessions across 12 partner high schools, with an average attendance rate of 89%. The program delivered 78 lessons for Grades 10–12, alongside 16 Dream Talks which reached 707 students.

Key outcome — Reflecting, Celebrating, and Building Confidence: Our Dream Management team conducted Closing Event for grade 12 students with a total of 629 (396 female) participants. In 2nd Semester Reflection Meeting, we gathered 44 (15 female) our dream teachers, principals, and PEPY staffs. A Student Debate Contest brought 333 students together from six partner high schools, with 375 total participants. Together, these activities supported reflection on students’ three-year learning journeys in dream management program, recognized their achievements, strengthened collaboration with teachers and schools, and developed students’ confidence, critical thinking, communication, teamwork, and public speaking skills.

Preparing for higher education: 599 Grade 12 students were connected with 10 scholarship opportunities from providers including Child’s Dream, Sala Bai, Shinta Mani Foundation, Cambodia Rural Students Trust, Journeys Within Our Community, PEPY Empowering Youth, and other organizations while 101 students applying for these opportunities. The program team and our partner teachers also provided guidance to students who needed additional support preparing scholarship applications and required documents.

Learning Center Program

Reach: 60 students completed the quarter with 99% attendance across the Youth Empowerment, ICT, and English Learning programs. Students completed five Youth Empowerment topics, three ICT modules, and five English Learning Project units.

Key outcome — career readiness: All 60 students participated in counseling focused on job-search strategies, CV writing, and mock interviews. They also practiced professional communication, interview techniques, and how to identify suitable job opportunities. The second mock interview showed students progressing from short answers to more organized responses which help them be ready prepared for approaching real employers.

English, digital skills, international exchanges: Students achieved a 70% average score in the English Learning Project mid-term assessment and a 72% result in the ICT Second Midterm Assessment, with 99% attendance in both areas. The ICT curriculum included advanced Excel, video editing, and Canva for poster design. We also hosted two exchange programs with our students, including the TASIS exchange and three-week Cambodia–Ireland Exchange. The first exchange brought together TASIS students (The American School in Switzerland) and PEPY students and staff for cultural sharing, a Dream Class visit, and team-building activities across three locations in Siem Reap. Then six Irish teachers worked with 60 PEPY youth on English communication, cultural exchange, and PEPY’s Four Core Values. We also conducted an English-Speaking Contest engaged 80 students in the final round, helping improve their English, confidence, and communication skills.

Career exposure and improvement: Students participated in a career exposure visit to the Beautiful Life Organization. With this visit, they learn about LGBTIQ+ support, teamwork, diversity, and community work while also exploring future career opportunities. We also conducted a job refresher with our students cover on “Strengthening Resilience” by cooperated with Manulife Cambodia while our Youth Empowerment Officer made a mid-year survey of the Class of 2024–2025 Learning Center graduates, revealing a 72% employment rate with 43 out of 59 students securing jobs.

Student voice: “When I first joined, I was shy and afraid to speak English. Through learning and practicing every day, I have become more confident. I can now speak English with my classmates and foreign visitors, and my reading, writing, and grammar have all improved.” — Chanthea, Learning Center student.

Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE) Program

Academic progress: 24 of 30 current scholarship students received their first-term university results, and 83% of those students achieved a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Across the current scholarship cohort, students maintained an overall 84% university attendance rate during the reporting period.

Key outcome — university graduation: 75 students had completed their university graduation requirements by June 2026, with 48 graduates attending the Scholarship Recognition Event. In July, 17 students officially graduated from the University of South-East Asia.

Transition to employment: 17 students from the 2024–2025 scholarship cohort are currently employed in Siem Reap, while other graduates are continuing their job applications. Across eligible scholarship cohorts, 94% of the 2024 scholars are currently working.

Long-term support: PEPY continued individual counseling and follow-up with scholarship students as they progressed through university and into employment. Thirty current scholarship students also completed their third counseling session, receiving support with job preparation.

Scholar voice: “When I did not pass my Grade 12 exam, I felt disappointed, but I did not give up. The Learning Center encouraged me to continue learning and gave me the confidence to try again, and receiving a scholarship to study at university changed my life. I'm grateful to PEPY, the donors, and everyone who helped make these opportunities possible for young people like me.” — Chrueb, PEPY scholarship graduate

Conclusion

Behind every number in this report is every student taking another step forward, finding the confidence to speak in front of others, preparing a CV for their first job, improving their English and digital skills, applying for a scholarship, graduating from university, and beginning their new career.

PEPY’s programs work through consistent education, personal support, and opportunities that help young people turn their potential into practical next steps. From rural high schools to university classrooms and workplaces, the support of donors, partners, teachers, mentors, and volunteers continues to create opportunities for young people to build more confident and independent futures.

Thank you for being part of this journey.