In Cambodia, young people aged 15 to 29 account for almost 43% of the working-age population. In remote areas, access to quality education remains limited, generating concerns about the employability of rural youth.
The employment-related challenges of young people are multiple: a skills deficit in a context of rapid technological change, a mismatch between young people's skills and the demands of the job market, the need to strengthen entrepreneurship as a source of employment, and the prevalence of informal employment.
2021-2024: 3 years for Youth
A new three-year project was launched in October 2021, co-financed by the AFD. It seeks to optimize the guidance of young people, both girls and boys, towards jobs that are chosen and adapted to a changing job market, while fostering their autonomy and civic responsibility.
In concrete terms, The project is transforming 16 high school libraries into multimedia Libraries Orientation Corners (LOC) equipped with a digital laboratory, serving almost 22,000 young people. It seeks also to strengthen and expand the network of 23 Community-Based Youth Organizations (CBOs), serving the socio-educational development of rural communities.
By helping to improve the employability of rural middle and high school students, the project strengthens Cambodia's socio-economic development and reduces social and gender inequalities.
youth clubs / CBO
Sipar and its local partner Youth Star have been working together since 2011 to promote volunteering in the remote provinces of Kratie and Prey Veng. The activities carried out by the members of these CBOs (Community-Based Youth Organizations), aged between 8 and 20, benefit hundreds of children and adults, contributing to education and community development, as well as promoting youth involvement and the values of solidarity and democracy at local level.
Clubs implement different actions within their community:
- Itinerant reading activities thanks to the "backpack library" : book loan service for children and villagers and animations around reading
- Tutoring for elementary school pupils to prevent school dropout
- Awareness-raising campaigns among village dwellers on various themes
Orientation in high schools
Since 2019, Sipar has initiated the creation of Library Orientation Corner (LOC) in secondary schools. The first was set up at Hun Sen Kraing Sramo high school in Kampong Chhnang.
Today, 16 high school libraries with orientation areas have been fitted out and put into service. The impact of this program is considerable: 94% of students now feel confident in their post-secondary choices and career planning.
The partnership withPasserelles numériques NGO allows the installation of a digital laboratory, the NomadLab, offering students digital supports for guidance and the strengthening of digital skills.
Career Forum
Sipar organizes "career forums", a day of meeting between high school students and institutions, universities, NGOs and professionals from multiple fields to allow them to share academic opportunities or career prospects.
This is a pioneering initiative, never before offered to Cambodian students. The results of a survey carried out in 2023 show that 54% of forum participants discovered new career prospects.
In 2023, Sipar and its partner high schools organized 30 career forums.
27 000
young beneficiaires
18
CBOs with 500 members
105
little teachers with 950 beneficiaries of tutoring
30
micro-libraries in rural villages
83
backpack libraries with 350 readers per month
My favorite activities are the backpack libraries and tutoring. Thanks to these activities, I have a lot improved my ability to work in a team, my flexibility and my research skills. That allows me to learn new skills useful for my studies. I really hope Sipar's team will keep onsupporting our activities in rural areas.
HENG Sam Oun, 18 ans,
president of Peam Muntea CBO, Prey Veng