We are delighted to feature an interview with Chey Rattana, the Country Representative in Cambodia for Helpcode.
Since 2006, Helpcode has been working in Cambodia, impacting 40 villages and focusing on young children as the foundation for the country’s socioeconomic development.
Helpcode supports education and training for children with innovative, practical solutions that improve their physical and mental well-being.
As a Professionals doing good (PDG) partner, Helpcode also benefits from skilled volunteers to further its mission.
Q: What are Helpcode’s proudest accomplishments in nearly two decades of work in Cambodia, and what core elements have fostered its resilience?
A: I’m most proud of our ability to adapt and refine Helpcode Cambodia’s strategy to meet the country’s evolving needs.
This has involved:
- Prioritizing education, drowning prevention, and child protection to reach the most vulnerable populations.
- Providing essential learning materials and addressing student dropout rates.
- Delivering crucial water safety and CPR training in high-risk areas.
- Cultivating strong partnerships and leveraging digital learning to expand our reach.
- Empowering children and communities to build their sustainable futures.
Q: What are the most pressing societal issues Helpcode addresses in Cambodia?
A: Our current focus is on:
- 1. Defining an effective way to scale up operations on our Drowning Prevention Program (DPP) to further work with public and private institutions to bring the issue to the spotlight nationally.
- Our goal is to train students, teachers, and community members in water safety and CPR, so they know how to save lives. By teaching swimming for survival, we allow children to protect themselves from drowning.
- 2. Keeping our commitment to quality education, and supporting rural and marginalized children in Cambodia. Through our projects, we aim to provide school materials and bicycles, so children can go to school and keep learning.
- 3. Building WASH facilities in schools, so students have clean water and toilets. Teach health, hygiene, and reproductive awareness, so children and communities stay healthy.
Q: Why is Helpcode’s Drowning Prevention Program critical in addressing Cambodia’s drowning issue, particularly for children?
A: Unfortunately, Cambodia faces a severe drowning problem. The mortality rate of 7.6 per 100,000 people is double the regional average, highlighting the urgency of addressing this issue.
Children aged 4 to 14 are particularly vulnerable, according to WHO data from 2021, and it’s concerning that most drowning incidents occur close to home.
A significant factor is that approximately 95% of child victims have never received formal swimming or water safety training.
This grim situation is compounded by the absence of a strong national drowning prevention strategy and a widespread tendency to underestimate the risks, especially in rural areas.
Q: What solutions has Helpcode implemented to address the drowning problem?
A: To confront this problem head-on, Helpcode is developing the following strategy:
- Training schoolchildren in Water Safety, Effective Rescue, and Survival Swimming.
- Raising awareness in local communities about drowning risks and the simplest—but often overlooked—ways to stay safe.
- Launching a broad campaign to engage key stakeholders who can help drive lasting change and spread the program’s lessons.
Q: Could you share a heartfelt story of someone Helpcode has supported through the Drowning Prevention Program, and explain why it resonated with you?
A: I would love to share the story of Dara, and how he saved himself from drowning. Dara, a 12-year-old boy from Sihanoukville, often went fishing with his father in a big lake near their village. One day, while his father was busy tying the fishing net under the water, Dara slipped and fell into the deep water without his father noticing.
At first, he panicked, but he remembered what he learned in Helpcode Cambodia’s swimming for survival training. Instead of struggling, he started treading water and floating just like he was taught. He used his hands and legs to stay above water and waited for his father.
After a few minutes, his father came back from the water and saw Dara floating safely. He quickly pulled him onto the boat. His father was shocked but proud that Dara knew how to save himself.
This shows how Helpcode Cambodia not only helps children with education but also teaches them life-saving skills, so they can stay safe and protect themselves in real emergencies.
Q: How does Helpcode ensure its programs stay relevant and effective in Cambodia’s ever-changing landscape?
A. We prioritize adaptability by integrating technology to enhance our educational and training initiatives.
For example,
- we’ve partnered with Educational Broadcasting Cambodia (EBC) to create online training videos for students and teachers. EBC provides the tools and platform for distribution, allowing us to scale our reach, as seen in the 2024 pilot program, which is set to expand.
- We also use digital tools to educate on health, hygiene, and safety in schools and communities.
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, we leveraged platforms like YouTube and Telegram to share vital water safety, CPR, and educational content, ensuring learning continued despite physical restrictions.
Q: As a partner of Professionals Doing Good, what volunteer opportunities does Helpcode offer skilled professionals in Cambodia, and what expertise is needed?
A: We offer qualified professionals the chance to make a significant long-term impact by contributing their skills in areas where we need specialized expertise.
We prioritize a clear understanding of needs and mutual benefits through a thorough evaluation process.
This enables us to develop and implement new pilot programs, expanding our reach.
We also provide training for interns and volunteers from universities, focusing on skills essential to our programs, such as water safety, CPR and health education, and project monitoring.
Q: Your position as Country Director at Helpcode is inspiring for young Cambodians. Could you share your journey in the development sector to this leadership role?
A: My journey in development started because I really cared about education, child protection, and helping communities.
Along the way, I learned how to manage different projects, work closely with local authorities, and lead teams effectively. This experience, combined with a lot of hard work and resilience, prepared me for my current role as Country Director at Helpcode Cambodia.
Q: How has your work at Helpcode personally impacted you?
A: Working at Helpcode has impacted me personally in many positive ways.
- I’ve grown stronger as a leader by facing challenges such as managing programs, dealing with funding and addressing diverse community needs.
- Every day, I’m motivated when I see the results of our work—like children staying in school, learning how to stay safe in water, and building a better future.
- I’m also inspired by Helpcode’ s inclusive environment, where men and women work equally together and partnerships are strong, which has influenced my leadership style.
For me, being a leader means staying strong through challenges, working well in a team, and creating chances for others to grow and succeed.
Q: What advice do you give to young Cambodians aspiring to leadership roles in the non-profit sector?
- A: The first advice is to not undervalue yourself when facing new tasks. These tasks are often the first step to showing initiative and the determination needed to lead others. To do this, you need to build positive self-confidence, which comes from studying, learning, and never stopping to improve. It’s important to understand that this is only one part of developing good leadership.
- The most important skill is to be strong and not give up when facing big challenges. You must learn to overcome difficulties step by step without losing hope. This is difficult when you start a new position, but it is just as important, or even more important than being confident. It’s also useful to ask for advice from senior staff.
- The best way to improve is by learning from mistakes. By listening and sharing experiences with experienced staff, you can learn from their mistakes without having to make them yourself.
- Finally, once you improve your skills, it’s time to help others. Helping others is not only good in itself, but it also helps you explain your way of thinking, making your ideas clearer and stronger. At this point, you might notice something ironic about the workplace: when you, as a senior, explain things to junior staff, you also expose yourself to new ideas and fresh perspectives. This helps them as much as it helps you.
- In the end, the most important quality for leading others is one word: commitment. Success comes from a long and sometimes boring process of trying again and again. But after years of hard work, you can look back and be proud of what you have built.
Q: Where do you see Helpcode’s work in Cambodia heading in the future?
A: Helpcode Cambodia’s core value is creating lasting change by addressing community needs. With many Cambodian children at risk of drowning and lacking access to quality education, investing in their safety, learning, and skills is essential.
Our programs will continue to focus on education, water safety, and building community responsibility to ensure a safer and brighter future for Cambodian youth.
Q: How can individuals support Helpcode’s work in Cambodia ?
A: People can support Helpcode in various ways:
- Donate materials: We provide a list of needed items like books, bicycles, and school supplies, helping reduce storage needs and make the best use of donations, keeping waste to a minimum.
- Provide financial support: Your donations ensure our projects continue.
- Raise awareness: Share our work, especially regarding drowning prevention, through respectful media content.
- Volunteer your skills: If you’re a qualified professional or student with relevant expertise, consider sharing your knowledge and experience to support Helpcode”s mission
- Share our stories and updates on social media and with your network.
Together, we can build a brighter future for Cambodian youth.
Thank you for your support!
