CAMBODIAN young people are harnessing Facebook to raise money for poor children ahead of International Children’s Day on June 1 this year.

Organiser Siv Sokhoeun, founder of SSK Promotion, said the scheme was designed to enable Cambodian youngsters to take advantage of information technology.

“I’ve seen a lot of benefits brought by information technology and many Cambodian people don’t know how to use it properly to achieve the right goals.

“So I decided to create the programme to share benefits and link friendship to the benefits of information technology while helping orphaned children,” he said.

“Young people will have the chance to entertain themselves by inviting their Facebook friends to join the programme to see what they can do to help orphaned children at UNICAS.”

Siv Sokhoeun said this was the fourth Facebook campaign he had organised, but the first one to benefit charity. Earlier events have included a Christmas party and a countdown to the Khmer New Year. Those who join the Facebook campaign for International Children’s Day will meet on June 1 from 5pm to 8:30pm at City Mall Supermarket in Phnom Penh.

Artists and musicians will entertain the audience and participants will pay US$3 entry, which includes food and drinks. Collection boxes will also be set up for participants to contribute directly to UNICAS, which runs an orphanage for 92 children in Phnom Penh’s Dangkor district.

Bun Sokseila, director of UNICAS, said: “Facebook friends often gather for various parties and we think that if we take this opportunity to help our orphans, it would allow more Khmer people to help us provide food, clothes, healthcare and education.”

Children’s Day was a special celebration at the orphanage each year, he explained. “We usually take them out for the day to visit a resort. We take wrapped food to mix with the cooked ducks and chickens that the children raise, so we can keep expenses down.”

Those who wish to take part in the City Mall event on June 1 can telephone 012 266 213 or 067 5858 77, or email [email protected].