H​aving graduated from the Royal University of Agriculture with a cultivation major, Piseth, 28, is now working as a counsellor on youth problems for Child Helpline Cambodia.

The program is a free-call service for young people who need advice for problems but do not know who to turn to. Piseth mostly consults on issues of relationships, domestic violence and child abuse.

 “I want to help children and society through the means I have” said Piseth, who added that he started work after attending a training course on how to deal with youth issues.

“I want to contribute to society by using my skills to solve their difficulties.”

To provide advice, Piseth takes callers’ questions one by one. He said that most Cambodian youths are very shy when talking about their internal problems. When a caller has a particularly serious issue, he directs them to experts.

Although his focus is on children and adolescence, Piseth said that he is sometimes reminded of his own personal problems when he takes calls.

“Every day dozens of problem come to me. Sometimes, a problem is similar to my situation. For example, a client told me about their family crisis, and I started suffering because it reminded me of experiences that used to happen to me.”

To deal with this, his organisation has created a support group for staff in order for them to cope with stress.

“When I have trouble, I go to the group to discuss my concern as I do with my clients,” Piseth said.