Meth Rothana, 23, recent graduate of Royal University of Law and Economics

“Community service projects should have one clear topic. There should be one purpose and plan for an initiative in community action. This topic will attract those who want to involve themselves in whatever the aim of the project is. With a good group of people sharing a common interest, there’s the possibility of forming a solid core group that will gain enough momentum to be successful and keep attracting others to join. Actions speak louder than words, so it’s about having the drive to do it.”

Khoy Sokunthearith, 19, second-year student at Institute of Foreign Languages

“We have to be ready to help Cambodia. Participating in Fun Raising day and other events of that sort are good examples of where we can start getting involved. These kinds of events teach us how to run our projects, which attract people who are interested. When I was in high school, I ran a project that helped poor children in the provinces – it was great. By doing this, our group got the school’s attention and raised awareness to the issue. I believe if all schools, public and private, focus on getting community service groups started, our country will benefit.”

Khlok Channy, 22, translator at Angkor Thom Magazine

“Community service projects can’t be done alone; we must be willing and active to encourage others to join. We can promote community service activities through the media and social networking sites, so that volunteer opportunities reach a large number of people. We can also get out into the community by approaching students and schools with information, and also posting up banners and advertisements. IFL’s Clean Up Days do great because they are promoted so well by the organisers. Remember, community service is important for both personal development and Cambodia’s development.”

Sea Raksmey, 23, assistant teacher at Zaman International School

“To get young Cambodians involved in community service, we should remind them that there are many people across the country in need of help – they don’t want money, but kindness, love and care. To get others to join in on this, I’d point to past projects that were successful to make a persuasive argument for social action. Also, I’d focus on the importance and advantages of solidarity – how great it is to build a country together. Other than that, I’d provide more places for community service groups to gather. I’ve helped build a space in Prey Veng for WISH Charity Group and it’s time to build more.”

Seam Mey, 23, employee at BPS Cambodia Company

“From my own experience volunteering with the Cambodian Mekong University Students Volunteer for Community (CSVC), we’ve attracted people to community service by organising events – such as meetings or conferences – about the importance of leadership in the family, cleaning the environment and the efficiency of work staff. We organise events at our campus and at other universities both in Phnom Penh and in the provinces. Our group also organises concerts, hosted by our own members, for fund raising. We can use fun events like this to raise donations for those in need.”