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For someone who is just beginning their academic journey at university, Sen Tharo has already amassed an extraordinary amount of experience both in Cambodia and abroad. As a scholarship student in education at the Institute of Foreign Languages and a multimedia major at Limkokwing University, he has already been exposed to a variety of options for his future career.

The 18-year-old was part of the first Cambodian delegation to the AIESEC International Congress in Malaysia. There, more than 500 leaders of national AIESEC chapters and more than100 international business leaders met in Kuala Lumpur to discuss international issues and promote cultural understanding among member countries

Last year, he got to travel to Malaysia again as a media contributor to SEACHANGE, a movement within the Southeast Asian region that encourages young people to speak out to leaders and experts.

Speaking about his academic background, he said, “Honestly, I’m not really perfect at all the subjects, but I am appreciated for my willingness to sacrifice my time”.

Besides his academic work, Sen Tharo has also involved himself in social work whenever possible. He is now a member of Kon Khmer Koun Khmer (4K) – the team that produced the film The Twin Diamond – where he works as a director and graphic designer.

Recently, Sen Tharo also held a position as a project manager for S88 (Sustainable AID for AIDs), which brought together youths who worked in teams to discuss ideas about AIDS prevention and treatment.

Though he had a small budget, he gathered around 200 students from different schools and universities to come together to understand the issue and share experiences with each other.

Sen Tharo said he performs well because of his determination outside of class and his attentiveness during his courses. “Self-study is totally important because it lays the foundation for a strong work ethic,” he said.

He added that he would like to integrate his interests in graphic design and post-production with work aimed at youth. “I want to own a social enterprise related to production and youth engagement.”

“Since I was young, I have believed that we can take our imagination and turn it into a reality in our lives,” he said.