A fundraising sporting event is expected to attract a lot of support from both athletes and philanthropists when it kicks off in Siem Reap province at the end of the month.

The Charity Badminton Cup will be organised on July 30 by Ecole Paul Dubrule – a renowned vocational school providing training in hospitality and tourism for youth in Siem Reap – with the support of several private companies. It will be held at the Siem Reap Badminton Club.

The one-day tournament aims to raise funds to support the education and development of Cambodian youth, according to Marie Chavanon, project coordinator trainee at Ecole Paul Dubrule.

She expected players from all walks of life to enter the tournament, and expected that many generous members of the public would do their part to help Cambodian youth to build better futures.

“We want everyone – without distinction of gender or social background – to have access to education and professional training, and we encourage mutual social acceptance and understanding,” she told The Post.

This is not the first time that a sporting event has been organised to raise funds to help the school and support education for young Cambodians. The NGO has run successful golf and tennis cup tournaments in the past.

The badminton cup features two disciplines, men’s and mixed doubles. Entry registration is open until July 28, for a fee of just $20 per person.

The top three entrants will receive a variety of souvenirs, along with exciting prize packages worth up to $1,000. The prizes were donated by local hotels, restaurants and sporting goods stores.

In addition to the many prizes, participants will also enjoy drinks and refreshments from students at the school.

Founded in 2002 and officially known as Ecole d’Hotellerie et de Tourisme Paul Dubrule, the school – which has provided training to over 3,500 Cambodian youth and currently has 170 students – plans to organise more fundraising events in the future.