Never give up

Wednesday, 30 March 2011

They suddenly tell us to stop playing music

While we were dancing at the public park yesterday evening, two polices came and told us “No more music from today.” Our dance teacher asked “Why?” and “Till when?” the two polices keep silent and only said that they got order to do so. They came with no paper, nothing else, but words from their mouths. They said we can dance but not allow playing music. Excuse me, how do you dance without music?

Exercise through dancing has become very popular in Cambodia, both and Phnom Penh and other provinces. It is more than just dancing. It has been a community where people feel together. That place was where I feel all are welcome and treated equally. You can find all kinds of people dancing together and teach each other when needed. There are very rich people who come with their body guard, famous singer who wear mask on their faces so that people don’t recognize them, street kids who beg for living (they dance for free), a 11 years old girl who has just had heart operation, a 13 years old boy who have been dancing here for 2 years, a group of gays and lesbians, students who dance to refresh their mind, my family, and even a few years old cute girl who just enjoy dancing along with her mother. There are really many more who have stories behind and who need to dance. I met a 20 years old adult man who quit using drug when he joins this place. We have all kind of level dancers, from expert down to people who have just broken their comfort zone and learn dancing. There was when I feel myself the most. People become healthier physically and mentally.

If we are not allowed to play music, how could we dance? We do not against the government or city hall regulation; but at least you need to explain us why? This is a public park. Do you understand what does PUBLIC means? I thought we are the public. When I say “We”, it is not just my family. “WE” the dancers who are about at least four hundred people need this place, and MUSIC.

Monday, 28 February 2011

What would you do?

Ritu lives in India and worked for an organization doing work for street children. The money she is earning from her work is paying back a loan she took from a bank to pay for her sister's weeding. She has been set the task by her boss to apply for much needed government funding for a project to help street children. Ritu gets in touch with the appropriate public servant. They say that they are willing to support the orphanage if she pays a bribe on behalf of the orphanage. Her boss tells her that she has to secure the project by paying the bribe.

If she pays the bribe:

-She keep her job

-She continues to be able to pay back her loan for the family

-She secures much needed finance to run the program for street children

-She goes against her value and is dishonest

If she doesn’t pay the bribe:

-She risk losing her job

-She will have to search for another way to pay back the loan

-The project for street children will not go ahead

-She lives out the values she believe in

What would you do if you were her?

Wednesday, 12 January 2011

ទេពកោសល្យដឹកនាំរបស់យុវតីខ្មែរ សម័យបច្ចុប្បន្ន

Published on វិបផតថលស្តីអំពីស្ត្រី :: Empowerment for Social Change (http://women.open.org.kh)

ដើម > ទេពកោសល្យស្ត្រី

ភាពជាអ្នកដឹកនាំ ចំពោះនាងខ្ញុំ គឺជាការជះឥទ្ធិពលទៅលើមនុស្ស ឲ្យពួកគាត់ ចេះប្រើប្រាស់សក្ដានុពលដ៏ប្រសើរបំផុតដែលខ្លួនមាន ធ្វើឲ្យជីវិតរបស់ខ្លួនបានប្រសើរឡើង តាមរយៈការគិតធំ ផ្ដើមធ្វើពីតូច "នេះគឺជាសម្ដីរបស់កញ្ញា នាង សុវត្ថានា ប្រធាន "សមាគមគំនិតផ្ដួចផ្ដើមនៃការផ្លាស់ប្ដូរ" នៅក្នុងបទសម្ភាសន៍មួយ ជាមួយអង្គការវិទ្យាស្ថានបើកទូលាយ ។ កញ្ញា ត្រូវបានមជ្ឈដ្ឋានជុំវិញ ទទួលស្គាល់ថា ជានារីឆ្នើមមួយរូប ដោយសារ ទេពកោសល្យដឹកនាំដ៏ប៉ិនប្រសប់របស់កញ្ញា ដែលមាន ទស្សនវិស័យ "គិតធំ ផ្ដើមធ្វើពីតូច" អនុញ្ញាតឲ្យកញ្ញាត្រូវបានជ្រើសតាំងជាប្រធានសមាគម ចូលប្រឡូកក្នុងពិភពការងារតាំងពីវ័យក្មេង ។

សុវត្ថានា បានដំណាលប្រាប់ អំពីដំណើរជីវិតការងាររបស់ ខ្លួន ដូច្នេះថា ៖ "...នាងខ្ញុំ ផ្ដើមធ្វើការងារពេញម៉ោង នៅឯសមាគមយុវជនខ្មែរ "ក្នុងឆ្នាំ២០០៤ ។ តាំងពីឆ្នាំ២០០៧មក នាងខ្ញុំ បាននិងកំពុងធ្វើការ ជាអ្នកជំនួយការកម្មវិធី "មូលនិធិ ហ្វ្រេឌិច ណៅមែន" ។ ក្នុងពេលជាមួយគ្នានេះ ដែរ នាងខ្ញុំ ក៏ជាប្រធានស្ម័គ្រចិត្តនៃ "សមាគមគំនិតផ្ដួចផ្ដើម នៃការផ្លាស់ប្ដូរ" ដែលជាអង្គការយុវជនស្ម័គ្រចិត្ត ស្ថិតនៅរាជធានីភ្នំពេញ និងមានការិយាល័យសាខាមួយ នៅខេត្តបាត់ដំបង ។ តាំងពីអាយុ១៥ឆ្នាំមក នាងខ្ញុំ បានចូលប្រឡូកក្នុងសកម្មភាពស្ម័គ្រចិត្តជាច្រើន មានជាអាទិ៍ ការបោះជំរំយុវជន សិក្ខាសាលា កិច្ចប្រជុំ ការបង្រៀនភាសាអង់គ្លេសនិងកុំព្យូទ័រ ជំនួយការគម្រោងអភិវឌ្ឍន៍នានា និងការបង្កើតគម្រោងជាច្រើនទៀតសម្រាប់យុវជន"។

ឈរលើទស្សនវិស័យច្បាស់លាស់របស់ខ្លួន កញ្ញា នាង សុវត្ថានា បានបង្ហាញពីបែបផែននៃទេពកោសល្យដឹកនាំរបស់ខ្លួនថា កញ្ញាប្រើប្រាស់ភាពជាអ្នកដឹកនាំរបស់កញ្ញា ដើម្បីជះឥទ្ធិពលដល់មនុស្ស ដោយការផ្ដល់ឲ្យអ្នកទាំងនោះ នូវគំរូវីរភាពណាមួយដែលបុគ្គលនោះពេញចិត្ត ហើយនិងលើកទឹកចិត្តឲ្យអ្នកទាំងនោះ ជឿជាក់លើសក្ដានុពលដ៏ប្រសើរបំផុតដែលខ្លួនមាន ។ កញ្ញាបានបន្ថែមទៀតថា ជាដំបូង កញ្ញាផ្សារភ្ជាប់ទំនាក់ទំនងផ្ទាល់ខ្លួន ជាមួយអ្នកទាំងនោះ តាមរយៈការចែករំលែករឿងរ៉ាវផ្ទាល់ខ្លួន និងការជួយពួកគេដោះស្រាយបញ្ហាផ្ទាល់ខ្លួន។ កញ្ញាបានប្រកាន់យក នូវជំពូកអ្នកដឹកនាំមួយបែប ដែលកញ្ញាបានឲ្យដឹង ដូច្នេះថា ៖ "នាងខ្ញុំ ចង់ធ្វើជាអ្នកដឹកនាំមួយប្រភេទ ដែលគិតអំពីការបម្រើអ្នកនៅក្រោមបង្គាប់ ជាជាងការពង្រឹងការបង្គាប់បញ្ជារបស់ខ្ញុំទៅលើពួកគេ"។

ជាសមិទ្ធផល សុវត្ថានា បានប្រាប់ថា៖ "ឥទ្ធិពលទី១នៃការដឹកនាំរបស់នាងខ្ញុំ ដែលនាងខ្ញុំសង្កេតឃើញ គឺបន្លាស់ប្ដូរវិជ្ជមានជាច្រើន របស់យុវជនដែលនៅជុំវិញខ្លួន ។ ពួកគេ បានប្រែក្លាយ ការគ្រាន់តែចេះគិតគូរថែទាំអំពីខ្លួនឯង ឲ្យទៅជាការចេះយកចិត្តទុកដាក់ថែទាំសង្គមទាំងមូល ហើយបានចាប់ផ្ដើមស្វែងរកវិធីសាស្ត្រ ជួយធ្វើឲ្យប្រទេសកាន់តែប្រសើរឡើង ។ នាងខ្ញុំបានឃើញផ្ទាល់នឹងភ្នែកថា ប្រមាណ ១០នាក់ នៃយុវជនទាំងនោះ បានផ្ដើមគំនិតបង្កើតគម្រោងជាច្រើន ទាក់ទងនឹងការស្ម័គ្រចិត្តនានា ក្រោមកិច្ចសម្របសម្រួលពីសមាគម ។ ...ឥទ្ធិពលទី២នោះ គឺថា ភាពជាអ្នកដឹកនាំរបស់នាងខ្ញុំ ត្រូវបានប្រើប្រាស់ជាគំរូវីរភាព សម្រាប់យុវជនដទៃទៀត ដែលជំរុញឲ្យពួកគេធ្វើសកម្មភាពនិងជឿជាក់លើខ្លួនឯង"។

ក្រៅពីជោគជ័យ ដែលរៀបរាប់ទាំងអំបាលម៉ានខាងលើ សុវត្ថានា ក៏ជួបប្រទះនូវការប្រឈមមួយចំនួនដែរ ទាក់ទងនឹងការគ្រប់គ្រងពេលវេលា ។ ទោះបីជាខិតខំបែងចែកការងារទៅតាមអាទិភាពរបស់វាយ៉ាងណា ក្ដី កញ្ញាមានអារម្មណ៍ថា ខ្លួនពុំទាន់ចេះគ្រប់គ្រងពេលវេលាបានល្អ ពិសេសពេលធ្វើការងារច្រើនកន្លែង សិក្សា និងថែទាំប្អូនៗរបស់កញ្ញា ក្នុងពេលតែមួយជាមួយគ្នា ។ ថ្វីបើយេនឌ័រត្រូវបានកញ្ញាធ្លាប់គិតអាចជាឧបសគ្គដល់ភាពជាអ្នកដឹកនាំ កញ្ញាបានផ្លាស់ប្ដូរការគិតនេះ ក្រោយពីកញ្ញាបានចូលប្រឡូកការងារ ក្នុងស្ថាប័នអង្គការក្រៅរដ្ឋាភិបាល ហើយអះអាងថា ស្ត្រីត្រូវបានគេផ្ដល់អាទិភាពជាច្រើន។

កញ្ញា នាង សុវត្ថានា បានផ្ដល់ជាមតិយោបល់ថា ៖ "គ្មានអ្វីដែលអាចជួយស្ត្រីឡើយ ប្រសិនបើស្ត្រីមិនទទួលស្គាល់នូវគុណតម្លៃនិងសក្ដានុពលរបស់ខ្លួននោះ ។...ស្ត្រីត្រូវយល់ថា ការកើតមកជាស្ត្រី មិនមែនជាបន្ទុកទេ តែជាអត្ថប្រយោជន៍"៕

Thursday, 30 December 2010

Remarkable People of the Year 2010

Time, as always, runs super fast. 2010 is ending and 2011 is starting super soon. I would like to take this opportunity to thanks some remarkable people of the year 2010. They made my life more beautiful, more joyful, and have contributed to my successes.

One the occasion of our one year anniversary

First most important person is Panha, my boyfriend. As of today, we have been together for 19 months and 13 days. He has supported me with no condition. He is not just a boyfriend, but also a motor taxi driver, a massager, a teacher, an editor, a report writer, a designer, a consultant, a bank, a reminder, a great helper, an entertainer, a photographer, an audient, a source of information, and much more. He is the only person who I can have a good cry with. He has been doing everything I ask or even not ask and has done them from his heart. He is the man behind the scene of all my works. Plus, he does things he doesn’t like if it made me happy.

Second, thanks to my program manager, my colleagues, and FNF in General. I have been working here for 4 years now. This place gave me freedom; allow me to experiences political life, broaden my attention, and link me to a broaden network. Most importantly, my program manager, Mr. Khim Sophanna, allow me to experience freedom to work while at the same time being a responsible person and teach me how to handle pressure. He has been a role model for being committed, a planner, and a follow up person. My colleagues, Kok Tha and Kunthea, are the greatest cooperator. They trusted me 100%.

Kok Tha, En Sokunthea, Khim Sophanna, and Me

ICA Core Team members in Phnom Penh and Battambong

Third, thanks to all ICA members for elected me as the president. I have to deeply thank my only staff- Rany. She has been providing me great assistant at anytime including night time, weekend, and holiday. All the core team members have inspired me to never stop fighting for a better Cambodia. They are the reminder to keep me motivated and having hope. They allow seeing and believing in “thinking big starting small.” They are great people. Their works with ICA has contributed to decreasing gap between the rich and the poor. They spend their time, energy, and money to have the work done. I have been with ICA for six years now, seeing their hard work keep me believing that Cambodia is having the chance to prosper.

Dj Lion, Niko, and Me

Fourth, thanks to Sarika FM 106.5 and of course my fans. Being a radio host of Lovely Night talk show for 2 years now, made me feel like a super star. My fans love me like their sisters. Without them I couldn’t have been working for media that long. Media is the fourth power and I am in it now. While helping my fans to deal with their problems, it increased my general knowledge and keeps me informed/updated about relationship matters. Some issues are totally new for me. My fans are also my teachers. One more, working at Sarika allowed me to be updated with new song. Being the radio host, led me to other working area too which is being MC for different event/party.

My bother, sisters, and Me

Last but not least, thanks to my family; especially, my brother and sisters. Well, they are more like a burden but at the same time the reasons for being hard working. Without these responsibilities I may have wasted my time. The challenges I face are what make me stronger. They are the reasons I have to work more, and the more works I have, the more lessons I learn. They made my life more meaningful and useful. There are many more people to thanks but I better stop here. These are the most remarkable people of my life, they made 2010 so successful. Thanks.

Tuesday, 23 November 2010

Expressing our sadness

Dear All

For your information, my team and I are going to meet at 5pm tomorrow (25th November 2010) at parking place at Wat Botum (in front of Hong Kong Center). We are going to dress in black and white, carrying candle, incense, and flower, walk from there toward Koh Pich bridge. Arriving Koh Pich bridge, we are going to pray for our people who passed away. I know it doesn't help much, but what we are doing to show that we care and we are sorry for what have happened.

I have found some families who lose their family members and in need of urgent help financially. Therefore, while gathering there, we are also going to do some fund raising for them. I will be responsible for bringing those money to the families by myself. If you wish to donate, please contact me.

If you, your family, or friends wish to join, please be there at 5pm. You will see us dressing in black and white.

For information relating tomorrow walk, please contact :

Nana : 092 663 062

Srey Leak (Nana's sister) : 098 863 396

Panharath (Nana's boyfriend) : 016 369 155

Best Regard,

Nana

Monday, 22 November 2010

Mourning

more than 300 of our own innocent people including kids died last night tragically. I am sharing my mourning by dressing black and white today till 25th November (the official mourning). If you see any kids walking around somewhere on the street, please ask them if they are looking for their parents. Please bring them to the city hall.

Friday, 1 October 2010

Ethic

Case study: When I arrived home from school, I saw a cockroach biting my shirt which was newly bought and I love it so much. In this case is it ethical or unethical to kill that cockroach?

Killing cockroach is unethical. Killing is unethical no matter what. We, human being, are different from animal or insect that we have the ability to think weather our action is ethical or unethical. For the cockroach, as its nature, don’t have this element. Biting my favorite shirt is a big deal; however, I cannot complain the cockroach, but myself. Why wasn’t I careful enough to protect my shirt? The cockroach doesn’t have the brain that I have. On the other hand, my shirt doesn’t have a life, but the cockroach does. My shirt won’t be hurt, but the cockroach will be hurt and lose its life. It is unethical to kill a life for a thing. Lastly, killing that cockroach won’t make any better anyway. What is the point of killing that cockroach?

However; according to ethical egoism, one can argue that it is ethical. Ethical egoism explained that people can do things that make them happy. Killing that cockroach is, at that exact moment, release anger. For some people, release anger could help them emotionally.

Killing a cockroach seems to be small issue. Just a cockroach; who care? Yet, we have forgotten that we are actually killing a LIFE. Nobody wants to lose their lives. Taking somebody’s life just to release our anger is unethical. Releasing anger couldn’t be done by many other means. Almost all the countries in the world have eliminated dead penalty because any killing is simply unethical and killing won’t make any better at all. It only increases conflicts and endless revenge.