Introduction and Family Situation
Choeun Thona, a 17-year-old from Sangkum Thmei district in Preah Vihear province, Cambodia, is the youngest of four sisters. Despite growing up without her parents and facing significant financial challenges, she has shown remarkable resilience. Currently, Thona is in the 8th grade at a local secondary school and is determined to continue her education despite the odds.
Discovering the “TOGETHER” Project
In July 2022, ADRA’s TOGETHER project staff visited her school to recruit students for leadership and youth development activities. Intrigued by the opportunity, Thona joined and attended a 4-day leadership and facilitation training at the Jombok Hoas Adventure Learning Center. This experience inspired her to take on new challenges, including playing on the girls’ volleyball team and leading a vulnerable youth group with the encouragement of her school principal, teachers and peers.
Why Thona Joined
Thona saw the project as a chance to grow and share her experiences with others. Through the TOGETHER project, she learned valuable lessons on topics like health, nutrition, gender equality, early marriage prevention, and reproductive health. These lessons sparked her determination to promote positive change within her community.
Overcoming Challenges
Life hasn’t been easy for Thona. Losing her parents at a young age left her and her sisters to support one another. Poverty, lack of resources, and mental health struggles have tested her resilience. Without proper clothing or transportation, she often relies on her sisters or friends to get to school. Despite these hardships, she remains focused on her education and development.
Transformative Growth
Through her participation in the TOGETHER project, Thona has grown significantly. The training at Jombok Hoas Adventure Learning Center, leadership workshops, and events like the “Good Men Do Not Use Violence” forum helped her develop confidence and courage. Once shy and reserved, Thona is now an outspoken and determined young leader in her community.
Gratitude and Hope
Thona is grateful to the people and Government of Canada for supporting the TOGETHER project, which gave her the confidence to change her life and help others. She hopes it will continue to uplift young people in Cambodia.
“This project has empowered me, and I hope it inspires others like me. Wishing happiness and success to everyone making a difference!” expressed Thona.
Through resilience and the support of the TOGETHER project, Choeun Thona has turned her struggles into strength, becoming a symbol of hope for others in her community.
ADRA Cambodia is implementing the “uniting TOwards Gender Equality for enjoyment of women’s and girls’ Total HEalth and Rights” (TOGETHER) project thanks to generous funding from the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada. Supported by ADRA Canada, SickKids and Salanga, this gender-transformative 6-year project will ensure that nearly two hundred thousand girls, women, boys and men in Cambodia, Kenya, the Philippines, and Uganda are enabled to exercise their health-related human rights.
