Sun Rathana

Hello everyone! I’m Rathana, 19 years old and was born in Charjrom, Kompong Thom province. I am the oldest of four siblings in my family. My father is a farmer and my mother is a housewife. I graduated from high school in 2010 then I continued to Phnom Penh, studying accounting at Vanda University in year 1.
While I was in high school, I became an active member of Youth Council of Cambodia (YCC) in Kompong Tom province. I joined in many activities to help my team and my community such as keeping the environment cleaned around the market; school and many other places to protect the people from any diseases. Beside these activities, I also grew trees along the road and school. I know how to work with the community, teaching them about health and hygiene, domestic violence and many others. Moreover I used to join many short courses to change my life to be a good child and became an outstanding student at school. I used to join the Leadership course at Leadership Character of Development Institute (LCDI), which has changed my leadership and my attitude. I know what leader means, responsibilities and how to become a good leader. Especially, I now know how to become good role model and how to solve problems.
After I graduated from high school, I always dream of studying at a university in Phnom Penh though I didn’t have the money to pay for the accommodation and tuition fee. I asked my mum to support my study for the first year and I had promised her to look for a place to stay and also to apply for the scholarships in the university. While I was studying in my first year, and also rent a tiny room with other two of my friends. I had to pay money for the electricity; water bills as well as foods and the room has no proper place to study. I feel that I repeated doing something over again and again every day and my life was growing nothing. My parent work so hard every day to send me to Phnom Penh because they wish that if I could get a high education, good job then I could help my other brothers and sisters at home but then I did not think that I could make it if I still kept on staying in the same tiny room without any guideline or direction from anyone. How sad my parent would have been if they knew that I have learnt nothing from school. How could I help my family if I couldn’t even help myself. I desperately need a place that I feel home and could gain experience so that I could use that experience to help my family otherwise I would have to return back to my hometown and do the farming like my parents do however I don’t want to do the farming as I won’t earn much to support my own family in the future.
One day I received information from my friend that there is an organistion called Attitude Centre for Education which provides the scholarship for staying and many short courses to the scholarship residents. The main courses are Attitude Forum and Leadership Development skill to build young people in Cambodia becoming a good leader in Cambodia. I was so excited to hear that and I quickly completed the form and joined the two days Attitude Forum which came as a surprise course to me!
I’ve passed the interviewed and have been accepted to stay at ACE ! I am going to move in on the 06th January 2011. I am really excited and looking forward to spending time with other scholarship residents and also the young potential leaders of Cambodia! I will try all my best to be strong like them and I will change my life to be a good leader so that I will be able to share my knowledge and skill to my family and my country! Thank you so much with your beautiful heart in helping me to stay in ACE!!!