Back in 2020, when Saratna was in grade 12, she didn’t initially know what her next step after high school graduation would be. After having grown up in an orphanage in rural Cambodia, the thought of enrolling in a university in the country’s capital Phnom Penh was both intriguing and frightening. Back then, we were already in close contact with the soon-to-be high school graduate to help her match her interests with the right university major, as well as choose one of Phnom Penh’s many universities to apply to.
After providing her with lots of information material, Saratna soon realized that she wanted to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, as she was very interested in both the business aspect as well as working in a field where she could be creative and work directly with consumers. Fortunately, Saratna was granted a three-year scholarship upon university enrollment. Ever since that scholarship came to an end in 2023, Thomlang – Cambodian Youth Support has been covering the now 22-year-old student’s university tuition as well as her living expenses, including rent and any daily expenses for groceries, hygiene products, gas, and medicine.
Read more about Saratna’s journey in her own words below:
Hello! I’m Saratna and I’m 22 years old.
I study Marketing at the National University of Management in Phnom Penh. I chose this major because it is my dream to come up with ideas for good advertisements and help companies sell products to their customers. It is a very creative job and I also like to work with social media. In university, my favorite subject is Customer Relations Management, because I think it so important to have good customer service and to understand who your target customers are so that you can sell your products effectively.
Besides university, I have also been studying English at the Australian Center for Education. English is very important for every job in Cambodia, especially in Marketing and Sales. I am very grateful that this NGO is supporting me because I come from a poor background and I would not have the chance to receive this form of education if I didn’t get support from you. Thank you so much for everything!
Yours,
Saratna
Throughout the past three years, CYS has already been supporting Saratna with English language courses. After completing 12 course levels she will be rewarded with a language proficiency certificate, which will be crucial for her future job applications. We are also currently planning Saratna’s future steps and discussing the possibilities of her enrolling in a Master’s degree program and additional language courses.
Until then, we continue to be by Saratna’s side every day and support her in every way needed.