2025 has officially come to an end, and I, like many of us on New Year’s Eve, have taken a moment to reflect on this past year. This reflection felt heavier this time around, though, given recent humanitarian crisis in Cambodia.
But let me begin on a more positive note.
This past year marked our fifth year in action, and to say that time has flown by would truly be an understatement. It is almost unbelievable that I began my involvement and charity work in Cambodia nearly thirteen years ago, and that my own non-profit organization, Cambodian Youth Support, has now been operating for half a decade.
That means half a decade of supporting underprivileged youth through education and mentorship. Half a decade of providing impoverished families with basic necessities, food assistance, and access to health care, while ensuring that their children can attend school.
Half a decade of implementing community projects at rural Primary Schools, distributing school supplies to hundreds of families in poverty-stricken communities.
And half a decade of celebrating countless milestones alongside our students, from passing university semesters, language courses, and school exams, to celebrating birthdays and welcoming new internships and job opportunities.
Although CYS still feels like a tiny little organization to me, given that I consider our students and beneficiaries chosen family and talk to them on a daily basis, these moments of reflection make me realize that we have, indeed, grown quite a lot. With over 7.000 people following our projects and our students’ progress through social media, spanning from the American West Coast all the way to New Zealand, their humility and charisma speak for themselves. It is truly remarkable how our students’ resilience and determination resonate with people globally, and I could not be prouder of their achievements.
These journeys are never without challenges, though. They come with wins and losses, as well as emotional highs and lows – but our bonds continue to grow stronger each day, reinforcing that CYS will always be more of a family affair than a large-scale organization.
2025 also marked the first year in which we surpassed $100.000 in project expenses, allowing us to empower dozens of dedicated students on their paths toward higher education and a more secure future. My community in Cambodia has grown throughout the years, and I feel just as inspired and committed to welcoming new faces into our family as I did back when I launched CYS.
With growth, however, comes responsibility. One of my goals for 2026 is to to expand our international network to ensure sustainable funding and the long-term continuity of our beneficiaries’ education, health, and overall well-being.
This past year, however, also brought immense challenges. Cambodia experienced its first major humanitarian crisis in decades following an escalated border dispute with Thailand, which we reported on in previous blogposts. Nearly half a million civilians were forced to flee their homes. As an established organization, we were faced with difficult but necessary decisions. While our CYS family will always remain our primary focus, I felt a deep responsibility to take action in response to a crisis unfolding in a country that I have developed such a deep appreciation for. This is why we reallocated portions of our funds, which were originally reserved for our 2026 projects, to collaborate with our local network and support various grassroots initiatives that provided immediate emergency relief to thousands of displaced families.
A ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia was announced on December 27, just before the year came to a close, but families remain cautious, uncertain whether they would truly be safe once they returned to their hometowns. Therefore, as of January 4th, hundreds of thousands of people remain in the many refugee camps along the border.
This is why, alongside our many ongoing projects, and the many new students and families that we integrated in our program and can’t wait to introduce to you in 2026, we will also continue supporting relief missions for those affected by this crisis in the year ahead.
Ultimately, 2025 reminded us of what truly matters: human connection and community. Cambodian Youth Support is, and has always been, a chosen family bound by compassion and mutual support for one another. We are deeply grateful to be in a position where we can continue opening our arms to new members of this family, and to act when emergencies arise.
Thank you to every single person who supported our CYS family this year – whether it is through social media engagements, loving messages, donations, or words of encouragement. We see you, we appreciate you, and we take nothing for granted!
Happy New Year to all of you! May 2026 be far more peaceful and bring continued progress for underprivileged Cambodian youth.
All the best, Julian
