Room to Read Cambodia has been awarded one of two of this year’s $50,000 UNESCO Prizes for Girls’ and Women’s Education. The award was presented at the UNESCO headquarters, said So Dany, communications officer of the organisation.
“This is for the first time that we have been awarded one of these prizes. On the evening of October 11, our programme manager and the technical director received the award from UNESCO in Paris, France,” she added.
Lay Vutha, education programme officer of UNESCO’s Phnom Penh Office, said that the award was in recognition of the programme’s excellent work.
“This is a high-level prize. The awards are funded by the Chinese government through UNESCO, via the first senior mission representative of the Chinese president. One of the awards was given to Room to Read, and the other was awarded to an organisation in Tanzania. Each of the winners received $50,000 to continue funding their mission,” he added.
He said the prize was awarded based on the results and positive impacts of changing old-fashioned ideas in education in Cambodia and ensuring the sustainability of education – with the support of relevant institutions and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport.
The four core pillars of the programme are a transformative life skills curriculum, individual and group mentoring, parental and community engagement, and lastly, needs-based material support. All four components work together to help girls develop the skills they need to respond to daily challenges, make informed decisions and advocate for themselves.
The programme involves students in grades 7-12, aged from 12-18. Room to Read has implemented the project in five provinces since 2002.
“Because our mission is in line with UNESCO’s gender equality education campaign in Cambodia, we received the award. The prize money will help us to continue our mission of educating girls and young women,” said Dany.
“For the forthcoming 2022-2023 academic year, we intend to introduce the programme in Kampong Speu province. We currently operate in Kampong Cham, Prey Veng, Kampong Thom, Siem Reap and Banteay Meanchey,” she added.
Srun Pheng, a programme operations director at Room to Read, thanked several institutions for their support of the programme, such as education ministry, Permanent Delegation of Cambodia to UNESCO and the Cambodian National Commission for UNESCO for nominating us for this award.
“Without all this support, we would not have earned the 2022 UNESCO Prize for Girls’ and Women’s Education.
“We thank the international jury for selecting us as one of the winners. Their selection was in recognition of the value of our work on gender equality and our contribution to improving and promoting the education of girls and women in Cambodia,” he added.
Since 2002, the girls’ education programme has contributed to providing life skills for 21st century adolescent girls at the elementary and high school levels.
In more than 20 years, they have supported more than 17,000 girls with life skills and decision-making training. By 2021, more than 2,600 girls in the programme had graduated secondary school.
“We teach life skills lessons that are at the core of our girls’ education programme and have had a positive impact on girls in many ways. They are aware of healthy choices, making good friends, planning for their future, and advocating for their own rights. We also engage with parents in their daughters’ education,” said Pheng.
“Our women’s head group – which we call a social movement – guide individuals and the group through topics including general well-being, encouraging further study, and understanding any pressures girls may face,” he added.
