Koung Raksmey
My name is Koung Raksmey, and I am 22 years old. I was born in Kampong Thom Province. I have three siblings, two brothers and one sister. I am studying at Royal University of Phnom Penh, in the field of information technology with the goal of becoming a software developer. I now also volunteer as a teacher teaching computer at one organization, named Advanced Centre for Empowerment.
When I finished high school, I encountered a lot of problems when deciding to continue my degree in Phnom Penh. My family did not have much money to support me in my degree, accommodation, food, and other expenses; however, my parents still work hard to earn for me. My parents were also farmers and vendors, they spent a lot of time as farmers working all day, everyday.
But now, they are only farmers, so it is quite hard for me to study in Phnom Penh. Being farmers, it is very difficult to divide the budget into various expenses for me and my family in my hometown within only one business.
Since both of my parents are working as farmers, they do not have much budget to contribute to my college expenses. My family really works hard to support me, but I still need additional funding or scholarships to improve myself faster to reach my career goals as a software developer. However, my life changed when I met my high school friend and he told me that there was one organization called Advanced Centre for Empowerment (ACE) which is the center that provides scholarships and accommodation for poor university students. I decided to send my CV to ACE, and I passed the interview and live as one of many residents there.
One more thing, living or being a resident at ACE is very beneficial for students to be a professional person in the future. ACE does not just provide accommodation to live in, but also there are a lot of programs for you as a student while studying to get a degree. ACE provides many programs like leadership training classes, communication skills, a lot of subjects relating to the future need, a very convenient place to live, and encourages all students to become leaders in the future.
I am very thankful to ACE for guiding my life in the best way. With all that ACE provides, especially the free accommodation, I have less financial stress and can focus on my studies. I have accomplished much more than I could have ever imagined. Huge thanks to ACE – I love it so much! Thank you for all your support. I am very happy!
advancedcentreforempowerment.org 