Alumni Impact: Vorleak Sem

Vorleak Sen, pictured here assisting Minister of Rural Development joining Sanitation and Water for All Ministerial Meeting. ( Phnom Penh, April 7, 2019)

My name is Vorleak Sem. I am from Cambodia, which is a country located in Southeast Asia. I am currently working as Deputy Director of the Rural Health Care Department and Technical Advisor to the Minister's Cabinet Office of the Ministry of Rural Development, Cambodia. 

I graduated with a Master's Degree in Organizational Development in Seattle, Washington, in 2015. It was like a roller coaster and a wonderful experience as an international student in the United States of America. Learning and adjusting myself to the American culture was the most challenging experience. 

Vorleak (far left) staffing the greeting table at FIUTS Welcome Weeks for new UW international students in 2015

I am delighted to say that I was fortunate enough to know and work with the FIUTS organization. I started my journey with FIUTS as a facilitator and then became a part-time intern. Being a part of the FIUTS community was the best experience I ever had. The overall work experience with FIUTS offered me a variety of leadership and cross-cultural communication skills. Those skills gave me expertise and knowledge that allowed me to comprehend the potential personnel and decide the correct area to work professionally. 

Awareness-raising campaign on Sanitation and Hygiene to prevent Covid-19 (Kampong Chhnang Province, March 23, 2020)

 Community Work

I am proud to be part of the Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia (UYFC), Rural Development Sector, for community work. UYFC has various missions to help Cambodian youth create multiple platforms to encourage youth who have the passion and heart to give back to their community. 

The UYFC Rural Development Sector is committed to raising awareness activities on many issues, such as road safety, rural sanitation, hygiene, school environmental awareness, and the importance of volunteer blood donations. We also participate in different activities such as assisting the people in need in the village, bringing supplies for the poor and older people.

Visiting and distributing food supplies to flood victims in the commune/ village ( October 22, 2020)

Volunteering for UYFC is an excellent opportunity to contribute to society; specifically, I can apply and adjust the community experience I had with FIUTS into reality. Furthermore, I get to learn and practice diverse leadership skills. Building a strong relationship with UYFC helped me in understanding the similarities and differences of the people. One of the key similarities is sharing the same love to make the community a better place.

Joining seminar on Rural Development and Poverty reduction for developing countries in Beijing, China. ( October, 2017)

Even with such great experience and inspiration, I also face challenges such as diversity management and communication problems. Working across a diverse personality and background lead to either positive or negative results. 

It has been a year that we are suffering from unprecedented challenges posted by the Covid-19 Pandemic. I wish all of you and the FIUTS friends and family good health and safety through this challenging time.

The 41st Anniversary of the Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia (1978 –2019), At the National Olympic Stadium, Phnom Penh Cambodia, December 2, 2019. (Vorleak is in the center of the front row)