With the impression of the mission of Youth Star Cambodia that believes every individual citizen can make a difference to society and my intention to seek for working experience after completed my university, I decided to become one of Youth Star volunteer. My name is Yim Chandeth, a volunteer served the service for 15 months at Tapom community, Svay Chreah commune, Snuol district, Kratie province. Looking back to the time of working in the community, I did not expect that I could achieve much success especially in changing community behavior.

The community is located in the remote area where about 50 km from the downtown, and the number of drop out students was very high because many of people want to keep their children helping in the field and house work. I committed to deal with this main problem by teaching 100 at risk children for three hours per day and to provide training and extra class to 38 selected local youth to become the member of this community youth club. With the intention to make people in the community understand about the value of education and send their children to school, I led the youth club and member of the community to conduct a campaign on education. With the active participation from community, home visit, community walk, conversation and drama were organized. As a result, just only in the first day of the campaign 105 children were registered. In total, the school received 130 children registered and it increased by 35% comparing to previous years. Kong Parith, a local youth who abandoned her study for more than a year, insisted her mother to let her go back to school after participated in the campaign. Also, Mrs. Prach Yun changed her mind of keeping her daughter who already turned to 11 years old to help in house and field work to go to school after she understood the important of education and her daughter wanted to study.

Domestic violence was another major problem in the community. Many people thought that domestic violence is the case of each individual family and it is not appropriate to intervene into family business. Aiming to change this perception, with the support from local partner and local youth group, we prepared for another campaign regarding domestic violence. With our success from previous campaign, local authority, teachers, youth groups, and community members provided fully support and contribution to make the campaign happened. They helped in mobilizing the youth group to compete in writing message, songs, and poem regarding domestic violence. Banner and message hanged on the tree and especially at the house identified by the community that domestic violence happened. About 1200 people across the commune witnessed the campaign activities likes song and poem contest, and community drama, and they wore white ribbon to show their participation to end domestic violence in their community and 182 men agreed to thumb prints and pledge to prevent violence in their families.

At the same time, the community also understood that young marriage were also the main causes of domestic violence and was aware of disadvantages of underage marriage. Mr. Kang Sam Ath, the director of School Cluster in Svay Chreah commune and the local partner, said that the number of young marriage decreased surprisingly as this year he received only few of wedding invitation. Comparing to last year, he received more than 10 invitations whose most of brides and grooms were under 18 years old.

Another inspiring factor to make me more believe in myself was the changing attitude of people in the community regarding basic health practice and sanitation. I can say that almost 80% of people drink boiled water and paid more attention to their health issues.

My fifteen months serving as a Youth Star volunteer at the community was beyond my expectations. I have understood more about the important of volunteerism and believed that when we are provided with opportunity, we have potential to effect positive and lasting social change. This service is not only providing me with skills and experience to get my dream job but also helping to shape my behavior to become a good citizen. Now I believe in myself in working for community and especially in contributing to national development.