All my life I’ve been dedicated to social causes. After moving to Phnom Penh from the countryside, I began working for the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace in 2002, holding conferences on democracy and human rights. Then i spent two years working for the University of Cambodia. After that, I took a job at the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), where things got rough.

CCHR was a controversial organization. In 2006, activists from the group were arrested, including the president Kem Sokha. That’s when I began working on projects to fight corruption and foster free expression. I also joined the Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism to establish an independent human rights body in Cambodia.

Now I’m studying for a master’s degree, majoring in Peace Studies, in Japan. I’m learning a lot here about democracy and governance, and I hope to bring that knowledge to Cambodia when I graduate. Meanwhile, I’m also running the Cambodian Youth Network for Change, mobilizing young activists around the country.

I truly believe that with the right mindset, and the right people, Cambodia will see change. We’ve already made a lot of progress in the last 30 years. It’s only a matter of time before justice comes along.