Youth Expedition Project 2017

In a group of about 30 students, my schoolmates and I visited Cambodia (Smile Village) for 2 weeks where we interacted with villagers of all ages and backgrounds. We assisted the village in major sectors such as setting up and maintaining a social enterprise, landscaping, and childcare.

My team was responsible for revamping the village's childcare centre. We engaged with other childcare centres in the city to learn about their successes and areas for improvement. We also organised Cultural Night which comprised performances, games, and food, for more than 100 villagers.

This experience taught me a great lesson about empathy. I had to put myself in the shoes of the Cambodians and understand the political climate that has led to the current social problems before I could come up with solutions for them. I also have a better grasp of how to look at issues from the perspective of another culture.