Welcome to our new Managing Director, Salin!

Salin at HHA’s handover ceremony.

Imagine growing up in poverty, in rural Siem Reap, Cambodia. This was the reality for Salin. As a child, his job was to help his family look after their cows, but he also had a burning desire to learn. He enrolled in public school at six years old, but quickly left due to the use of corporal punishment by his teacher.

Despite this setback, Salin's family believed in the power of education, so they moved to Siem Reap town to provide better opportunities for their children. However, they struggled to make ends meet and provide Salin with the daily expenses he needed for school supplies and extra classes. Despite the challenges, Salin persevered, consistently topping his class and receiving free school supplies as a reward.

Salin's dedication to learning continued into his teenage years. He worked as a builder with his father on his days off, and also took free English and computer classes at an NGO located in the pagoda near his village. When the NGO closed, Salin saw the absence of education in his community and decided to take action. He and his friends came together to teach English classes to children and young adults for two hours each evening, juggling this commitment with his grade 10 studies and paid work.

As time went on, Salin's dedication to education and community development caught the attention of a local organization called HHA. He worked part-time as a Community and Microfinance Assistant while continuing to work in construction and as a part-time security guard. Despite the challenges, Salin graduated high school in 2014 and began working full-time with HHA.

Thanks to Salin's leadership, HHA's education and community programs have transformed. He is a champion for education in his community and is well respected by students and their parents. In recognition of his efforts, Salin was listed on the Diana Award Roll of Honour in 2019 and is now the Managing Director of HHA, leading a team of 15 members to empower Cambodians to transform their lives through education, vocational training, and community programs.

Salin says, “Through working at HHA, I am able to improve myself a lot – working experience, knowledge, relationship, and confidence via the empowerment from the management team, especially from my former director, San Thai, and former operations manager, Sally. They supported me through my daily work implementation, provided internal and external workshops and training, and their trust in my ability to run the projects.”

Salin's story is a powerful reminder of the transformative power of education and community development. With your support, charities like HHA can continue to empower individuals like Salin to create positive change in their communities. Join us in congratulating Salin on his incredible journey and his leadership at HHA.