From farmer to professional, a DDD graduate’s story

In August 2009, DDD celebrated the graduation of our 268th graduate, Ms. Pisey Ky, a gifted and hard-working young woman from our Phnom Penh office. Pisey joined DDD in 2004 and, upon finishing our IT and English training program, was immediately hired as a permanent DDD employee. In her nearly five years at DDD, Pisey was promoted several times to positions of higher and higher responsibility and leadership, until she completed her university studies and gained enough confidence and work experience to secure a great professional position outside DDD. Here is her remarkable story:

I was born in 1986 in Kampong Cham province, which like most of Cambodia is very rural and very poor. I was the second youngest out of 5 children, and my parents are farmers and did not earn enough money to support our family. We were very poor and before I was able to finish high school I decided to moved to Phnom Penh to find a job so I can help support myself and my family. It was a first time to be apart from my parents and family.

My aunt in Phnom Penh offered to let me live with her in exchange for doing some housekeeping and other tasks. I was lived with her for almost one month when my aunt’s neighbor told me about the Cambodian Women’s Crisis Center and their new partnership with Digital Divide Data to train at-risk young women. I knew very little English and nothing about computers, but I applied anyway and luckily enough for me, I was selected!

The six-month training started immediately, and afterwards, in June 2004 DDD offered me a job as a data entry operator. I worked as an operator part-time and went to school part-time, thanks to the scholarship that DDD provided. I focused on improving my English and professional skills and became very good with computers.

Within 2 years, I was promoted to Team Leader Assistant, where I trained to be a manager, and then promoted again to Team Leader, my first supervisory role of a 15 member team. In 2008, a position in the HR department became available and I applied to be HR Assistant. I worked as an HR assistant a year and a half; I really enjoyed working in the HR field and gained a lot of skills and confidence in that role. Because of my experience at DDD, I felt really confident that I could get an HR job outside DDD and I started applying for positions in summer 2009.

I have a new position now with Cambodian Children’s Fund as the Human Resource and Administrative Assistant. Even though I miss DDD family and appreciate all my experiences and good fortune there, I am very happy to be where I am now. I now earn double my last salary, which lets me send more money to my parents back home and now I am able to support my younger brother to attend university to study chemistry.

I thank DDD very much for this opportunity to reach my full potential. I appreciate the many benefits, experiences, skills, knowledge DDD provided. I have things I never even dreamed were possible. Lastly, I wish DDD much success and growth for the future so that more people can share in my experiences to know, work and grow in the DDD family. DDD changed my life and my family’s life.

With a billion thanks and love, Pisey

DDD Graduate
Phnom Penh, Cambodia

1. vichitrath says:

   November 17, 2009 at 4:44 AM

   Congratulation for your great efforts and success, That’s a great story to sharing to the world. You represent Cambodian women to show the world a real life. Wow one again congradulation and best for all greatness in life.