Coming Back To Cambodia

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While growing up in France, my elementary school friends and I always dreamed of going back to Cambodia one day to help my parents’ motherland. When I first learned about DDD four years ago from a BBC article, I was awed by the social impact of the organization. I immediately contacted the CEO Jeremy Hockenstein to ask how I, of Cambodia origins, could best utilize my skills to help Cambodia.

Tip was born in France. His family left Cambodia to live in France in 1973. In late 2007, he came back to his parent’s country of origin, and now lives and works in Phnom Penh, Cambodia as the Regional Director of Information Technology at DDD.

While growing up in France, my elementary school friends and I always dreamed of going back to Cambodia one day to help my parents’ motherland. When I first learned about DDD four years ago from a BBC article, I was awed by the social impact of the organization. I immediately contacted the CEO Jeremy Hockenstein to ask how I, of Cambodia origins, could best utilize my skills to help Cambodia.

When I first left Paris for Laos in December of 2007, I found myself in unknown territory, and really did not know where this new challenge would bring me. After I came to Laos, and met so many people from all over the world, with so much energy, passion, and enthusiasm about achieving one common goal–to help the disadvantaged–I realized that no words can describe DDD’s social impact throughout Cambodia and Laos.

While I first started at DDD doing capacity building on a short-term contract and now am IT Regional Director, I realize that I have learned as much from my DDD peers as they have learned from me. When I see the operators coming to work every day, I must admit I am humbled by their will and courage to continue their education and work so hard to attain a better future.

At DDD, we often say in English that the organization is a stepping stone for the young disadvantaged of Cambodia and Laos. There is no literal translation for this phrase, so in Khmer, they say that DDD is a crossing bridge for a better future. I am told in Khmer and in Laos that Tip means miracle. I do not know if I will be performing miracles here in Cambodia and Laos. But one thing is sure, with DDD, we will definitely be making a difference in this world.