Foster Growth and Healing for 200 Cambodian Youth

The two Mission Dove Cambodia Leadership Clubs joined together for an annual retreat with the theme “Knowing myself through nature and friends.” Forty-five people joined - 39 students from the two different clubs plus six helpers and facilitators. Students ranged in age from 14-22 years old. The purpose of the trip was to challenge students to go out of their comfort zones to help them know themselves better and build relationships with each other.

 When we start new clubs each year, the new students are quiet. They don’t want to talk or say anything, because most aren’t friends with each other and have never studied together. They feel uncomfortable speaking and participating. There were several students who didn’t want to go on the trip. They said, “Teacher, I don’t want to go, I feel nothing about going on the trip,” “I have never gone anywhere away from my parents,” I’m scared to be somewhere without my family,” and “I don’t want to go if my friends don’t go with me.” I was dismayed and sad when I heard their feelings. Then our facilitators tried to explain more to convince them to go. We talked to their parents or guardians. Finally, most of them decided to join the trip; only two students couldn’t join because they had a school exam.

 The two days and one night of activities included climbing a mountain, obstacle course games, time for self-reflection, gallery-walk learning and a campfire. We were excited that:

• The students had so much fun and learned a lot from these activities.
• They felt closer to each other, opened their mind and heart to learn and to accept each other.
• They got to know themselves better through the activities, lessons and sharing with other students.
• They made commitments to work on themselves, and relationships with friends and families. 
• They wanted to make more time to join together again for future trips and activities.
• They could see how much a retreat/trip can help them. 

 After the retreat, we saw that students are more active in Leadership Club and feel more comfortable with their clubmates and facilitators. They can speak, participate and share ideas more than before.

Story from Thary, 15 years old

“Hello everyone! My name is Thary. I’m a Leadership Club student. This is the first time for me to join this trip with all my clubmates and teachers. I have never gone anywhere away from my mom. 

 When the teacher announced and asked (us) to come for the trip, I felt strange and scared, then I didn’t want to come. But afterward, the teacher asked to meet and I talked with him and he shared his experiences from the previous clubs. He had experience with students that had the same feelings as me. And he encouraged me to come and learn more from others and to get away from my comfort zone, to have a chance to learn something new from the trip and friends. Then I told all of what the teacher shared and his encouragement to my parents. My parents called the teacher, then they encouraged me to come as well. They wanted me to learn to be alone, wanted to see me strong and meeting new people. I said yes to them, even if I felt I didn’t want to.  

I was afraid that I couldn’t eat, sleep and be with others, but instead of those feelings, what I learned from this trip is: 

• I got to know myself more than before through the lessons and activities.
• I got to know my clubmates and teachers more than before, and a new group that I didn’t know before from another club.
• I participated in and enjoyed all the activities.
• I was able to rest and in my personal time, got to know myself more and reflected on my life. 

Thank you everyone and teachers. I really loved this trip. I much appreciated this retreat that gave me a chance to come and learn a lot from friends, teachers, nature and myself, as well. I feel proud of myself that I made this happen, that I decided to come. Now I feel much better. I feel I’m stronger and more comfortable than before coming. I think this is a good experience in my life. I have never had this kind of time; I learned many good things that will help me more in the future. I also hope I can join more activities in the club.” 

Do you want to help transform the lives of more Cambodian students like Thary?  Click the link below to support Mission Dove Cambodia’s project to foster growth and emotional healing for at-risk youth. GlobalGiving is providing incentive fund for upcoming #GivingTuesday. 

https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/at-risk-youth-cambodia-growth-emotional-healing/