On 8-11 December 2016, we participated in the Youth For Change Conference, organised by World Vision (WV), in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. This event aimed to equip youths with skills and knowledge to enact real change, and to connect like-minded youths all over the world.

Before my trip to Phnom Penh, I remember feeling a pervasive sense of cynicism and weariness about the world. 2016 was a trying year, especially with it being characterised by all the chaos and political turmoil that many around the world had to endure. The disillusionment was omnipresent, and as much as I hate to admit, it seemed as if our humanity was on the edge of destruction.

“Since the demise of my husband more than five years ago, I struggled with life – I could not adequately provide for my children. Most of them dropped out of school because I could not afford it,” says Elizabeth, 65, widow and mother to seven children.

Amidst the struggles faced by these three generations, hope came when her grand-children got sponsored.

When the wait ends, what change does it bring? For a former sponsored child, Viet, the change in his life has rippled through his community.

 

“I feel alone and left out whenever I see children with their mothers and wonder what life would be like with my mom around,” says Nica, with her head bowed. “There would be so much more love. I wish she was here to care for me and help me with my school assignments.”

Being motherless is the least of Nica’s concerns when her family struggles to survive daily.

On 19 November 2016, the Raffles Interact club joined other World Vision youth volunteers to engage and educate children and parents at Family Survival Playstreets.

If I were to describe my job as a Resource Development and Communications Executive in World Vision in a nutshell, “Unconventional” and “Rewarding” would be the two adjectives I would use.

Farah joined us on a trip to Ende, Indonesia in 2016. Read about what she learnt and experienced on the trip!

7 individuals, drawn together by a love for music, a desire to use our gifts for a greater cause, and by Karen’s email blast. A quick round of introduction made it clear we were all from vastly different social groups and phases of life. There wasn’t much of an orientation; one hour into the introduction session we were launching into an animated brainstorming session on how to in a very practical way bring music to children in Cambodia. And yet two sessions later I find myself eager to meet these people again, from the very day we set a date to meet. So I asked myself, what was it about them? Before that though, what actually is World Vision Musicatalyst?