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#BreakTheBias with Vic

16/3/2022

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International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated globally every year on 8th March to mark the achievements of women throughout history and their contributions to society. Throughout history, many women’s stories have been left untold and their contributions unacknowledged. IWD helps us create awareness of these inspirational women and their impact on every part of society. ​
This year’s theme is #BreakTheBias. Bias can come in many different forms and is seen as preference for or against one person or a group, especially in a way that is considered to be unfair. Gender bias is often based on stereotypes which IWD is challenging with the #BreaktheBias campaign.  

​The day is aimed at uncovering and fighting the everyday biases that women face at work and in their personal lives. While we have the opportunity to celebrate women everyday IWD gives us a platform to shout about the amazing women using their voices to make positive changes in the world.  
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 If you are reading this blog, you may already know who Victoria Miloschewsky is. If not you’re about to find out. I read a quote recently by poet and feminist Ntozake Shange “Where there is a woman, there is magic”. Upon reading this one person sprang to mind and this person is none other than Victoria (Vic) Miloschewsky. ​​

Vic is the Founder and CEO of the charity PeopleStories. PeopleStories aims to transform lives through education, one story at a time. Its mission is to provide greater access to education to the communities in need in Cambodia. PeopleStories are now actively working with more than eight schools in rural Cambodia looking after some 3,000 students and teachers. Through providing greater access to education Vic and her team are creating opportunities for young children and changing the course of their lives.  


Vic knows all too well just how life-changing access to education can be. Born and raised in Hong Kong to a working-class family Vic watched two of her sisters drop out of school at an early age as they had to support their family. Vic was lucky enough to receive a scholarship and completed her tertiary education in Melbourne, Australia. By being given this opportunity Vic was able to get a solid education and therefore have a long and successful career in HR.

​I was first introduced to Vic when the company I work for Concirrus were raising money for her charity through an exercise challenge. I was lucky enough to get to know Vic, her team, and learn about all the hard work that goes into running a nonprofit organization. Vic is an extremely open individual and she spoke candidly about some of the challenges she had overcome in her life.  
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In 2010 Vic was diagnosed with liposarcomas and throughout the last decade, she has suffered several reoccurrences from 2012 to 2015.  With three major cancer surgeries behind her, Vic knows just how precious life is. This is why in 2017 she decided to step away from the corporate world and put her energy, time and money into her charity PeopleStories with the aim of helping others. Hearing her story, the hurdles and challenges she has faced was extremely inspiring. Her positivity is infectious and her passion for what she does shines through in every conversation “Knowing how fragile life can be and how fortunate I am, I choose to continue serving a purposeful life”, Vic shared with sparks from her eyes.
Speaking to Vic recently I asked her what her thoughts were on this year’s theme of IWD #BreakTheBias.  “Like most people I have experienced bias in different situations whether that be in my personal life or work life. One experience that stands out however is being a young Asian woman applying for jobs in Australia. I noticed when I would apply for jobs I would often not hear back and rarely would I get an opportunity for an interview. As soon as I got married and my maiden name changed, I was suddenly inundated with responses and interviews. This subtle change to my name made a big impact on the sort of opportunities I was getting. This experience of bias is something that is still unfortunately all too common.” , Vic reflected her deep experiences.
 
Throughout her career, Vic has always been passionate about using her voice and creating inclusion where possible. This is why this year’s IWD theme #BreakTheBias resonates with her. In Cambodia, there is still a lot of work to be done to achieve gender equality. “Women and girls aged 15+ spend 12.5% of their time on unpaid care and domestic work, compared to 1.3% spent by men.”  
 
One initiative that Vic is helping make real and concrete changes to the women of Cambodia is the Women Empowerment Project. In one of the local villages, women get together to design and produce upcycle bags. 
 
“As a start, we went to local markets and construction sites to collect canvas wastes such as rice or cement bags, later we designed and repurposed the seemingly useless materials into fashionable bags. It sounds like a small thing to do but the boost in confidence, the appreciation and the ability to generate income for the family is incredible.”, Vic spoke whole heartedly and continued.
 
“I don’t see the importance of personal recognition all I want to do is bring wider awareness to PeopleStories. The more people who know about me will hear about the great work we are doing and therefore we can support more children in Cambodia.” 
 

On this IWD I wanted to recognize Vic and the work she does which empowers and inspires everyone she meets. Even though Vic herself has experienced bias and struggles she has not let this define her and stop her from chasing her dreams. Going back to the previous quote from Ntozake Shange “Where there is a woman, there is magic” if we all had some of Vic’s magic then the world would be a much better place. I am grateful to Vic for her sharing some of her magic with me. 
 
Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias. Share with us your #BreakTheBias stories by commenting below. 
 
Donate now to PeopleStories and see how you can help. 
 
Story written by: volunteer Hanah Freeman ​​
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Giving has a new meaning!

26/10/2021

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Have you ever wanted to shout at the top of your lungs and say, “Can someone please help?!”    Well, I have plenty of that experience especially during my single parenting years of looking after Edward.    
 
Sometimes I get a response, and other times I don’t. 
If I had to write a book about “What makes people want to give a helping hand?” and “What drives people away when they see others struggling in life?”, I probably can write some pages to unpack these big questions. ​

​When it comes to ‘donation’, many people would immediately think about money!  Rightly so, money may be the most common (and probably convenient) way to give to a cause that you believe in.  But what if I tell you giving is no longer just about money?! 

 
Many recent surveys are uncovering the rising trend of ‘Virtual Volunteering’ and that has much to do with the pandemic plus the new normal of working from home.  The on-line community is getting bigger and there isn’t much boundary anymore.  Companies are organizing more opportunities for their employees to donate their time virtually and making a social impact has become part of the values of many.  ​
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PeopleStories is no exception and delightfully having a team of 30 virtual volunteers around the world to help empower children to complete school.  Our team brings their unique skills to the family ranging from strategic planning, marketing and communications, fundraising, teaching… to book keeping and you name it!   When chatting with Roberta Thomson, one of our youngest service PeopleStories family members, about her motivation to serve our purpose and she shared, “I believe in PeopleStories purpose in so many ways.  It is about empowering students in rural Cambodia to have opportunities to pursue their dreams.  It is also about providing greater equity and access to quality education through the use of technologies which support their learning both online and offline.” 
 
Carrie Lim, founder of Happy Hypno, is another outstanding role model of giving.  Besides volunteering as part of our family for more than a year, she recently created her own “business giving” concept by asking her first-time customer to make a voluntary donation to PeopleStories for her service instead of charging them a fee.  Carrie said, “Part of the purpose of running a hypnotherapy practice is to bring more enlightenment to life.  By encouraging my customers to look beyond themselves and give to the others speaks to my value enormously.  I believe that education is the way out of poverty and have seen the dedication that the PeopleStories team has put in for the children during these dire times.” 
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When people answer the call for help, it really ignites so much energy.  I am thrilled to share an incredible co-creating opportunity for a “Wellness for Good” workshop which aims to help people to gain greater wellbeing and rebalance their body and soul.    This exciting collaboration is together powered by Hui Fang Lee (founder of OUCH!) and Catherine Tang (co-founder of Eighth Healer).  The ladies not only donate their time but also their unique skills in TCM and passion to help our community with greater wellness. 
 
When it comes to the meaning of success, Hui Fang shared with much excitement in her voice, “I have been to Cambodia for voluntary project (build school) back in my university days. I feel that if the children have access to better resources, their lives will be better. I know Victoria, together with the PeopleStories team, will bring the children to greater heights with their well thought out plans from their hearts.” 
I am glad to collaborate with people and organisations who share my values.  Catherine further echoed, "I remember I was browsing PeopleStories' website to find out more about the organization and what Victoria wrote really hit me - "Real charity work has nothing to do with feeling-good tourism. I have witnessed sewing machines being dropped off in a deserving community only to gather dust for years after. Why? Because there is no one who thought about teaching them how to sew!  That is why we focus on empowering skills, influencing behavior and mind set for sustainable and responsible change." 

I cannot agree more with Victoria, and this is the moment I knew we'd like to support People Stories. I believe getting to the root of the cause, empowering the community with the knowledge and skills are far more important and sustainable than just giving them pure financial or material support. We believe the upcoming Smart School Anywhere program will empower even more children through Digital Learning, and we look forward to the launch in 2022." 


Since 2017, I have been donating my time, skills, wealth and more preciously my heart to PeopleStories.  My happiness meter is rising day by day.  Why?   Because I am clear on my purpose and willingly to serve the children in rural Cambodia with greater access to quality education.   My sincere invitation to YOU to join our giving… give the way it means the most to you and the community. 
 
Check out our “Wellness for Good” workshop and get in touch with your teams for greater wellbeing and serving a social impact at the same time. 
 
 
Story written by: Founder  Victoria Miloschewsky
Read more about 'Wellness for Good' team workshop
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My Resilience Bank

21/8/2021

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Victoria was diagnosed with liposarcoma in 2010.  She received treatment but the cancer returned in 2012.  That was a very dark period for her.  She was depressed and couldn’t even bring herself to reach out to her friends.  She recalled, “Initially, I was shocked as I did not think cancer would be something that could happen to me, especially at such a young age. When the cancer returned, I was even more horrified as I didn’t expect it to return so quickly.” 
 
How then did she pull herself out of this difficult period?  She has a resilience bank where she has been depositing since young.  She recounted, “Environment for my childhood was challenging and our family didn’t have enough for everyone.  My sisters had to quit school after primary school to start earning money for the rest of us.  I learned to be resourceful and treasure what I have.” She felt that her sisters would have a more fulfilling life had they been given the opportunity to continue their education. That’s why helping children to complete school is something close to her heart. 

Another significant deposit for her is the influence of her father, who succumbed to cancer in 2000.  She reminisced, “My father is my idol because of his values especially in helping others.  He started a social club with his friends when I was a teenager.  Everyone used to call him ‘Big Brother’.  There are endless stories about his giving nature.” During her father’s wake, one of her father’s ex-colleagues came forward to share, “Your father is a good man.  When our boss had to retrench one of us, your father chose to retire early so that I could keep the job.”  
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The mission to serve the ones who are in need is deeply ingrained in her after years of observing her father’s selfless and instinctive acts to lend a helping hand whenever and wherever he could.  She shared, “When I was in Laos, Thailand and Cambodia volunteering, I often think about my father’s words, “All for one and one for all” (人人为我,我为人人).   Of course, I didn’t appreciate the meaning until much later in life, but I am glad that I see it now.” 

​Other than digging deep into the resilience bank she has built over so many life lessons, shining a bright light on the purpose that she is serving also plays an important part in getting her out of the pits.  She stressed, “I am a believer of inner strength and mental power.  Of course, I could not have done it without the support from Olli, my families and friends … and an excellent medical team from Peter Mac Cancer Hospital.”  
She felt overflowing happiness from starting PeopleStories and roping in like-minded people along the way. She rejoiced in each and every improvement the students and the villagers made over the years.  The positive energy generated from helping unexpectedly boosted her resilience bank.  In fact, her fridge is filled with photographs of the students and people she met in PeopleStories. These photographs energise her with the memories they evoked.  
 
Here’s what she shared with other cancer patients, “We don’t have control over everything that happens to us in life, but we can choose how to face and handle everything. I think “life really is a celebration” even though I don’t follow any religion, I am still grateful for life.”  
 
If today’s her last day, does she have any regrets?  She shared frankly, “No, I feel my life is complete and abundant. For the past decade, there were both tears and laughter. There were fears as a single mother and feeling of helplessness when I was sick. But when I focused on my work in PeopleStories, I felt complete happiness and satisfaction.” 
 
She added, “When I think about my life now, I don’t merely focus on the suffering, I think of how I can use the rest of my life, the next 20 years or even 30 years; to help more people and to complete the purpose of my life.” 
 
Do you wish to boost your resilience bank?  Vic is hosting an online book reading session to share her story as part of the “Amazing Resilience” book.  Email her directly if you would like to attend: victoria@PeopleStoriesCharity.org 
 
Story written by: Volunteer Bok Hoon Ong
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Message from our Children

25/6/2021

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I was delighted to learn about how the younger generations are putting more focus on sustainability and spending more effort to protect our environment.  Did you know that more Gen Z (now age between 6 and 24) prefer to buy from sustainable brands as compared to all other generations?  According to this study in the US, Gen Z is also the most willing to pay more for sustainable products! 
 
With that in mind, I was also interested to know the kind of opinion from the Cambodian Gen Z about sustainability.  So, I caught up with students KongNov, SreyMey and Somphois about ‘saving our planet’.  Their response was immediate, and with a very passionate tone!   
There is no doubt that they have been exposed to a level of environmental education.  KongNov shared, “Back in the village, people take many plastic bags when they are shopping at the wet market.  Once they are home, these plastic bags become waste.” 
 
SreyMey could not wait but jumped in to share, “It is really bad that people burn their plastic bags at home because there is no waste collection in the rural villages.” 
 
The three girls continued our conversation beyond… without me knowing it, they have already casted the same question to their friends and friends of friends.  They asked, “What is the one thing you will do to protect our environment?” 
 
With little encouragement, they have recorded all the messages in videos and here it is to share….

​How about you?  What would be the one thing you can do to save our environment?
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Teacher and Mother’s Love

27/5/2021

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I met local teacher Socheata from Phum Ou Primary school in 2017 where we worked together to deliver our first ever project – Bike for Life.  It was a happy and fulfilling day when we gave out the 94 bikes to the children in need.  A year later, we also built a football ground at her school and hosted an inter-school football tournament.  Socheata witnessed the growth of PeopleStories and we have been close friends ever since.   ​


COVID19 has restricted my presence at a couple of her life milestones including her wedding and the birth of Kanika who is now 14 months old.  I so wish I was there to support her and share these important life achievements with her. 
 
On Mother’s Day this year, I felt an urge to reconnect with Socheata and we started talking about motherhood.  She said, “I decided to be a mother at the age of 26 because I wanted to build a cool family for my life.  I hope this family can make me a stronger person and be more responsible.  More importantly, to understand the love between a mother and her child.” 
 

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I often wonder how first-time mothers feel and she shared, “When I realise that I have become a mother, I feel very happy and in love with my child.  I realise that in the future we (me and my husband) have a heavier burden, that is, we have to raise the children and become even better people.”
 
Having babies in rural villages is tough enough as there is only limited access to heathcare and COVID19 must have made the situation even more challenging for young mothers like Socheata.  She recalled, “The biggest difficulty for parents in the villages is raising children to be good people in the society.   As a new mother, I have learnt to become more responsible, enduring, loving, compassionate, honest. There are plenty of worries too.”
 Socheata has been a teacher all her young life in the past 6 years.  She shared, “I want to teach children how to be a good person, and recognize the benefits of learning for them to give them a better future.”  When I heard her motivation for a teaching career, I couldn’t help but see the connection between being a mother and a teacher. 
 
She agreed, “Yes!  The role of a mother is similar to a teacher.  Our job is to help students (or children) graduate and have good manners, virtues and become good people in the society.” 
 
Socheata looks at Kanika with so much love in her eyes and she said, “If I can give 1 magic to you, my daughter Kanika, that will be a prosperous life and a good education.”  That sums up what unconditional love is… to give it all that we have as parents to the next generations. 
 
Wishing Socheata very well as she is approaching the final term for her second baby and it’s a BOY! 
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Meaningful Khmer New Year

29/4/2021

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It has been a long while since I was back in the villages and I certainly miss seeing all my friends, families, students and teachers.  In fact, this is the longest 14 months that I have been away from the community I serve and the people I care deeply about. 
 
I like April as it is one of the most festive months of the year where the Cambodians celebrate their New Year.   I was fortunate enough to share a few New Year celebrations in the past hence the curiosity to dig a bit deeper to understand the customs behind and how things have evolved over the years.

This year
, the Khmer New Year is from 14th to 16th April and in the middle of a 2-week school holiday.    Khmer people form the dominant ethnic group in Cambodia with 97% presentation of the country’s 15.9 million population, hence it is commonly called Khmer New Year.  In the Khmer language (the second most widely spoken Austroasiatic language), it is called 'Chaul Chnam Thmey' (ចូលឆ្នាំថ្មី) and that means 'Entering the New Year'.   
 
Majority of the Khmer People follow Theravada (Hinayana) Buddhism, which is also the country official religion.  Khmer New Year is based on the traditional solar new year, that was observed in parts of India and Asia.  It falls on either April 13th or April 14th each year depending on the dictates of an ancient horoscope reading.  In Cambodia, it also marks the end of the harvest before the beginning of the rainy season. ​​ 

​Khmer New Year is full of traditions and rituals and it is commonly celebrated over 3 days and interestingly, 
each day of the festivity has a special significance: ​
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Day 1 - Moha Sangkran 
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First day of the New Year and it is the day of creation.  “Moha Songkran” - the day that the sun moves into Aries on the zodiac or the last day of the old year.  According to Khmer tradition, the earth was created by angels, people light candles and burn incense in their honour.   On this day at a particular time, it is said that a new god or angel is appointed to protect the world for the upcoming year.  To welcome them, people clean and decorate their houses, prepare new clothes to make sure that the New Year does not start with bad luck or unhappiness.   
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I still remember Teacher Sarith telling me, “There are 12 female angels that will rotate to come to the earth each year but those won't come in order.  It depends on the day of each New Year.”.   Student KongNov also reminded me that, “This year, the  angel will come down to earth at 4 am.” 

Like a competition, each home does its best to welcome the new god or angel by offering a table filled with diverse fruits, a cake with candles, incense sticks together with flowers, and flashing light chains to make sure all family members are protected throughout the year.  One of my favourite things to do before the New Year’s Day is to purchase a couple of the star lanterns and decorate the home together with a few children.
 
 
People dress up in white and light candles and burn incense sticks at shrines, where the members of each family offer thanks for the Buddha's teachings by bowing, kneeling and prostrating themselves three times in front of his image. For good luck, people wash their face with holy water in the morning, their chests at noon, and their feet in the evening before they go to bed.
Day 2  ( Veareak Vanabat) 
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I was a little bit surprised to learn that the second day of the New Year is the ‘Day of Giving’, which is to show appreciation for the people in your lives.  In my eyes, the Khmer people are mild, gentle and generous.  Having said that, I just haven’t experienced such specific custom during the New Year when I was in the village. 
 
According to our research and similar to many other cultures, parents buy new clothes for their children.  What makes the Khmer people different is their children present gifts to their parents and grandparents on this special day of giving.   People cook delicious foods for their parents and also bring to offer the monks at the pagoda in their hometown. They ask the monks to dedicate their good deeds to their relatives who have departed.  They believe that some relatives’ spirits could have gone on to live in the hell because they had committed sins while they were alive.  Some wealthy people give presents to the poor families as their form of good deeds.  

​The pagoda courtyards also become playgrounds for the Khmer people, who play traditional Khmer games during this time of year.  A game called ‘Bos 
Angkunh’, for example, is the simple style consists of just throwing the Angkunhs (inedible nuts) to hit the target Angkunhs. ​
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Day 3 (Veareak Laeung Sak)  
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The last day of the New Year is the day for ‘cleansing’. To ensure prosperity in the year to come, the Khmer people dedicate this day to the washing away of sins. Images of the Buddha are washed with perfumed water.  Bathing the Buddha images is a symbolic practice to wash bad actions away like water clean dirt from household items. It is also thought to be a kind deed that will bring longevity, good luck, happiness and prosperity in life.  
 
Another unique tradition is for the children to bath (or shower in these more modern days) their parents and grandparents.   In return, they receive best wishes and good pieces of advice to live their lives for the rest of the year.  Please note that this tradition is performed in PUBLIC and in GROUPS!    
As a senior (not by age but by status 😉) in the village, I was offered to be bathed by a group of my students and children.  For sure, I was embarrassed at first as I haven’t had a public shower before nor being bathed by anyone but my own parents!  But I felt very at ease quickly as I absolutely can feel the well wishes and intent, not to mention the fun of splashing water at one another. 
 
In addition to these traditions during the 3 days of the New Year celebrations, there are also some very special customs.  For example, there are sand hillocks mounded on the grounds of the pagoda which represent the stupas of the Buddha's favourite disciples. 
 
Nowadays, the most common game is anything to do with water!  Without any exceptions, you  get completely soaked if you happen to be in Siem Reap city during the New Year.  As many of the Khmer people love to line up on the streets with their blessing (WATER) ready to throw at anyone passing by with their water pistols or even just buckets! 
 
Khmer New Year is also a time to prepare special dishes and one of the typical food eaten at New Year is ‘Kralan’, a cake made from sticky rice, beans, and coconut milk.  When it comes to Khmer dishes, my favourites are Beef Lok Lak with Kampot Pepper Dipping Sauce and Banh Chev (Khmer Savoury Pancake). 
 
I long to return to the village and experience the authentic beautiful Khmer culture again.  Let me know if you have that desire too? ​
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120 Students 120 Dreams

20/2/2021

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This is now the 4th year that we welcome new scholarships students to our core program, School for Life.  From a very humble beginning of 21 students in 2017, we have now grown to directly supporting 120 students this school year.  Despite the size, we never lose the personal touch and I am proud that we know all the children we support!  This is why the School for Life ceremony has always been a very emotional day for me as it symbolizes the hope and growth that comes with 120 beautiful children embarking on a new school year. 

​I was obviously sad 
that I was unable to attend in person but my loss is the gain of the amazing team of local volunteers we have in Cambodia. This was one of many firsts that made the ceremony even more special this year! 
 
We are now working with 10 schools in the Bakong district and supporting 3,000 students and teachers.  Instead of having the separate ceremonies (which we used to do), we had just one ceremony with all the students, staying true to one of our core values, which is 'United by Compassion'.  ​These children may be born in poverty but that’s only the beginning of their story. With some support, they are empowered to pursue their dreams and write a better ending!
Our local volunteers organized an amazing ceremony at the Rolous Secondary School and I hope that some of the photos give you a sense of not only the scale but also the happiness and hope this day brings. For me, that sense of belonging to a community, the pride and the support is invaluable and now, more important than ever. 
 
Of course, we also had some of our more traditional ceremonial elements. The one I really love is the student play where the students re-enacted scenes about their background, for example a family conversation about dropping out from school. Once you unleash the energy of those well- behaved and courteous students through a theatre play, you get to see such a fun and passionate side. More importantly, it shows us how aware the students are of their situation and how strongly they feel about wanting to stay in school. 
The other aspect I love about the student play is that the conversation and message is conveyed by their friends and peers instead of  another adult trying to convince students. Even better, this year we had 2 of our students come back for the ceremony from Phnom Penh where they attend one of the leading STEM schools. The power of KongNov and SreyMey, two 14-year-old girls, sharing their journey and what they dream of.  All of a sudden, the possibility of going beyond their village schools becomes so real for everyone! I’m incredibly proud of them! 
 
I am also very grateful that we continue to enjoy the support of the Department of Education and we had all the local village chiefs and elders attend the ceremony. That sense of community and endorsement is incredibly powerful when we are looking to make real and sustainable change. 
 
I’m incredibly proud and also grateful for what we have achieved together. This includes you, the kind donors supporting the students, and also the team of volunteers who make all of the good work possible! A very big Thank You to all of you and I hope that sharing some of the photos and stories from the ceremony gives all of you a sense of the difference we all can make.  ​
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PRESS RELEASE:  Australian Actor Matthew Le Nevez Joins PeopleStories As Charity Ambassador

2/2/2021

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CAMBODIA - 2 February 2021: PeopleStories, a charity committed to providing education to children in rural Cambodia, today announces its new ambassador, celebrated Australian actor Matthew Le Nevez.  In his role as PeopleStories ambassador, Le Nevez’s first priority is to raise awareness and funding for 120 school scholarships for the current school year and help PeopleStories to build a school to transform education for children in rural Cambodia from “chalk & talk” to a digital learning era.

Renowned across Australia and the United States, Le Nevez is one of Australia’s most loved actors, having starred across film and TV for over two decades. His roles in Offspring, The Kettering Incident and more recently, The Widow with Kate Beckinsale, have earned him many accolades. Le Nevez currently stars as Cal Isaac in Absentia, the hit series on Sony and Amazon.

Whilst brilliant in acting life, this talented actor is equally inspirational in real life. Having previously made noteworthy contributions as a management consultant in developing nations, it’s no surprise that Matt’s vision to make the world a better place resonated so well with the purpose of PeopleStories Charity.
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Le Nevez comments: “As the first country I ever visited, Cambodia had a profound effect on me and I have felt a connection with the people ever since. I am extremely excited to join the team at PeopleStories and have the opportunity to contribute to this inspiring cause and, ultimately, change lives. As a father of young children, I understand the importance of education. I look forward to raising awareness, bringing positive change and helping PeopleStories in their mission to make young dreams come true.”
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Victoria Miloschewsky founded PeopleStories in 2017. An avid photographer, Victoria travelled to rural Cambodia and documented the lives of its people through the power of photography and storytelling. These stories form the foundation of the charity - giving a face to the children and the families the charity supports. Setting PeopleStories apart from other charities is the fact that every dollar that is donated goes towards the cause - education for the children of Cambodia. 
 
Miloschewsky adds: “We are thrilled to welcome Matt to the PeopleStories team! His love for children and his connection with Cambodia represent a strong alignment of purpose. We both similarly built wonderful careers that are purpose driven.  What unites us is our drive to make a difference in the lives of the people who need it the most. “
“The support of Matt as an ambassador will strengthen our mission to break the cycle of poverty through empowering children with greater access to quality education.  We believe his unique skills and experiences will bring new perspectives and opportunities to PeopleStories, starting with the creation of 120 school scholarships for this year ahead.”

PeopleStories Charity has been providing scholarships, school buildings and facilities, bicycles, learning programs and teacher’s training to schools and students in rural Cambodia since 2017. To find out more and donate to this most worthy cause, visit www.PeopleStories.net.

ENDS
PRESS RELEASE issued by PeopleStories Charity
Contact: Victoria Miloschewsky
Phone: +65 8272 1180
Donation: http://bit.ly/MattLeNevez_Donate
Email: Contact@PeopleStories.net
Our Purpose: http://bit.ly/Purpose_of_PeopleStories
Website: https://www.PeopleStories.net/
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New School Year, New Hope!

30/1/2021

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School started again! Yay!! 
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After a very challenging 2020 and not being able to go to school I think everyone has a newfound appreciation of something many of us took for granted. Schools are so much more than a simple place of learning. It is a place where children have fun and where they are introduced to new ideas, allowing them to dream bigger. 

For this new school year, there is a lot more pressure on poor families to send their children back to school again and we knew that there will be a spike of students dropping out of school.  With the support from our COVID-19 Relief Support program during last year, we are fortunate to report that 91% of our scholarship students have returned to school.   It is concerning as this compares to our less than 5% dropout rates in previous two years but this is the reality of COVID-19.
So, focusing on the positives, what are we doing to support the families? 
 
Firstly, we are continuing and expanding our core program, School For Life! This program remains imperative to everything we do by supporting individual students in a meaningful way. ​

Specifically,
 this means that we remove barriers that would prevent children to attend school by providing bicycles for basic mobility and also the provision of school supplies such as text books and uniforms. It may not seem much to us but for a poor family the cost associated with attending school can be a real deterrent. 
 
Once we get students to attend school it’s all about keeping them in there. What this comes down to is really the quality of education but also the ongoing support of the parents and the community. Whilst the latter is obvious, the quality of education can have a huge impact, in particular if students can’t afford the after school coaching classes which often causes them to fall behind academically and become very demotivated and frustrated. ​​
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All of this we achieve for less than a $1 a day for a child to receive their scholarship!  
 
Of course, we don’t want to just select any student and family. The key principles are that the family can’t afford to send their children to school and both family and students have to be fully committed to education. ​
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Since day one we have an assessment and selection framework in place that ensures that donations reach directly those children who need it the most.  What this looks like in practice is a family assessment of their income and financial situation, interviewing the families to determine their commitments to education and taking into account the teachers’ recommendations.  

But w
hat do we mean by ‘financial situation’?  Good question!  This comes down to the basic questions such as if a government poor family card has been issued, having a cow, refrigerator, number of siblings, whether or not the parents are alive and working etc.   It is a very different world and sometimes hard to imagine if you haven’t experienced it yourself but that is exactly why we have an amazing local team doing the assessment and community outreach. ​
Of course, we are also mindful of the necessary work at a macro level and the impact we are making.  A great example is Chea Smonn Secondary school.  We have been working with them for four years now on teacher training, facility improvements and of course the student sponsorships.  The school initially struggled to attract enrolments but slowly and surely this is changing and we are seeing a significant uptick in students wanting to join this school.  Enrolments 2021 compared to 2017 are up an incredible 70%!  This is an amazing result which comes down to team work where donations are spent in a frugal but targeted way to improve schools but also teachers stepping up and actively working with us to push and influence as much as they can to motivate students. 

Positive and enduring 
change requires trust, providing real support and consistently building on success stories. Unlike a freshly painted classroom, it takes some time and patience to see the real impact but it is extremely satisfying and powerful once you set it in motion and for us to see how these beautiful students develop. 
 
We are therefore very pleased to see the continued growth of our School For Life program. For 2021 we aim to support 120 students and look forward to seeing more dreams come true! 
 
Check out how you can be part of the success of School For Life here: https://bit.ly/PS100Dreams202021  ​​​
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Road to STEM

29/11/2020

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We started just over 3 years ago to support underprivileged students and schools in rural Cambodia.  It has been an incredibly rewarding journey as we have seen the many students growing up from children to beautiful teenagers.  Talking to some of them feels just like family nowadays. 
 
Just more than a year ago, we started exploring collaboration opportunities outside of rural Siem Reap and we are absolutely grateful to have formed meaningful partnerships with some of the leading schools and organisations supporting education in the capital city of Phnom Penh.   
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One school that impressed me particularly is the e2STEM school.  This is a joint venture between Singapore and Cambodia.  It may not be a flash school with shiny new building and the students may not be wearing the best tailor-made uniforms, but what sets them apart is not only the emphasis on academic achievement but also how they foster curiosity and personal growth. 
 
I delightfully learnt about their daily reflection and sharing sessions which are facilitated by the teachers with the students.  This happens at the end of school day where students have the opportunity to share their learning experience as well as reflecting on their behaviours (and values).    Looking back at my own childhood, I don’t think I was anywhere near these students showing such a great combination of kindness, openness and maturity at only the age of 15 or 16. 
Seeing this school we started immediately to dream and think … “what if some of our rural students could attend this school?”,  “How would their lives be and that of their families change if they attend one of these leading schools in the capital city?”  Oh, we were so excited about the possibilities! 

​Just a few weeks ago
, teacher Sarith took 4 of our students to participate at the entry exams in the capital city.  We were over the moon when news came for the 2 students who had passed the exams!  When their families were notified about the results, no words could describe their joy, excitement, proudness, and more importantly the hope for a brighter future!  
Last week, we even hosted interviews with the 2 students together with their families via Zoom.  Yes, you guessed right - It was the parents’ first time seeing a laptop, let along having a conversation with us from overseas!  One parent gave us an emotional sharing as she was reflecting on her underprivileged life… how little that she has and how much she wants to seize this scholarship to help her daughter to change her life through better education.  The believe in education and how it can transform their lives is simply overwhelming. 
 
The dream, well, our dream of sending deserving students to this STEM high school has come true! I am very excited and proud to share that these 2 amazing girls have passed the difficult entry exams (average passing rate is only at 33%) and the interview about commitment and life skills.  With the support of their parents, they will be moving to the capital city soon and start their new journey on STEM high education. 
 
It is immensely satisfying and humbling when a plan comes together and a dream comes true.  
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Sometimes we all wonder if the effort we put in is really going to pay off?   Sometimes it will and sometime it won’t.  Nevertheless, that should never stop us from trying as the times when we succeed make it definitely worth it! 
 
Please join me to wish these 2 girls ever success with their upcoming life changing experiences. 
 
 
Together, we can transform lives.  Please give us your helping hand and make a contribution to 100Dreams today. ​​​​
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