For the past 10 years, Khiv Sambor, a social mobilizer committed to early childhood in Cambodia, has been working in the field to improve early learning, education and living conditions for young children.
Can you introduce yourself?
Hello everyone! I'm Khiv Sambor, and for the past 10 years I've been working in the field as a Social Mobilizer with Planète Enfants & Développement. I'm also a very proud father of a little girl and a boy, with whom I love cooking and sharing activities. Becoming a parent myself has reinforced my passion: every day, I fight to give every child in Cambodia the best possible start in life.
What's your job?
As a Social Mobilizer, I coordinate operations in the field: I work closely with local authorities and partners, and mobilize families. My role is to raise awareness of the importance of early childhood care and development, promote childcare services and strengthen the skills of kindergarten teachers, particularly through gender-sensitive teaching approaches.
What's your typical day like?
My days start very early, often around 5am. I have breakfast on the road and arrive at the schools between 7 and 8 am. I can visit a nursery as well as a kindergarten class: I observe the teachers, talk to them and accompany them. I also meet local authorities and families, and spend time with the children. I observe and propose concrete actions for improvement.
Already 10 years with the association: what keeps you going?
Early childhood development is progressing in Cambodia, but we still have work to do to improve care for children under 3 and to raise the quality of learning in kindergarten. There's no better feeling than seeing the tangible impact of our work. For example, when a child succeeds at school, or when a teacher gains in confidence after training. And it's simple: I love my team and my job. Even though it requires a lot of organization and travel, often over long distances, and the ability to adapt to very different contexts depending on who you're dealing with, these challenges are also what make it so rewarding.
A final message?
I'm convinced that every child deserves the same chance to succeed, no matter where they're born. That's what keeps me going every day.
