Every time that a member of our global community makes the decision to take a step further, in support of REACH’s programs, their passion and commitment inspire our team more than words can express. Support for our cause can take many forms, but in special instances, dedication from individuals can be long-lasting, and their advocacy can extend far beyond the borders of Cambodia.
Through this blog, we aim to shine a spotlight on exceptional people who have become ambassadors for our mission of poverty alleviation. These stories are a reminder that every person who cares about our community has the power to make a significant impact.
Meet Loz, age 33, a Yoga Facilitator from Australia.
Loz Adams teaching a Yoga Nidra Class in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Our journey with Loz dates right back to the very beginning.
In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, the community was faced with the harsh reality of widespread unemployment. Nearly every guardian at REACH lost all forms of income, and within days, preventing starvation became our immediate priority.
At the time, Loz was an expat living in Siem Reap, who was passionately teaching yoga, hosting retreats and her very own AirBnB homestay. Sadly, like many people around the world, the pandemic quickly forced her into unemployment, and she was faced with the difficult decision to return home to Australia.
Once back home, Loz was deeply saddened by the challenges faced by her Khmer friends and community. So, in a time plagued with global suffering, Loz took to social media and began advocating about the issue, raising much needed awareness and funds for our community through our emergency food response initiatives.
Being the compassionate carer that she is, Loz decided to curate virtual experiences that would benefit not only our kids, but everyone involved…. And so, ‘Rest for REACH’ was born.
Loz, passionately sharing her love for deep rest and self-care.
Through her virtual donation-based yoga sessions, Loz has raised crucial funds that allowed the program to continue its mission of feeding the community, both during the hardship of COVID-19 and until now!
Her generosity went beyond financial support. She also opened up the online classes to the REACH team, providing everyone with the opportunity to unwind and recharge. As soon as the country re-opened, she was quick to return to Cambodia, and during her holiday, she organised live yoga sessions for the entire team, giving us the chance to come together, and learn important mindfulness practices.
The REACH team during a yoga session in Siem Reap hosted and organised by Loz.
Loz’s commitment to the organisation has been a true lifeline, helping to sustain our mission through one of the most challenging periods in recent history. By spreading the word and taking action, Loz combined her 2 passions: yoga and helping those in need.
Meet Cecillia, age 27, our Projects & Placements Manager from Denmark.
The Project Management team Cecillia & Sokly!
Cecillia’s story with REACH Siem Reap began 4 years ago, as she had just started a master’s degree in Denmark centred around international relations and humanitarian aid. As a part of her degree, she participated in a conference in Thailand, where the founder of the one of REACH’s local partner organisations, Ponheary Ly Foundation (PLF), was a guest speaker. Through further research about PLF and the current situation in Cambodia, Cecillia stumbled upon REACH’s social media pages, drawn by the organisation’s mission and the tangible impact of our programs.
Inspired to contribute to the cause, Cecillia reached out to the team at REACH to participate in the first Side by Side ride in 2021, cycling alongside the REACH students from her home country. After that, Cecillia remained in contact with REACH and became a regular supporter, signing up for REACH’s Running Costs Club. This not only allowed Cecillia to feel more invested in REACH’s long-term sustainability, but also gave her unique insights into the day-to-day realities of running a nonprofit.
In return for her monthly contribution, Cecillia has been receiving detailed reports with the highlights for our organisation and has had access to our private Facebook Group where we post exclusive behind the scenes content.
Cecillia returned to Thailand in 2022 to work for an NGO to gain practical experience for her degree, and when REACH’s Director knew she was so close by, she decided to visited her. Being able to hear about the work done at REACH directly from Emily, inspired Cecillia to visit Siem Reap a few months later to meet the rest of the team at our NGO for the first time.
Witnessing firsthand the progress and development of the organisation, she was able to learn about REACH’s future plans, and see the direct impact of the Running Cost Club. This only underlined her commitment to support REACH as much as possible, and she started to spread the word back home in Denmark, which convinced her uncle, mother, and grandmother to join the Running Costs Club as well.
Cecillia’s mother, Janni, recently shared her reasons for joining the club with us:
“I became aware of REACH and its mission through my daughter, and I quickly learned that it didn’t cost a lot to make a huge difference for the families they help in Cambodia. I also think it is great that everything is so transparent, you know exactly how the money is being used. I generally agree a lot with all of the values that REACH has!” – Janni Bæk Hansen
Upon completing her work in Thailand, Cecillia made the decision to take the next step in her journey at REACH – applying to become a volunteer, and later on, an international intern, returning to Siem Reap in 2023. During her time with the team, Cecillia’s contributions were invaluable, as she lent her expertise to the development of REACH’s Youth Pathways Program, Computer Literacy program, and other key initiatives.
By the end of her internship, Cecillia’s dedication made such an impression that she was offered a full-time position as a Project Manager, tasked with driving internal development and growth. Inspired by this journey, Cecillia’s grandmother in Denmark decided to take action, organising a community talk to spread the word about REACH to her peers and asking to support her granddaughter’s fundraising page during our latest fundraising campaign. She even went so far as to print informational flyers for each attendee.
Cecillia during her presentation about REACH in Denmark.
Here’s what Cecillia’s grandmother Birthe shared with us after her granddaughters presentation:
“I heard about the REACH Running Cost Club through Cecillia, who spoke warmly about the amazing work that REACH is doing for the local community. At once, I had no doubts that I wanted to support the project.
I wanted to be part of spreading the information about the organisation’s latest campaign Double Your REACH, as they were raising funds for their meals program. After Cecillia spoke about how big of a difference it would make and how it could help the campaign, I knew that it was the right thing to be a part of. Hearing about all of the projects and plans going on at REACH during the fundraiser only confirmed that.” – Birthe Sørensen
Meet Sarah, Age 30, an Event Planner from Australia.
Sarah during her volunteering placement at REACH Siem Reap.
For Sarah, a Khmer-Australian living in Melbourne, supporting our work at REACH has been deeply personal:
“Being raised by refugee grandparents, especially my grandpa, I was encouraged to give back when and where I can to those who weren’t fortunate enough to be born in a 1st world country like I was. As I grew with age, I learnt more about my cultural background and formed a deep love for my country Cambodia.” – Sarah Chhooy
Sarah’s involvement with our cause began 4 years ago when she first signed up for the Running Costs Club with her partner Tim. Like Cecillia, she found our cause on Social Media and was moved by our response to the pandemic, so both she and Tim committed to making monthly donations to our NGO. From that moment on, Sarah has been a passionate advocate of REACH’s journey, eagerly tracking the organisation’s growth and sharing our content within her personal network.
“When I first learnt about REACH, it was an instant connection for me. It’s amazing to support a cause where I can see with my own eyes, what kind of a difference it makes and my only wish is that the students and families that REACH support have the opportunity to live a more fruitful life.” – Sarah Chhooy
After patiently waiting through the challenges of the pandemic, in 2022, Sarah finally had the opportunity to visit Cambodia with her partner, cousin, and friend. During this trip, she made sure to carve out time to volunteer at REACH and get to know our team.
“I also see the amazing job opportunities that have been created at REACH and I absolutely adore that even though some team members are older in age and have a lack of formal education like the younger team members, they too have a chance to make a living and also do amazing things for their community.” – Sarah Chhooy
This hands-on experience served to deepen Sarah’s commitment to REACH. Inspired by what she had seen and the connections she had made, Sarah returned to Australia determined to leverage her community ties to further amplify the organisation’s impact.
Sarah organised a vibrant fundraising event in Melbourne, selling local Cambodian items to raise funds, and as a surprise, Sarah’s Aunty baked a batch of delicious cookies adorned with the REACH logo, which proved to be a huge hit with attendees (and then our team 1-week later).
Rina our Communications Assistant enjoying one of Sarah’s Aunty’s cookies, all the way from Australia.
The get together was a great opportunity for our team to network and raise much needed awareness about what we’re doing in Cambodia. Luckily, our Founder Emily was in town, and was able to make an appearance too. Sarah’s friends were all extremely supportive of her event and to help her raise funds, they all chipped in items for the raffle, and one of her friends donated his time to provide donation-based haircuts; which were a huge hit.
As REACH continues to grow and evolve, supporters like Loz, Sarah & Cecillia are instrumental in driving the organisation’s global reach and impact.
Keen to get involved?
There are countless ways to get more involved in our cause, and to make a significant impact in the lives of REACH’s beneficiaries. From the simple act of dropping off our flyers at local stores to organising informative talks in your community, every action counts.
Sharing our content on social media, spreading the word about our charity, or even referring friends to our Running Costs Club, keeps the ripple effect going, reaching more like-minded people and inspiring them to join our community of supporters.
Remember, supporting us can be entirely free….
It costs $0 to help us raise awareness.
We are celebrating positive outcomes regularly; but for us to continue on this trajectory, we need to strengthen our fundraising efforts, and build our network.
Are you feeling inspired?
If you’re reading this and feeling inspired by Loz, Cecillia or Sarah in any way, please contact our team. We’re now actively looking for people who want to become ambassadors of our cause in their home countries.
There are so many ways you can help us build our network.
In March 2025, our Founder Emily, will be embarking on another trip to Australia to continue raising awareness about our work. She also has plans to making her way to Singapore and the UK later in the year as well. If you’re based in any of these areas and are keen to host a talk or fundraising event, Emily would be thrilled to attend your event and share first-hand stories of our impact with your network.
During her travels, we are actively seeking opportunities for her to engage with corporates, cycling clubs and schools to promote our fundraising initiatives. If you think you can help line up any speaking opportunities for her, please reach out to Emily at emily@reachsiemreap.org to start the conversation.
Beyond this, we are hoping to find more supporters who can donate their time to help us raise awareness. We have marketing material ready and are eager to send posters to anyone who is willing to head out the door and share more about our work in their local community.
If this sounds like something you can do, please email info@reachsiemreap.org
