We sponsor grassroots women’s leadership initiatives
10% of our income from book sales is used for our Grants program. With our grants, we fund small-scale projects aimed at grassroots women’s leadership, focused in three main areas: civil society, education, and entrepreneurship.
One example of such projects is the leadership workshop for rural high school students that was organized by Youth Hub in May 2019; pictured on the right. Run by university students from Phnom Penh, high school girls in a village in Takeo province were invited to draw their dream village, held a debate on the value of education, and learned from the experiences of those who had come from a village to go to university before them.
Here’s an overview of some of the projects we have funded so far:
The 2018 Diving Deep, Going Far Grants
We inspire young women to be bolder, braver, and dream bigger
Most women in Cambodia are told from a young age that they “cannot dive deep or go far.” In other words, their role is to stay at home, take care of the family, and not worry about education, politics, or other activities in society.
The stories in Diving Deep, Going Far show readers that it’s possible for women to be and do more than that. The women in the book all faced those same pressures; yet, thanks to their drive and determination, they found a way to stay in school, follow their dreams and get involved in their society. With its personal storytelling, Diving Deep, Going Far is a powerful reminder that there is more to life than what your environment tries to make you believe.
A great example is shown in this interview with reader Sokha Roeurn, who found inspiration and confidence from reading Diving Deep, Going Far.
Take a look at our other reader testimonials as well!
We help educators teach gender equality and leadership
Teachers across Cambodia are using Diving Deep, Going Far to teach their students concepts such as gender equality, critical thinking, and following one’s dreams. With the help of our 100+ discussion questions, Diving Deep, Going Far encourages both girls and boys to think bigger and apply the book’s lessons to their own lives.
Learn more about using Diving Deep, Going Far in your classroom – in Cambodia or beyond.
Read more about how other teachers are using Diving Deep, Going Far:
Photos courtesy of Kids Play International, Samphors Phuong Korng, Sreyleap Taing and Patricia Smith.
We reach and encourage those who need it most
Thanks to grants from the Heinrich Böll Stiftung and Oxfam Cambodia, we were able to translate and print 5,000 copies of the Khmer version of Diving Deep, Going Far. We are currently donating these copies to schools, organizations and libraries across the country, reaching and inspiring youth and women that would have never read the book otherwise. Examples of such donations are rural high schools, a trade union for at-risk female entertainment workers, and libraries in prisons and garment factories.
Or, as in the photo on the left, we provide discounted English copies, such as to this night-time English class in a village in Pursat province, run by Peace Corps volunteer Patricia Smith and local high school teacher Vanna Yeun.