Honoring Women in My Life

Taken with My beloved mother:)))

International Women’s Day on March 08 is meant to appreciate those who have the biggest but quietest influence in our lives. People around the world stop and take a moment to honor the women in their lives, and those around the world. One of the honoring women in my life is my mother, she is a strong woman who inspires me to go forward to break the barrier to get my goal. She is a real heroine for me. She has given me warm take care and encouragement even she was too difficult to earn money to look after me but she’s never said she was in trouble. I love you MOM!

SI Phnom Penh Charter Day on July 04, 2010

Second one of honoring women in my life is SOROPTIMISTERS, I joined and became a Soroptimist in May 01 2010 before the SIPP Charter Day in July 07, 2010. This WORD of SOROPTIMIST inspired me to become a member and volunteer to bring women and girls in Cambodia a new HOPE and SMILE that our project is Breast Cancer Awareness as we are doing workshop, seminars, trainings to University students, Communes and the other communities to get more knowledge about prevention of Breast Cancer.

I have been supported and inspired by many Soroptimist sisters around the world. I could never stop dreaming and believing my LIFE is being grown once I am named a Soroptimist – I feel more stronger that I am able to be part of change agent to help my community by raising awareness of  breast cancer.

Because of Love and Care as it is our Soroptimist’s Sign that Soroptimisters always Help each other when we are in need so I was sponsored a school fee for the final semester of my Master Course in 2011. I was sponsored to attend One Young World in Zurich, Switzerland and also was offered a new beautiful Laptop too. Anyways, I might not able to write the detail now as I will share this honoring women for my short presentation at SISWP conference in Christchurch, New Zealand in May 2012. See you soon!

Left to right: Jensine Larsen, a Founder of World Pulse, I, Beatrice from Uganda and Martha from Colombia spoke at Mercy Corp - Portland, Oregon, United States.

The third one of honoring women is World Pulse. I joined World Pulse in August 2010. It gave me many oppotunities to meet many people around the world. Moreover, after 5 months citizen training, I have built more capacity and hope to caught my dream. It is my great honor to be selected as an award-winning among of many countries across the globe who applied for the second annual Voices of Our Future Program to traveling to the US for the media and speaking tour.

I have learned a lot from people there to achieve my goal to make a change in my life, my family, my community, my county and the world. It is always a bridge to bring me success. I want to show those people who never want to talk to me that even I am a girl and was born in a poor family but I never lose my dream for better life and bring change to community. I was so honored for being selected as one of the 3 that not only bring me an honor but it gives me the power of voice to speak out loud about my struggling life and I also have a wonderful chance to spread out more about the power of media that has changed my life through this amazing platform Worldpulse.

These powerful women always inspire how to be strong and a helpful person in society!

It is only WORD “AMAZING”

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RT : Join World Pulse for an epic journey with World Pulse LIVE 2011: a nationwide speaking tour of three amazing grassroots women citizen journalists from Uganda, Colombia, and Cambodia. They have come to the US to speak out for the first time and inspire audiences on the power of media and technology to change women’s lives globally.

Photo credits: Andrea Leoncavallo, Michael Priest Photography, World Pulse team
Song credit: Razia Said

Former Parliamentarian Samrainsy and a Chance to be back to Cambodia | World Pulse

Former Parliamentarian Samrainsy and a Chance to be back to Cambodia | World Pulse.

Former Parliamentarian Samrainsy who removed almost 2 years to abroad to escape from municipal court’s lawsuit in charge me 12 years in jail could hope to return to country if he steps down his tension to be sort for please for government and also got intervention and support from international community which have influenced on government and national assembly.

Even the absent of one among 123 Member of Parliament, it’s not the good image for national assembly sector in monitoring the government’s implementation, meeting and intervention on challenges faced by voters such land dispute. And voters are also not happy to see noncooperation among political actors.

Lately, political compromise used to exist in order to free political actor from punishment through the request made by government and send to the king to use the royal right to pardon as sated on chapter 2 article 27 of Cambodian Constituency “The King shall have the rights to grant pardons or amnesties”. But that is always an exchange between governments with accursed political actor.

Recently, positive sign, provided by the Member of Parliament Cheam Yeap head of 2nd committee of National Assembly and Cambodian People’s Party’s spokesperson to former parliamentarian Samrainsy as well as Parliamentarian from SRP via media, is that former parliamentarian Samrainsy could have a solution to return to Cambodia without conviction in case this former parliamentarian stop critiquing, attacking and turn to please with government. He added that “2 ways for him to choose. As Samrainsy used to stipend the immunity and face with jail sentence many times, he was normally pardoned by the king as state in chapter 2 that the king has royal right to pardon and amnesties or National Assembly also has authorize to make bill on pardon”.

To be a clue, Hun Sen, Prime Minister and member of parliament from Cambodian People’s party showed about his stand as a mature political actor to solve among Khmer political actor in non-violence way and propose to have solidarity among each other. That can be interpret for former parliamentarian Samrainsy that solution could be negotiate peacefully and change the mindset as a mature political actor to each other. He added that “We support the political actor who has political inspiration to reunify, solidarity, and unite in point of our country’s interest because we do not want to create any tense situations at all”. Prime Minister Hun Sen used to clarify it on June 13, 2011 during the graduated ceremony for officials at Royal School of Administration.

Meanwhile, Member of Europe Parliamentarian Ms. Cecilia Wikstrom requested to Cambodia government to comfort former parliamentarian Samraisy could return to country to join the coming up 2012 and 2013 elections to show the step forward of Cambodia’s democracy. And, she promise to bring Samraisy returning to Cambodia soon before the general election arrives “it is certain that she will report to the EU Parliament on the progress of democracy in Cambodia. She added that during the campaign for the upcoming general election, opposition leader Sam Rainsy will be present in Cambodia”. The clues are that the pressure on taxation and delay on Cambodia’s export to Europe community which base on the report on human right abuse and land conflict in Cambodia.

On the other hand, the United Nations Special rapporteur Mr. Surya Subedi, during his mission 5 days at the end of May 2011 during the greeting with President of National Assembly and members of Parliamentarian, had requested to take strong action to maintain and protect the freedom of expression of all parliamentarians, and revise the Parliamentarian’s immunity removal procedure. He said, “the extent for members of parliament in debating were limited and some of them were removed the immunity because of their expression over various issue related to country’s interests.

Besides, Mr. Nicolas Dupont Aignan, an independent member of parliament who does not belong to any political party or political group, sent a formal letter to Mr. Alian Juppe, the French minister of Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs to intervene for former MP Sam Rainsy who has been self-exiled in France to safely come back to Cambodia. “Request that European Union should not ignore the suppression on the victim who is the Member of Parliament from opposition party and request to claim for the full privileges and rights of expression as MP had before”.

European Union used to make a decision in 21st October 2010 on the condemnation and harassment made by Cambodian court on the former MP Sam Rainsy and members of opposition party in general. The verdict banned the former MP Sam Raisny from involving in election campaign in 2013. As a result, it negatively affects freedom of expression of other MPs of the opposition party and protection of citizens’ benefits as presently the condemnation on the freedom of expression on Members of Parliament results in narrowing down the scope and process of democratization in Cambodia.

To be concluded, based on the message from ruling party as well as Prime Minister Hun Sen, Mr. Samraisy should rethink the long term benefit for him and country as a whole to negotiate with the government in order to free from accusing and come back to serve the Cambodia people as they want to see Cambodia in democratic way involving with ruling and opposition party to play an important role in democratic country. Cambodian people is willing to see the unite among Khmer political actors.

This article is part of a writing assignment for Voices of Our Future a program of World Pulse that provides rigorous new media and citizen journalism training for grassroots women leaders. World Pulse lifts and unites the voices of women from some of the most unheard regions of the world.

Great Events in my LIFE

World Pulse Live 2011 @ Paley Center for Media, New York

2011 was seem a great year to start my journey traveling miles and miles from my beloved home sweet home to represent Cambodia. It was such a dream to speak to the international audiences which was not my own language Khmer – but that was English. I couldn’t ever imagine I had a chance to go to the United States even I didn’t have much money in my pocket. Wasn’t it funny traveling abroad without much money? But it was happening to me ready so just trust you will have a chance if you never lose hope. It was more than a hundred listening me and my fellow correspondents Martha from Columbia and Beatrice from Uganda.

Three Correspondents with World Pulse Staff at Mercy Corp, Portland, Oregon

After five months long training, the 3 correspondents among 30 women were selected by the committees, mentor, midwifes and World Pulse Staff for traveling to the five cities of America to represent the voices of women world wide and also to share our experiences through media as a Citizen journalist on World Pulse Media.

World Pulse Live at the University of Denver

Looking to this picture made me so excited and couldn’t forget the nervousness while I was speaking on the big stage to speak an other language was not my own one. Hearing many people clapped their hands in front of me – it was such a wonderful enjoying and welcoming to three of us. I couldn’t stop believing that I was speaking in front of many people on the big stage at the University of Denver.

Broadcasted at the U.S Department of State at Washington D.C

I don’t have any words to express my feeling about having a chance to speak there. everything was coming to me without expectation – The broadcast Live was started at 7.00am (the Washington D.C time) and finished at 8.30am. After sharing our stories – struggling lives to be educated and for rainforest, we got many questions from the audiences. All those questions are always kept with us.

World Pulse Live at Bioneers Conference, San Rafael, California with Gloria Steinem on the Stage Topic in No Women No Democracy

Another big event’s called the Bioneers Conference 2011 held at San Rafael, CA in October. We were very excited and happy to speak on the stage for Bioneers Conference which had over a thousand people there. We had learned much from the other amazing people there and also I was so happy I could see Gloria  Steinem in person.

 

 

Pchum Ben

Pchum Ben Day is also called the Ancestors’ Day or the Spirits’ day. It is observed in memory of ancestors, and the Cambodian Buddhists pay their respects to the dead by celebrations and offerings (a Ben is an offering). The Pchum Ben Festival is celebrated for fifteen days in the tenth month of the Khmer calendar and the fifteenth day is called Pheaktrobotr. People throng the pagodas where the offerings of steamed cakes in banana leaves are made, dressed in our traditional clothes. Women wear colorful silk scarves, blouses and dresses. Special rice offerings are made and these are usually of sticky rice. The present day ‘Bens’ are balls of rice cooked in coconut milk with various ingredients as per the local customs. The way a Ben is held also differs from locality to locality. It is a colorful festival celebrated by all. The last four days are public holidays when most Khmers visit the province where they were born for family reunions.

The people of Cambodia believe that after death they become ghosts whose earthly actions shape their appearance and that they walk the earth at this time. The living eases our suffering by offering them food. We also make offerings of money, dresses and other items to the monks in the temples. All Khmers are also offered food and drink. The offerings made are shared by the poor and the disabled during Pchum Ben and the donors acquire merit and cancel out past sins.

In the morning at 8:00 AM, people come to the temple, with offerings for the monks. They bring money and other things as well. At 10:00 the people return with more food, which will be shared between monks and poor people. Many of the Buddhist traditions seem to relate to feeding the poor. Disabled people also crowd around the temple tat is hour, begging alms. To give help to the less-fortunate, particularly during Pchum Ben, is to acquire merit. Between 5:00-7:00 PM there will be more prayers for the dead. People would be coming back to the temple at 4:00 the next morning because we have to toss the rice ball to our ancestors so we have to be up at 3:00.

One of the reasons the monks are offered gifts is because the Buddha commanded the monks to remain indoors for three months praying and meditating and hence food had to be given by outsiders. In the past, crops were planted inside the temple grounds and the young plants would die if monks walked about, hence they were told to remain indoors. This was the time to concentrate and purify the minds, by engaging in meditation. People are told to abstain from alcohol and behave well, and the monks are secluded, because if they failed, they would not get any offerings during the festival.

A majority of people in Cambodia take this festival very seriously even if our beliefs and ideas have changed a little bit, thus is still the impact of Buddhist religion which is an integral part of Khmer culture. This year the Pchum Ben Day is celebrate on September 27. The first day of Kann Ben is on September 13, most families bring foods to the pagoda for sending to our ancestor. The day of September 27 is the most important day of Kan Bann and it is the last day that we call Pchum Ben Day. In this day, we need to go to the pagoda to send food to our ancestors.

Standing Budhha statue at Somrong Andek Pagoda - Phnom Penh, Cambodia

My family Left to Right (Mom, Auntie, sister, Me, My nephew, sister and sister-in-law)

It is called Robam Krut - Krut dancing. We believe when we do this Krut dancing, it will bring us LUCK in whole year. This dancing is always celebrated in Khmer's festival.

Khmer's belief, we do it as it will help us resolve our devilish things.

The Soul of World Pulse

Let us be a loudspeaker
for women of the world.

Let us call forth voice
where before there was silence.

Let us stand back while they speak up,
for their words are so beautiful they
need no adornment.

Let us be their platform, their forum,
their safe haven, their sanctuary,
an amplifier no one can ignore.

Let us create a world where women are
not only free, but empowered so greatly
as to be unstoppable.

A world where women can
transform her life as well as the lives of those
around her by simply raising her voice.

One voice at a time, millions of voices strong.

Until the sound is so deafening, the whole
world will hear their music.

It’s not just a dream—it’s a revolution
that has already begun.

This is the pulse that transforms the world.
THIS IS WORLD PULSE.

You are a part of the Pulse.

The Original Page is here: http://www.worldpulse.com/voices-of-our-future-application-classroom/week2/4

Flooding in Cambodia 2011

Unusually severe flooding in Cambodia has left at least 58 people dead, including 31 children, a disaster official said Friday. Heavy rains since August and overflow from the Mekong River have left large areas waterlogged, affecting thousands of hectares of rice paddies, Keo Vy of the National Committee for Disaster Management told AFP.

“Flooding this year has caused more serious damage than in previous years,” he said, adding that at least 5 633 families have been evacuated from their homes to higher ground.

Nearly 200 tourists, including foreigners, were airlifted from Cambodia’s famed Angkor temple complex on Thursday after a road to one of the ruins was cut off by flash floods. .

The group visiting the 10th century Banteay Srey temple included tourists from the U.S., South Korea, France, Britain and Russia, district official Mom Vuthy said. The flooding also forced thousands of area residents to abandon their homes for high ground, or to camp on roofs or in trees, he said.

Brittny Anderson, 26, from Oregon said she was grateful for local residents who brought food to the stranded tourists as they waited on high ground for the helicopter rescues.

“I am scared for the villagers whose houses were under water,” she said in a telephone interview. “I heard that the villagers had climbed trees and I’m very worried for their safety.”

The temple is just 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the Angkor Wat temple complex, one of Asia’s greatest landmarks and Cambodia’s top tourist attraction. It was not yet known if any of the region’s temples were damaged in the flooding, said Mey Marady, vice secretary general of Apsara Authority, a government agency that oversee the temples.

At Siem Reap Town, Most schools, markets and roads have been closed for a while.

My hometown, Srok Ler Dek, Kandah Province, 7 – 8 houses were collapsed this afternoon (Sep 24 at 1.15pm). And the people have been now evacuated from their homes to higher ground.

Further reading: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/sep/22/as-cambodia-flooding/

Flooding at Sieam Reap

Lerk Dek Village, Kandah Provine - House Collapsed

Lerk Dek Village, Kandah Province - House Collapsed

One Young World 2011

It is me holding my beloved country's flag to the world in Zurich, Switzerland

Traveling miles across the ocean for first time to represent Cambodia, as an ambassador to Cambodia at One Young World Submit at Zurich, Switzerland, I was so honored and privileged to get this amazing opportunity. I was only able to make it together with the help of Gwendolen Webster, SI Athen, and Catherine Tribolete, a Chariman of SI Extend Committee of Switzerland.

I would like to give my heart-fullness thanks to the President of SI Swiss Union, Ursula Jurzi, who decided to sponsor me to attend One Young Word 2nd Submit at Zurich and all the Soroptimist sisters, Marianne, Catherine, Ursula, Irris, Lilo, Jeanette and Marianne’s sister in law, at Switzerland for hosting me after the conference. With this I have brought an impact into my life, my club, my family and my whole community.

Also, I have never forgotten my World Pulse sisters for giving me this opportunity. Without World Pulse, I wouldn’t have had a chance to attend One Young World. Thanks so much all World Pulse family. I come back to my home, World Pulse, after leaving for a while to finish my work, my study and other tasks. And Now I come Back to you all.

The resolutions related to Media, global health, environment, global business and leadership are more about the actions done by young people around the world, where summit is used as a platform to gather and exchange ideas. After the lunch program, all the delegates were taken to the trip along the Lack of Zurich for the country flag presentation and the official opening ceremony of One Young Summit at Kongresshaus Zürich.

As a Cambodia flag bearer, I felt I was very proud to hold my flag to the world. Seeing the 192 different flags and over 1500 young people from around the world gathered to exchange ideas and projects, it made me so excited as it was my first time to see many amazing people around the globe. It was what the most experience I have gotten in my life.

I was very interested and inspired by Women Up and Leadership Plenary so much, Fatima Bhutto, Writer, Journalist and Activist and the counselor of the summit describes how women raise community and the importance of educating them where she explained the benefits of educating women. “It is not just herself but for the larger network” including community in the long term. She also highlighted the fact that not all women can make a world better place. “It is not true that all women can make better world, but it’s about leadership.” She requests everyone especially women to fight ethically whether they are “inside” or “outside” the power.

Moreover, Mercedes Erra stated some of the current gender issues by showing some facts. Mercedes focused on the facts of illiterate women where “2/3 of the 774 millions of illiterates in the world are women.” On the other hand, “On 500 largest corporation in the world only 13 have a female CEO.”

The submit was ended with a big smile from each delegate, the conference inspired us to bring an impact back to our own country, community, family and ourselves. Muhammad Yunus, a Founder of Grameen Bank and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate stood up at the stage and said the delegates to takes the impossibilities. “Very soon what you think impossible today will be common tomorrow so don’t ignore any impossible”. It is what the most encouraging idea to improve ourselves to be strong to go forward and break the barrier.

After the One Young World submit, I was treated and hosted by Soroptimist Switzerland. Ursula Jutzi, a President of Swiss Union and Catherine Scheurer – Tribolet, a Chairman of SI Extend Committee of Switzerland took me to Bern, I was taken to Basel and Liestal in next day by Marianne and Catherine. I am very inspired and excited to see many amazing buildings and places in Switzerland.

Finally the day came when we had to separate. I had to leave for airport at 8.00pm on 07 September 2011. With a heavy heart, I had to say good bye to Marianne as she was the last person who was with me at the airport. Moreover, I must thanks to everyone both World Pulse family and Soroptimist family for making it happened and for helping me creating wonderful network across the globe.

Zermatt, Switzerland

Rever Rhine, Basel, Switzerland

Ursula, Me, Pritz and Marianne

Jeannette Simeon-Dubach , Me and Ursula Jutzi

Ursula Jutzi (a President of SI Swiss Union), Catherine Scheurer-Tribolet (a Chairman of SI Extend Committee of Switzerland) and Me

World Pulse Team, Me, Nilima & Sunita from Nepal and Thais from Brezil

Nilima from Nepal and Me from Cambodia

Flag Presentation on the stage

Thank you Letter to SI Swiss Union

Dear SI Swiss Union,

Ursula, Fritz, Marianne, Lilo, Catherine, Cute Anna and Me

I feel so fortunate to have been chosen to represent the youth of my country. I can’t wait to say big thanks for your very generous sponsorship to SI Swiss Union to help me to attend One Young World Conference and also the tour after the conference. It has really sent a buzz through the entire team and everyone connected with the SI Clubs and this will be a fantastic experience made possible by the Swiss Union’s generosity. Also, I would like to express my feeling in individual to all of you to give me warm when I was there. I felt as I was home when I met you all.

I want to extend a heart-felt thank you for your commitment to making thiswonderful journey so successful.   It was the vision of my own dream and the Planning Committee to inform, entertain, and provide a networking forum for my SIPP club in a pleasant, comfortable environment. Your generous sponsorship helped make my vision a reality by helping to offset the cost of holding the One Young World Conference in a world as beautiful and professional as Young People gathered to exchange experience and projects.

I will always remember this amazing experience from Soroptimist in Switzerland and I will continue to build my partnership and ideas more to develop my club projects. I am much stronger open up the new things for the project here. I will keep you all updated.

Thanks once again for bringing an impact into my life!

Sincerely,

Sarvina Kang

SI Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Jeannette, Me and Ursula (SI Swiss Union President)

Breaking the Barrier

Manrath Kong

Growing up in Siem Reap, a provincial town in northern Cambodia, Manrath Kong defied the odds that often condemn the daughters of lower class families to a life of illiteracy and poverty. Her parents divorced when she was only three, and with two younger siblings, she had the additional burden of helping her family survive. Manrath could easily have dropped out of school and begun working at the type of low-skilled jobs that keep so many Cambodians mired in poverty. She credits her education with helping her get to where she is today. At age 25, she is the local manager of KruKhmer in Siem Riep, an organization dedicated to empowering children – especially girls just like herself – to get an education and learn skills that will allow them to become economically self-sufficient. Her work is her passion, because she has lived their life – she knows where they come from and where they need to go.

In 2003. with her high school diploma in hand, the address of some distant relatives in her pocket, and a knowledge of Japanese, English and Thai (learned through classes at Siem Riep’s Wat Bo Pagoda) 18 year-old Manrath traveled to Phnom Penh to find a suitable job to support her family and to pursue her dream of earning a college degree. “The first time I arrived in Phnom Penh,” she recalls, “I was overwhelmed by the city so full of modern things. Everyone looked strange to me as I walked along the road to my relative’s house. I told myself, ‘I have to be brave and go forward without giving up so I can bring change back to help my village.” When she got to her relative’s house, however, she faced her first setback when she found that she was not really wanted.

Trainee

Instead of having a safe place to land while she looked for a job, she had to go out and find someplace to live.

Manrath’s languages helped her to land a job teaching English and Japanese to children and adults at an NGO called Cambodia Development of Education. She found that she enjoyed teaching, but also realized that education had to go beyond languages and literacy in order to make a difference in their lives. Her own plans for college fell by the wayside, as she struggled to send money back to her family to ensure that her siblings could continue their education. After four years, Manrath moved back to Siem Riep, which is best known for its proximity to the famous Angkor Wat Temple. Her plan was to continue teaching and to pursue her Bachelor’s Degree in Rural Development at Angkor University.

Then, in 2008, an angel appeared. Manrath was introduced to a Japanese woman, Chehiro Sinoda, 32, who had come to Cambodia to visit Angkor Wat. Thanks once again to her languages, Manrath became Ms. Chehiro’s guide, introducing her to Siem Riep and its people and surroundings. Impressed with Manrath’s dedication and passion for education and helping the poor, Ms. Sinoda decided to set up an NGO to help turn Manrath’s vision into reality. The result was KruKhmer. The organization is in its infancy and is still developing its training program, which runs from 3-5 months. Currently 12 young women and 2 men are enrolled and the total is 197 trainees as of 30th September 2010.

Orphanages

KruKhmer’s goal is not so much to provide a formal education, as to create a support system that will allow young people – especially girls – as well as illiterate adults and the disabled to become literate, study and achieve their maximum potential. This means learning business skills and foreign languages that will help them overcome the obstacles posed by a rapidly modernizing economy. Entrepreneurship classes, for example, teach students how to use skills they already have – like sewing or knitting – and the raw materials available to them to make products that they can sell. A small business selling clothing or soap is often the first step to developing confidence and rising out of poverty.

10.9 million Cambodians (almost 78%) live on less than $2 a day, and only 57% of children achieve a 5th grade education. Facing statistics like these, Manrath continually asks herself, “What else can I do to help these people? How can I help increase literacy and help families raise their income?” Since most rural areas, including Siem Riep, have very limited opportunities for education, she decided to start an English and Japanese class in her home where she teaches local children free of charge in the evenings and on weekends.

In early 2009, Manrath was at the local CheyvormanVII Hospital visiting a friend who had just given birth, when she saw a recently orphaned boy who was crying inconsolably. Manrath cried too as she remembered the day that her parents divorced and her father left the family. After making some inquiries, Manrath made the unconventional decision to adopt the boy, named Kong Sovannmara, as her own son. As a single woman, she knew this went very much against Cambodian tradition, but in her heart, she knew she had made the right choice.

“I can live with peace and a clear conscience even if others judge me for adopting a child as a single woman. What I have done is to save a little boy who desperately needs warmth and caring from his parents, especially from his mother, and that’s who I am now,” Manrath declares firmly. “I am so happy and excited to be a mother,” she adds. “The saddest thing for me would have been to leave him at the orphanage by himself just because I was worried about what other people would think of me.”

In adopting her son, Manrath Kong has brightened the future of one child. But through her work at KruKhmer, she is brightening the future of a whole generation of children in Siem Riep.

This article is part of a writing assignment for Voices of Our Future, which is providing rigorous web 2.0 and new media training for 30 emerging women leaders. We are speaking out for social change from some of the most unheard regions of the world.

Interviewed by Sarvina Kang