Mock Youth Parliament Forms Young Brave Leaders for Tomorrow

July 26, 2023

Thai Lai Eng, 21, is a third-year student at the Royal University of Law and Economics. Born in a rural family, Thai Lai is one of the few females who can take the opportunity to pursue higher education in Phnom Penh. While many people in her village think that she has a perfect life in the city, there are a lot of challenges that Thai Lai must overcome!

In 2018, she took an adventure to move from her village to study alone in Phnom Penh with little idea of how to live and how to manage everything. One of her big challenges is to be confident enough to meet new people, and a new environment especially in her university class. In the beginning, Lai Eng felt a self-conscious around the city-students, she was nervous when talking or responding to her professor’s or classmate’s questions.

She recalled one key moment “There was a time when I asked my professor, I was so nervous, and the eyes from other classmates looking at me as if I were a weird person, made me feel so bad. Since then, I didn’t feel comfortable to interact in class and I was afraid to ask questions, and so I became a silent student”.

However, she did not want to be weak, she said that the moment of the embarrassment increased her determination to improve. She did not want to be looked down on, and she looked for ways to get stronger. In her second year, she started to join activities at school as well as with NGOs. That was how she found and joined the Mock Youth Parliament (MYP).

With support from USAID through Pact’s WE Act project, Youth Coalition for Unity and Development (YCUD) collaborates with the Khmer Youth Association, PDP-Center, and the Youth Council of Cambodia to hold the 13th Mock Youth Parliament in Battambang to discuss the policy related to youth entrepreneurs to raise awareness and influence decision-makers by sharing their thoughts and ideas.

She expressed “At first, I thought I just wanted to be a participant, but surprisingly, I was chosen as one of the law commission members and got a chance to be trained for three months by PDP Center and YCUD on how to play the role and learn the skills needed. With support from mentor and with many practices, I greatly improved my ability to do well in front of big audiences speaking confidently and debating my ideas.”

She was even chosen as “active youth” of that 13th MYP. All the sleeplessness nights, hard work, and nonstop practices were worth it. From a nervous girl who wouldn’t dare to talk to her lecturer in class, now Lai Eng is one brave young leader who can lead and speak up in front of a crowded audience.

“I still can’t believe I’ve gotten to this point. It is beneficial to join MYP and other NGOs activities because it is where I found the path to improve myself and where I can see a light shining in front of me.” said Lai Eng.

“Youth have an important part in the growth of our society; they can be compared to a country’s diamond. I am encouraging Cambodia’s youth to keep learning and keep the desire to improve and develop our country by expanding their youth networks, social skills, and social activities because they are young and at the age of learning where they learn from their surroundings, society, and keep on engaging in new activities.” said H.E Ngoun Rattanak, Battambang Governor, during his opening speech of the Mock Youth Parliament.

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