As you may know from one of our previous posts, several of our youngsters have just started (or are about to start) university. But there were weeks or even months (depending on the university they chose) between the completion of their baccalaureate exams and the beginning of their university courses. Time to rest at home? Party like mad? Or go on a holiday? Not at all! Three of our soon-to-be university students chose to spend their break productively by gaining real-world work experience – something we encourage all the kids to do whenever possible.
Micky started coursework toward her English degree last week. Before that, she had two weeks of waiting time and wanted to do something meaningful. We are very grateful to Ms. Rovelyn Camato, the Business Director of Quantum Endorphine Digital (QED), a PR and media agency, who has supported Little Hearts before through donations (especially food and hygiene products). She generously allowed Micky to work as a short-term intern at her company from November 26 to December 12.
Micky worked from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday, handling tasks such as updating and maintaining media data in the QED database, assisting with data verification, supporting report preparation, and organizing files and folders while strictly following privacy and confidentiality rules. She was both excited and nervous on her first day, but her co-workers were kind, welcoming, and supportive. Despite working full weekdays, Micky still managed to fulfill her responsibilities at Little Hearts by waking up extra early to complete her cleaning duties and helping to care for her younger siblings on weekends.
“I learned a lot from my brief internship,” said Micky. “I met new people, worked in a new place, and learned how hard office work is! I did things I had never done before, and I am very thankful for this experience.”
Malee, who is about to start a degree in Creative Multimedia, and Daleine, who will be taking English for Business Affairs, both worked part-time at Backyard Café on Street 240 in Phnom Penh from late October until December 20. Ms. Vun Mala, the General Manager of Backyard Café, who is also supporting Little Hearts, was happy to accept both girls on her team. Since Little Hearts believes that learning happens not only inside the classroom but also in real-life situations, this opportunity helped them experience what working life is like.
Their work involved meeting and communicating with customers, which helped them build confidence and people skills. The girls worked the evening shift from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM, allowing them to continue to take part in the daily Little Hearts routine, including attending English classes, completing chores, and helping around the home. Their tasks at Backyard Café included taking orders, serving food, and helping out at the counter and in the kitchen.
“I learned how important time management is,” reported Malee. “Now I understand why our caretakers and Dad Tony keep reminding us that time and structure are crucial. Balancing my roles as an older Little Hearts resident and a part-time worker helped me understand how working adults feel. It was tiring but fulfilling. I will never forget this experience.”
“I know I am not always easy to deal with,” admitted Daleine. “This job helped me learn how to control my emotions and be flexible. I figured out how to adjust to different situations and interact with many kinds of people. Even though I was very tired at first and struggled during my first week, I am thankful for this experience and hope I can do it again in the future.”
We would like to thank everyone who helped make these opportunities possible and for making our kids’ school break productive and meaningful. We are proud of our girls for embracing these experiences, learning from them, and taking confident steps into both university life and the real world.
