Having collapsed during Khmer Rough Regime, Junior Chamber International Cambodia (JCI Cambodia) has recently reemerged and officially been inaugurated. It was officially registered by the government in 27 August, 2010.
JCI is an international non-profit organization having 115 member countries around the world, including Cambodia.
Cambodia has become a potential JCI’s members since 2008 and this chamber of youth started actions with the only three active Cambodian youths in collaboration with many other ndividuals, such as students, businesspersons, and NGO and government staff. The junior chamber is strong with the mission to better shape Cambodia youth so as recognizable to the world in creativeness, innovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership.
‘Our mission is to contribute to the advancement of the global community by providing the opportunity for young people to develop the leadership skills, social responsibility, entrepreneurship and fellowship necessary to create positive change,’ said Mr. Chhen Chandara, the founder and 2008-2009 president of JCI Cambodia.
As the junior chamber is a social platform for youth to meet and share knowledge, Mr. Chhen Chandara explained, ‘JCI is a platform for youth between 18-40 years of age to exchange and share information, experiences, improve themselves through various activities such training seminars and project involvement.’
Young people can expose themselves to prospective business partners or employers by showing their fields of interest, talent, skill, service, and so forth. Through this platform, youth will easily find business partners and employers.
‘If you are an individual real estate agent,’ he said, ‘you’ll find prospective buyer easily because here there are real estate companies. You promote and our members of real estate agencies will be your prospective buyers.’
CJI is a central unit where young Cambodians can find for areas of opportunities.
‘Through the first area, youth can access to individual improvement,’ said Mr. Chhen Chandara, adding that the junior chamber offers individuals the opportunity to realize their potential through training programs and project involvement. They will develop the finer points of management skills, meeting procedures, public speaking, motivation skills and social interaction.
Junior chamber also offers youth the opportunity to develop understanding, goodwill and co-operation among our international community, while it is set get youth involved in nation by organizing community projects, educate fellow citizens and raise funds for charity. Through these activities, youth get to know, support and interact with organizations and people from all walks of life.
The last area of opportunity is that the junior chamber provides youth the opportunity to network with both local and international young executives and businessmen, work with government bodies and trade associations, and opens up doors to opportunities to realize your dreams, visions and aspirations.
Though JCI Cambodia has undergone challenges, Mr. Chhen Chandara optimizes that in the next coming years JCI Cambodia will be recognizable to the world. He also explained that many countries in the world has not yet known Cambodia, and through the junior chamber young Cambodians will have opportunity to set foot on international platform while promoting the country through various international conferences, meeting, and other events.
‘In the coming years we will invite JCI’s members from 115 member countries to join our Asia JCI’s conference,’ he said. ‘Then, thousands of JCI’s members will come to Cambodia and they will see our culture, heritage, especially Angkor Wat, and so on,’ he added, saying that through this we can promote our country.
‘Make sure that we will have large enough conference hall to host huge number of them,’ he said in a great pride.
JCI is in partnership with various bodies such as the UN, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and many others.
