Eve Saosarin: Embracing Challenges and Achieving Life Goals
Saosarin Eve has known adversity for a great deal of his life, but has refused to let it hold him back. Born in a refugee camp during the civil war in Cambodia, Saosarin’s parents struggled to provide for the family, and he was sent as a teenager to work on a fishing boat in Thailand. It was there that Saosarin lost his left hand in an accident, robbing him of the ability to work with his hands to support his family.
It’s hard to believe that, since then, Saosarin has overcome the odds and gone on to found a well known Cambodian organisation – M’lop Tapang – that supports disadvantaged children with centre-based activities and outreach services, won numerous awards for his community achievements, and is currently studying a Masters Degree in International Community Development at Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia after being awarded a highly competitive Australian Awards Scholarship. Determination and positivity has played a key role in Saosarin’s success.
Motivating Saosarin on his journey is his commitment to contribute to the development of Cambodia by improving his own knowledge and skills to thereby better serve the communities he works with; “Although I have years of valuable experience on the ground, I recognized that I lack academic background and theory…this study will provide me with the knowledge and skills to better critically analyse the relevant issues…and make me a better leader and practitioner, with greater confidence to discuss development issues with colleagues and government leaders.”
There have, of course, been hurdles along the way including anxiety about what life in Australia would be like; “I did not have much academic experience and I worried that I would not be able to fulfil the course requirements. I also worried that I would have difficulty to face challenges in the new environment. Even though I am confident, being a person with a disability means I have more matters to worry about, especially since I would bring my family with me.”
In reality, after some initial time adapting to life in a big city and the new academic routine, Saosarin has found his experience in Australia to be overwhelmingly positive and appreciated both the pre-departure and on-going support offered to him and his family by the Australia Awards program.
Saosarin’s appreciation of the challenges for his countrymen living outside of Cambodia has deepened with a volunteering role at the Cambodian Association of Victoria, where he assists Cambodian community members by providing basic services and support such as translation, information provision and assistance to clients to fill out government forms. In this role with the association he has also recently started working on the planning and implementation of a project to prevent family violence in the Cambodian community in Victoria. “This job allows me to research, observe, and reflect the practice of community development and theory in the Australian context. I have learned different skills and knowledge through this practical work…it is vital to take part in real practice to complement your knowledge while you are studying the theory.”
Saosarin encourages other potential applicants with a disability not to hesitate to apply for a scholarship.
Australia Awards
Post graduate learning opportunities for Cambodia’s future leaders
Eve Saosarin: Embracing Challenges and Achieving Life Goals
Saosarin Eve has known adversity for a great deal of his life, but has refused to let it hold him back. Born in a refugee camp during the civil war in Cambodia, Saosarin’s parents struggled to provide for the family, and he was sent as a teenager to work on a fishing boat in Thailand. It was there that Saosarin lost his left hand in an accident, robbing him of the ability to work with his hands to support his family.
It’s hard to believe that, since then, Saosarin has overcome the odds and gone on to found a well known Cambodian organisation – M’lop Tapang – that supports disadvantaged children with centre-based activities and outreach services, won numerous awards for his community achievements, and is currently studying a Masters Degree in International Community Development at Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia after being awarded a highly competitive Australian Awards Scholarship. Determination and positivity has played a key role in Saosarin’s success.
Motivating Saosarin on his journey is his commitment to contribute to the development of Cambodia by improving his own knowledge and skills to thereby better serve the communities he works with; “Although I have years of valuable experience on the ground, I recognized that I lack academic background and theory…this study will provide me with the knowledge and skills to better critically analyse the relevant issues…and make me a better leader and practitioner, with greater confidence to discuss development issues with colleagues and government leaders.”
There have, of course, been hurdles along the way including anxiety about what life in Australia would be like; “I did not have much academic experience and I worried that I would not be able to fulfil the course requirements. I also worried that I would have difficulty to face challenges in the new environment. Even though I am confident, being a person with a disability means I have more matters to worry about, especially since I would bring my family with me.”
In reality, after some initial time adapting to life in a big city and the new academic routine, Saosarin has found his experience in Australia to be overwhelmingly positive and appreciated both the pre-departure and on-going support offered to him and his family by the Australia Awards program.
Saosarin’s appreciation of the challenges for his countrymen living outside of Cambodia has deepened with a volunteering role at the Cambodian Association of Victoria, where he assists Cambodian community members by providing basic services and support such as translation, information provision and assistance to clients to fill out government forms. In this role with the association he has also recently started working on the planning and implementation of a project to prevent family violence in the Cambodian community in Victoria. “This job allows me to research, observe, and reflect the practice of community development and theory in the Australian context. I have learned different skills and knowledge through this practical work…it is vital to take part in real practice to complement your knowledge while you are studying the theory.”
Saosarin encourages other potential applicants with a disability not to hesitate to apply for a scholarship.
Australia Awards Cambodia is managed by Tetra Tech International Development, on behalf of the Australian Government.
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