Prince Charitable Foundation will work with leading education-focused charity to enhance academic and career prospects of 7,000 students in new post-pandemic normal

PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA - Media OutReach^[1] - 12 August 2021 - Prince Charitable Foundation, the charitable arm of Prince Holding Group^[2] ("Prince Group"), one of Cambodia's largest and fastest growing conglomerates, will sponsor the Career Preparation program run by Caring for Cambodia, a leading charity that provides free education for 7,000 impoverished students, for the coming academic year. The partnership with Caring for Cambodia, announced on International Youth Day, highlights how Prince Group has embarked on a new journey at a crucial time when youth unemployment is expected to increase due to the worsening COVID-19 pandemic situation in Cambodia. By supporting the Career Preparation program, Prince Group is looking to invest in the future of Cambodia by empowering and validating an institutional approach to youth development.

"We are pleased to partner with Prince Holding Group as we look to expand and enhance our Career Preparation program," said Jamie Amelio, Founder and CEO of Caring for Cambodia. "In the new environment defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, high school and university students will need substantial support to help them secure a strong foundation for their futures. To achieve better educational outcomes, Caring for Cambodia believes that public-private partnerships involving potential employers like member companies of Prince Holding Group and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport will be key." 

Launched in 2006, the Career Preparation program helps more than 3,000 students every year by imparting information related to scholarships, carrying out career-related training (bolstering their interview skills, for example), offering internships, organizing career fairs, arranging visits to universities and introducing high school students to inspirational speakers from diverse fields. The program equips high school students with a post-graduate toolkit that makes a crucial difference, as students graduating from Caring for Cambodia schools are 18 times more likely to enroll in universities compared to the national average.

"Prince Holding Group is excited to support a high-impact initiative like Caring for Cambodia's Career Preparation program," said Cliff Koh, Secretary-General of Prince Holding Group. "As a responsible Cambodian conglomerate that contributes to sustainable development via education, healthcare and community engagement initiatives, sponsoring Caring for Cambodia's Career Preparation program will help Cambodian youth at an important juncture in their lives." 

Further, the program also helps Caring for Cambodia alumni currently studying at universities with their job search process. Schools supported by Caring for Cambodia are some of the only ones in the country that prepare students with the skills they need to help them qualify for work in growth fields like telecommunications, logistics and conservation.

In the realm of education, Prince Group has offered regular support over the years and most notably brought the art of Swiss watchmaking to Cambodia by establishing the country's first independent watchmaking school last year, which gives Cambodian youth the opportunity to learn a new artisanal skill and gain the necessary experience to help them in job markets in Cambodia and abroad. The Group follows an established environment, social and governance (ESG)^[3] strategy on behalf of member companies, with educational initiatives that bring a long-term impact a key focus.

As a part of an overarching strategy, Prince Group Chairman Neak Oknha Chen Zhi^[4] (陳志公爵) has also answered the call for assistance from the Cambodian Government to combat the February 20 COVID-19 outbreak by announcing plans to donate US$3 million to anti-pandemic efforts. Towards the end of 2020, Chen Zhi also committed US$3 million to help Cambodia purchase COVID-19 vaccines.

Over the years, Prince Charitable Foundation has organized more than 250 charitable events and donated funds and other materials worth more than US$14 million, benefitting more than 500,000 people.

Prince Group will continue to support Cambodians from all walks of life and take a holistic approach to education support in the Kingdom, regularly engaging with the best-in-class solution providers and seeking high-impact initiatives that will ensure sustainable and enduring progress.

References

1. ^{^} Media OutReach (www.media-outreach.com)
2. ^{^} Prince Holding Group (www.princeholdinggroup.com)
3. ^{^} environment, social and governance (ESG) (www.cambodianewswatch.org)
4. ^{^} Neak Oknha Chen Zhi (twitter.com)