For the upcoming academic year, Prince Charitable Foundation, the charitable arm of Prince Holding Group ("Prince Group"), one of Cambodia's largest and fastest growing conglomerates, will sponsor the Career Preparation programme run by Caring for Cambodia, a leading charity that provides free education to 7,000 impoverished students. The cooperation with Caring for Cambodia, announced on International Youth Day, exemplifies how Prince Group has embarked on a new adventure at a critical moment when youth unemployment in Cambodia is likely to rise owing to the worsening COVID-19 epidemic crisis. Prince Group hopes to invest in Cambodia's future by empowering and validating an institutional approach to youth development by supporting the Career Preparation programme.
“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.”
The Career Preparation programme, which began in 2006, assists over 3,000 students each year by providing scholarship information, conducting career-related training (such as improving interview skills), offering internships, organising career fairs, arranging visits to universities, and introducing high school students to inspirational speakers from various fields. The initiative provides high school students with a post-graduate toolkit, which makes a significant difference, since students graduating from Caring for Cambodia schools are 18 times more likely than the national average to enrol in colleges.
“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.”
Furthermore, the initiative assists Caring for Cambodia alumni who are currently enrolled in university with their employment hunt. Schools supported by Caring for Cambodia are among the few in the country that provide students with the necessary skills to qualify for jobs in high-growth industries such as telecommunications, logistics, and conservation.
In terms of education, Prince Group has provided consistent support over the years, most recently bringing the art of Swiss watchmaking to Cambodia by establishing the country's first independent watchmaking school last year, which provides Cambodian youth with the opportunity to learn a new artisanal skill and gain the necessary experience to help them in job markets in Cambodia and abroad. On behalf of its member companies, the Group follows an established ecological, social, and governance (ESG) policy, with educational programmes that have a long-term impact as a main focus.
As part of an overarching strategy, Prince Group Chairman Neak Oknha Chen Zhi (陳志公爵) has announced plans to donate US$3 million to anti-pandemic operations in response to the Cambodian Government's plea for assistance in combating the February 20 COVID-19 outbreak. Chen Zhi also donated US$3 million till the end of 2020 to assist Cambodia in purchasing COVID-19 vaccinations. Read more here
Over the years, Prince Charitable Foundation has staged over 250 charitable events and contributed monies and other items totaling more than US$14 million to over 500,000 people.
Prince Group will continue to support Cambodians from all walks of life and will adopt a holistic approach to education support in the Kingdom, engaging with best-in-class solution providers on a regular basis and exploring high-impact initiatives that will ensure long-term and sustainable improvement.