Souresday from Phnom Penh!
Today was our second to last full day in Cambodia, and although things move a lot slower here than in the States, none of us can believe how quickly the time has gone by. We spent most of the day hanging out with the kids at the Phnom Penh orphanage. While most of the team led the kids in the children’s program, John and Steve gave a workshop on Microsoft Word to some of the older kids at the orphanage. They also worked their IT magic and debugged all the computers in the New Hope office, as well as hooked up all the computers with wireless Internet. Dr. Jake had the opportunity to learn about some of the children’s health issues, as well as give some medical recommendations. All in all, I’d say it was a very “productive” day.
I want to take a step back and write about some of my thoughts regarding the social enterprise* portion of our trip. As someone with a strong interest in business, this has been the one of most intellectually stimulating and challenging aspects of the trip for me. It has also been a source of immense encouragement and hope in a nation that is caught between a violent, broken past and a future that may be forcing Cambodia to develop at a speed that it is not prepared for.
A few days ago, we had the opportunity to sit down with Tim and Oloff from Hagar Enterprises and to learn about how they are using business to bring change to Cambodia. They explained how through enterprises like Hagar Catering, Soya, and H.O.T., they are able to rehabilitate and reintegrate victims of sex trafficking and sexual abuse back into society. Personally, it is so encouraging and inspiring to see that a business can thrive and be profitable, while maintaining high values and a social conscience. Wall Street definitely has a thing or two to learn from these guys...
Finally, I want to leave you with some food for thought. While we were at Hagar Enterprises, Tim made the interesting comment that every time you and I purchase a product or a service, we are in essence “casting a vote.” We are casting a vote for whether or not we support a business’s values and practices. Through as simple of an act as consciously choosing where to buy a shirt from, each and every one of us possesses the power to shape this world into a place that more closely resembles the Kingdom of God. What kind of world have you cast your vote for today?
- Michelle
*Social enterprises are social mission driven organizations which trade in goods or services for a social purpose.
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