Phanna Romas: Montagnard Youth's Story of Making it to University in Cambodia
My name Phanna Romas, I am male, 22 years old, Khmer nationality, Jarai Ethic group, present I am a student 3th years in university in major Computer Science. I had 2 brothers and 3 sisters in my family. First my family lived in Oyadav district, Ratanakiri Province, Cambodia, we moved to Bai village (Jarai village in Ratanakiri province) in 2007 when during my parents divorced.
Dr. Loki Jorgenson Chief Scientist of INETCO traveled to Cambodia, where he met Phanna. Without his own computer, Phanna had been writing his coding assignments out by hand in a notebook. Dr. Jorgenson brought with him a donation of several laptops and spent hours in the evening personally tutoring Phanna.
When I was 4 years old I had big impacted my head with the sewing machine during my home fell down course by wind blows. Than temporary my family had moved to stayed in hospital so long months to building new house. When I was 6 years old I am not yet go to school, because no one sends me to school yet, my parents busy with their work. In 1998 I was grade one, because I like study and hard tries and I took one years for grade one and when I succeeded grade one I got a little knowledge and try again and again with my education, finally I never fail in my education.
Then in 2006 my family got big problem that I never seen before, my parents were devoiced while I was in grade 9, no one supported my education only my mother, and my mother encouraged me and supported sometime enough sometime not enough I’m stilled plan finished grade 12 too.
When I finished grade 12 I am so lucky person, because I had help by CCI (Cambodia Corp Inc.) for my education at University at the major IT (Information Technology) for fourth years. I am so happiest with humanity CCI that helped poorly student to got opportunities continued their education at University. When I had continued my educating at University that supported my CCI, I have opportunities volunteer with CIYA (Cambodia Indigenous Youth Association) they work for indigenous in Cambodia. When I were volunteer in CIYA, I have joined some work shop. They are:
- Training work shop about Geographic Information Systems and training how to use Arc DIS Desktop and ArcView
- Training work shop about Website ( Deep Social Network), and how to create wordpress.com and blogspot.com
- Training work shop Participants Video Training (PVT) at Ifugao community, Baguio city, Philippine.
I am lucky that have joined many work shop, because I am effort and encouraged from my mother, brother and sister, especially supported by CCI (Cambodia Corp Inc.).
Phanna Romas
Eka Society would like to thank Cambodia Corps for their ongoing support of indigenous Montagnard students.
