Opportunity for the Youth
Young people have it especially difficult in Cambodia and in Battambang for many reasons. Everybody with the chance is eager to get good education and the youth spend a lot of time studying English, computer or take other classes in university. But to get a good job and be hired by a company or organization a good degree alone will almost never be enough to get a job. What all the youth need in Cambodia is experience because only with a few years of working in some capacity will open the door to apply for a job. Unfortunately only very few places offer young adults a chance to develop their skill and get an internship or a part time job.
This often leaves youth to sit around and waste time because of a lack of chances to work.
SALT Academy is targeting young leaders from all different backgrounds and with different skills, strengths and weaknesses with the necessairy commitment and discipline to work with the kids in the community. SALT further provides an opportunity for the coaches to develop their leadership skills.
Sports
sports and especially soccer is loved all over the world and the game gathers both young and old to play and watch. Cambodia is no different and people from all levels of society try to find time for a game; any bigger place at the side of the road, empty parking lot or a regular field potentially hosts a game of soccer (often more then once a day).
Unfortunately sports and its development at this stage of Cambodia's history does not get enough attention and youth usually have no opportunity to play on a team, in organized leagues, on a good field or with motivated and educated coaches. The lack of focus on sports for the youth of Cambodia has as a result that the national team over the last years has struggled in international competitions and is far from past glory when in the 60-70's a strong team represented the nation in the Asian games. Currently young talented players are not supported in their development and not enough of the youngsters are raising soccer in Cambodia to a higher level. But a second and more important aspect is the lack of focus on sports connects to all the good opportunities to invest into the youth of this country which are left out. While being part of a (recreational) soccer team, players can learn about team work, compete with each other and learn life skills helping them to grow up in a challenging world.
Currently there are various forms of private and public education that focus primarily on the intellectual development for youth that can afford to study and are enrolled in the school system. Unfortunately there is a significant additional need to develop the emotional, moral and spiritual areas of the youth here in Cambodia, both for the youth still in school and those who have left early. As a result we can see an increase of violence, gangs, use of harmful substances, corruption, pre marital sexual relations, prostitution, gambling and other damaging behaviors among young people.
SALT Academy is targeting youth from all levels of society and aims to give a chance to enjoy playing sports while educating and shaping them.
Historical Background
Cambodia is a country which continues to suffer from the effects of the Regime of the Khmer Rouge 30 years ago, with most people living in poverty due an unstable government for a long time. Even though signs of recovery can be seen, overall the rich continue to prosper while even inflation is especially hard for the poor to cope with. The people of Cambodia live under a belief of limited hope for a better life, avoiding thoughts of a the future, but living for the materialistic things of today. This belief in thinking looks to have direct consequences for the future of the nation, with children and youth getting very little attention and leading to further violence, corruption, human slavery, compulsive gambling as well as other negative behavior patterns amongst Cambodian youth.