Keisha has joined JWOC as the Fundraising and Communications Manager. She recently graduated from the University of Edinburgh with an MSc in Health Policy (focused on Health Inequalities). Over the last few years, Keisha has been a Student Coordinator with Save the Children UK and a Policy and Campaigns Assistant at her University’s Students’ Association.

Keisha is an avid campaigner who is passionate about human rights and empowering young people to become socially responsible and politically engaged citizens. She is excited to be back in Asia and working with such a diverse and welcoming community.

We asked her about her educational experiences, motivations and more:

What did you study and why?

When I was applying to University, I knew that I wanted to work at an NGO. My high school was really focused on giving back to the community, whether it was by teaching students from local orphanages basic IT skills, or doing arts and crafts with Alzheimer’s patients. I wanted to know how I could engage with different groups of people and support positive political change, so I decided to study Social Policy and Politics, and then pursued an MSc in Health Policy and Health Inequalities.

Why did you want to work at JWOC?

I really wanted to work with JWOC because of its clear vision to support young people in Cambodia to follow their educational aspirations. While I was at University, I had the opportunity to mentor younger students to help them feel motivated to pursue higher education, so it was a natural fit.

Which other NGO’s have you worked with?

I discovered my love of spreadsheets at Cancer Research UK, where I was a Policy and Public Affairs Intern (and there is no shortage of spreadsheets at JWOC). While I was at University, I also volunteered with Save the Children UK for 4 years, raising awareness of the organisation through public speaking, campaigning and supporting other student groups. This is where I really developed my fundraising and communications experience, which I am excited to use at JWOC!

What types of things can you usually be seen doing at JWOC?

I really enjoy the variety of the role – I’ll often be found working on a fundraising campaign, making posts for our social media, or giving guests tours of JWOC. One of the best things about the job is definitely being able to interact with our Scholarship students and sharing their experiences with our followers. On the left, you can see a behind-the-scenes picture from a recent post about Phann’s new job, which you can read here.

What has been your favourite thing about JWOC so far?

Every single person I have met at JWOC has been so friendly and motivated to inspire change in Cambodia. The scholarship students that we support work so hard and are such an ambitious group of young people. I also love eating mangos with my colleagues, and cuddling Juju of course.