The Cambodian Equestrian Federation (CEF) plans to inaugurate an innovative vocational training initiative in early March, aiming to enhance the involvement of young females in Cambodia’s growing equestrian industry.
Funded by a Gender Equality Grant from FEI Solidarity, the program’s primary goal is to offer comprehensive guidance and support to females aged 15 to 20, assisting them in building sustainable careers as stable grooms or riding center staff.
Conducted at the Genius Resort, CEF’s new training hub in Phnom Penh, the program enjoys official backing from FEI President and FEI Solidarity Committee Chair Ingmar De Vos, along with FEI Vice President and Group VIII Chair Jack Huang, both of whom recently visited the training facilities and met with the ten enrolled participants.
According to H.R.H. Nanda-Dévi Norodom, Secretary General of CEF and architect of the training programme, “We are honoured to be the recipients of this Gender Equality Grant and the financial support from FEI Solidarity will go a long way to improving the know-how required for equestrian activities to grow and thrive in our country, while giving these young women the opportunity to make significant economic contributions to society,”
“In Cambodia, the equine sector has a shortage of skilled and qualified professionals which makes it impossible to address the increasing demand and needs of the different stakeholders in the equestrian sector.
“While this programme blends practical and theoretical learning, participants will also be taught basic English vocabulary relating to horses, grooming, and riding. Our aim is to ensure that these young women leave the programme well-prepared for the workforce and can avail of any and all opportunities for employment.
“An added bonus of the programme is that grooming provides a direct contact with the horse and helps to develop personal confidence, responsibility and autonomy. So, we’re also helping these young women develop the necessary soft skills they require to succeed in their chosen field of work.”
A United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report titled “The Gender Wage Gap in Cambodia” highlights persistent gender disparities despite recent progress. Women lag in economic empowerment and higher education compared to men.The report also underscores women’s significant contributions to families and communities through investments of time and earnings. Enhanced education equips women with valuable skills for social engagement.
20 women, organized into two groups of 10, will participate in the CEF vocational training program. Upon completion, CEF will assist graduates in finding employment opportunities.
Explaining the FEI Solidarity Committee’s decision to support the project, Ingmar De Vos said, “We received a large number of applications for the Gender Equality Grant in 2023, and this vocational training programme in Cambodia stood out for its potential to create a culture of good practice that benefits the horse, as well as to change the economic situations of these young women over the long term.
“We are pleased to see that the Cambodian Equestrian Federation has not taken a short-term view, but has implemented a project that goes to the heart of community change and which plays a crucial role in making these young women self-sufficient so that sustainable change can be brought to their lives, and those of their family members.”
The initiative has garnered extensive backing from local, national, and global entities. Participants are chosen from the People Improvement Organization (PIO) in Cambodia, associated with FEI’s Official Charity Partner JustWorld International. Particularly, Cambodia’s Queen Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk has expressed strong support, emphasizing her dedication to women’s empowerment.
Jack Huang explained, “Solidarity projects such as this vocational training programme in Cambodia goes beyond just financial support. It also requires community members and leaders to work hand-in-hand to realise a shared vision,”
“The vision here is that women matter, and that women can and do play an important role in equestrian activities and can contribute positively to the social and economic fabric of Cambodian society. And if equestrian sport can play its part in changing strongly held views on gender equality and redefining societal norms, then sport can really live up to the ideal that it has the power to change the world.”