Sreyna Sam
Hagar International Foundation
Operations Manager for Client Care
Our work is to walk along side, behind the client and family helping their resiliency and strength so that they live safe, independently in the community of their choice. Family, community are the best support for the client.

Background Information

  • Master of Art in Social Work, Royal University of Phnom Penh 
  • Master of Business Administration: Management, Asia Euro University - Phnom Penh  
  • Bachelor Degree in English Education, Asia Euro University - Phnom Penh  
  • Diploma of Christian Ministry: Christian Education, Phnom Penh Bible School 

Our Interview With Practitioner

What are the most important things you’ve learned from this work?

Team working and communication is what I could share with others. Also, case management in Hagar’s practice response to Cambodia context. To do that well, ensuring the team well-being is one of the essential factors. When people get enough support they can learn and confidently move towards independent working.

I would like to learn more about good practices of other countries in terms of providing social work services to the survivors helping sustainability. I would like to learn more about effective management and leadership globally and I am also interested in learning about proposal writing and fundraising.

Why you do this work?

 

I was born in a refugee camp during Cambodia war time after the Pol Pot regime. I’ve personally had a tough life, facing discrimination and abuse. Helping those who suffer from the impact of trauma resulting from human right abuse, trafficking, and slavery, and helping them to be stronger, to have dreams and have hopes for their lives, is the reward of my life. 

Through helping other survivors heal, I am healed from my own trauma. So, being one of the parts walking with women, and children including men who suffer from the impact of trauma resulting from human right abuse, trafficking, and slavery helping them stronger, valued, to have a dream and hope for their life is the reward of my life.  

 

What are the best approaches for supporting families?

Cambodian families have experienced grief and loss during genocide/wars and most of them are the survivors of the genocide. They live with and carry the grief and loss and trauma which also affects the next generation in terms of how they care and educate the children. Therefore, if there is more support on working more with families and also a focus on dealing with their trauma, I believe that would benefit them in living free from trauma and for them to be able to provide better care/education for the next generation to be healthier emotionally and physically. 

Where They Operate

Key Areas of Work

Community/Social Services
,
Family Strengthening/Family Preservation
and
Family-Based Alternative Care

Languages Spoken

ខ្មែរ (Khmer)
English

Practitioner Resources

Parliament of Australia

The Australian Parliament has released a Report of its inquiry into establishing a Modern Slavery Act in Australia. This Inquiry Report recognizes orphanage trafficking as a form of modern slavery to be included in the Act. 

Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade - Commonwealth of Australia

This document includes the full transcript of the public hearings of the Australian Parliamentary Inquiry in preparation for a Modern Slavery Act.