Every night, during dinner time, from 7:00–8:00pm, audiences who like watching CTN News will hear the news read by many anchors of the TV station. A youth named OM Chet Channara, 21 years old, a former smart boy champion in 2009, is one of the anchors who read news on this popular TV station.

This young MC came first in the intelligence competition program known as “Smart Girl & Boy 2009” organized by CTN every year since 2005. This former smart boy 2009 who is naturally handsome and has an attractive voice and considerable experience in social work has been making efforts to expand his fame and popularity in the arts world that is growing strongly in Cambodian society right now.

With a cheerful face, a tall and well-built body, fair complexion and pleasant and inviting voice, Nara is from Preah Sihanouk province from a humble background. His father is a police officer; his mother is a housewife, and he has four siblings. Nara comes second in the family. Although their livelihood was not very good, Nara received warmth, happiness and every support from the family, and all the siblings attend school. “I am here because of my commitment and the support of my family,” said Nara.

Nara who used to be a newspaper hawker in coffee shops passed his high school examination in Preah Sihanouk province in 2008 as a result of his own efforts in study as well as with the support and encouragement of his parents. At present, Nara is a second-year student of the English Department, Build Bright University in Phnom Penh, and Advisor of Child Advocate Network (CAN) of NGO Committee on the Rights of the Child (NGOCRC) whose head office is located in Phnom Penh and which has operation areas in the capital and 10 provinces.

This handsome presenter said that his life changed in 2005 when he volunteered as a member of the Child Protection Group Club of LICADHO in Preah Sihanouk province. The capacity of an ordinary boy like him has been strengthened and developed through the activities and programs of the club. In 2006, he also volunteered to be a member of CAN of NGOCRC and a member of Cambodian Child and Youth Mobilization for Child Rights (CCYMCR) of the Child Rights Foundation (CRF). The participation in Child Club and Child Network polished Nara’s courage, thinking ability, critical speaking skills, and knowledge of social issues, especially his knowledge related to child rights. Finally, because of his knowledge and experience combined with his commitment and efforts, members of Child Advocate Network considered Nara as an outstanding member and elected him as the Leader of the networks with members in the capital and 10 provinces in 2007.

A youth named BIENG Raiya, a former CAN Leader, following Nara, said, “All the members in the groups like Nara, because he has good relationships and he is smart and always has new ideas for our Child Network.” Raiya added that Nara likes joking, is easy-going, and makes friends with all kinds of people, both before and since he became a star. He also often shares the knowledge he has gained from participating in activities as well as his experiences to group members.

 As the Leader of the Child Advocate Network and member of Child Club, Nara participated in social development activities including outreach activities in the areas of trafficking, sexual exploitation, sex tourism and child labor, youth reproductive health, drugs, HIV/AIDs, sexual transmitted disease (STD), life skills, birth spacing for citizens, parents, teachers, students, civil servants, authorities, business owners, craft enterprise owners, guesthouse and hotel owners of all social strata both in the downtown areas and other areas in Preah Sihanouk province, particularly the children, so that they are aware of their rights and know how to protect themselves from abuse such as having to work in fishing lots, as garbage collectors, vagrants, living with NGOs and working as sellers along beaches. Such outreach activities were conducted in groups through many means including parades, short story performance, education story writing, poem composition, concert, public forum programs, education song singing, Q&A programs, radio chat program, youth camping, monthly report meeting with club members, etc. Nara is also a member of the Child Protection Network, which plays a surveillance role against abusive acts against children in the community.

Nara also spends his free time from study to participate as the representative of children in Preah Sihanouk province and in Cambodia in workshops and important meetings in order to discuss and carry the messages about children’s issues in the local communities to groups of decision makers nationally and internationally. For example, in 2007, Nara participated in providing comments on the draft report of the government on the implementation of child rights in Cambodia, and participated in providing comments and recommendations on the development of the law on juvenile justice for children in conflict with the laws. In the same year, Nara was also elected to participate in Southeast Asian Child Conference in the Philippines in order to prepare a statement for ASEAN children to be submitted to all the ASEAN leaders. With these opportunities, Nara has gained new knowledge and experience, which he often shares with other Cambodian children who have not had such opportunities.

“The knowledge, experiences, abilities I have saved have brought me unexpected success and help guide my life direction,” said Nara with excitement and pride. He continued, “I won the contest as the smart boy because of this valuable knowledge and experience combined with natural talent, relentless efforts and discipline, guidance from the surrounding people and, particularly, the support of my family.”

Nara affirmed that it was the biggest new success in his life. It not only gave honor to him but also gave great honor to his family, friends and the people around him making them very proud of him. With this trophy, Nara learns more about arts and society. “I have learnt and have a good understanding about culture, tradition, traditional dances and songs, and traditional Khmer clothes.” At the same time, Nara also learnt about the taste of life, in which he knows about difficulties and struggle, living away from home, daily living standards, including sleeping, standing, sitting, eating in society, and achieving good friendships with the group members who have helped him to become a new person.

Mr. MEAS Samnang, Secretary General of NGOCRC said, “Nara is a brave boy with high commitment, who spends his personal time to strengthen capacity in order to gain recognition from society.” He added that what led to Nara’s success today was his positive personality that helped him to be outstanding among the children and youth; it especially enabled him to get on well with children and adults. It was also undeniable that Nara’s success was partly contributed to by the experiences he gained from CAN and the organizations in which Nara had participated.

Mr. Samnang asserted that, he himself as well as CAN was proud of and happy about the luck as well as the new successes of Nara who had become a star in the art world. It transformed Nara’s situation from being a poor ordinary boy to being person with clear life goals, who is responsible for himself, learns through difficulties, competition, which have shaped his character, and taught him how to speak and act with morality in society.

Currently, Nara is a staff member of CTN who plays a role as a newsreader and news typist who makes reasonable money to support his studies and daily living. At present, when he is free from work and study, Nara takes the opportunity to model clothes in a clothes shop and act in movie and song production, which was a childhood dream of his. At the same time, Nara often spends time sharing his knowledge and experience and participates in CAN activities.

Nara won the first rank in the Smart Girl & Boy contest in 2009 in which there were more than 8,000 contestants from 15 cities/provinces.

Nara (third from the left) and CAN members from the capital and 10 provinces.

(by KONG Angkea Voleak and LAY Rattana)