Can you tell us about your educational background and where you grew up? 

I was raised in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, a country whose beauty and resilience have always inspired me. I pursued a bachelor’s degree in international relations in Cambodia and a master’s in international security policy in France. 

What made you apply to the graduate programme/what is your motivation to work with UNDP?

Growing up in Phnom Penh, I often felt the weight of history and the promise of change side by side. Cambodia, like many developing countries, has been through conflict and loss toward hope and opportunity. I was fortunate to grow up with stability at home with access to education, and parents who believed in my future. Yet, I also knew many of my generation who did not share that security. Those whose house flooded each rainy season, those who going to school was a privilege. 

UNDP focus on human development is what attracted me, be it poverty, planet or governance. The development work bridge solutions to people’s everyday challenges, shaping policies that lift communities, and creating space where progress can last. 

It’s the mix of personal gratitude and the awareness of ongoing works is what drive me. I wanted to stand at the frontline of change, contributing to the kind of progress that opened door for me. UNDP’s Graduate Programme offer exactly that, a chance to serve, to learn from people in every corner of society, and a wide range of expertise who bring hope and practical solutions to those who need them most. 

What are the main activities/tasks you are working on? What is a day at the office/in the field like? 

I am a Programme Analyst with UNDP Lao PDR under Environment unit, where I cover the Disaster Risk Reduction Portfolio and serve as the unit’s communication focal point. For me, no two days look exactly the same, and this is what I passionate the most about my work at the country office. Some morning, I start at my desk in Vientiane, reviewing project workplans, budgets, or reports, making sure activities stay on track and align with both development and government priorities. Someday I am moving across offices for meetings, and workshops. Some other days, I am off from my desk to the field, visiting communities in flood-prone provinces, where we are building evacuation shelters, talking with local leaders about risk mapping, or meeting with coffee planters who are turning former opium plots into high-quality coffee. Those visits remind me of why our works matter. Every policy note, every procurement plan, every negotiation, it ultimately translates into a safer home, a stronger livelihood, a healthier environment, and a better future for the next generation. 

Across all of these are communication, partnership and continual learning. I draft press release and briefing for senior management, design communication and advocacy plan, and coordinating with government counterparts, civil-society partners, development partners, technical expertise, and communitiesto turn ideas into action. I keep track of opportunities and initiative, map out donors and working closely with technical team to for resource mobilization efforts to further support Lao PDR in protecting its natural resources, strengthening climate and disaster resilience, while promoting sustainable inclusive growth for people and communities.