Sisters of Code Ambassadors from Takeo Graduation
- Sisters of Code
- Jul 1
- 6 min read
On Saturday, 27 June 2026, Sisters of Code celebrated the graduation of 29 female students in Grades 10 and 11 who successfully completed the 15-week Sisters of Code Ambassadors Program, which is a training-of-trainers program in coding, digital skills, leadership, and project management.
The graduates came from six public high schools in Takeo Province: Sok An Tram Khnar High School, Bunrany Hun Sen Bati High School, Hun Sen 1 Mithona High School, Heng Samrin Prey Lvea High School, Hun Sen Angkor Borey High School, and Ang Roka High School. The expansion of the program into Takeo Province was made possible through the close partnership with the Community Tech Centers (CTCs) of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (MPTC) and with generous support from Liechtenstein Development Service (LED).
From February to May 2026, the students dedicated two hours every Saturday to learning of digital skills, including game development, website development, artificial intelligence, and online safety. Beyond technical skills, they also developed leadership, communication, and project planning skills, preparing them to become student leaders who can inspire and support other girls in their schools and communities.
To celebrate this milestone, the graduation ceremony brought together partners, Community Tech Center representatives, ICT teachers, and students. The celebration began with a graduation ceremony at IT Academy STEP Cambodia in the morning, followed by an educational site visit to SOSORO Museum in the afternoon.
The ceremony opened with welcoming remarks from Mrs. Natalja Rodionova, Founder of Sisters of Code and Managing Director of IT Academy STEP Cambodia Institute. Mrs. Natalja warmly congratulated graduates for their dedication and perseverance throughout the program. Reflecting on their journey, she shared that many students initially felt uncertain and intimidated by coding, yet remained committed to achieving their goal of building digital skills.
Mrs. Natalja also expressed her sincere appreciation to the Community Tech Center of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, the six participating public high schools in Takeo Province, and Liechtenstein Development Service (LED) for their invaluable partnership and continued support of Sisters of Code's mission. She concluded with a powerful message: "We need more girls and women's representation in tech to build a better community, a stronger economy, and more effective development."
The celebration continued with a congratulatory speech by Ms. Saroeurn Leakhena, Deputy Country Coordinator at Liechtenstein Development Service (LED). She shared how proud she was to witness the girls completing the program with dedication and passion for technology. Ms. Leakhena reminded the graduates that although this chapter had come to an end, many exciting opportunities and new challenges lie ahead, experiences that will continue to shape them as lifelong learners and the next generation of changemakers.
Representing the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, Mr. Chan Pheakdey, Deputy Director of the ICT Industry Department, delivered the opening address. He began with a powerful message: "Dream big."
This message strongly resonated with the audience, as the female students had just completed the first step in their journey toward building digital and coding skills. Finally, he concluded his speech by wishing the students a joyful celebration and expressing his appreciation to all partners for successfully nurturing and equipping the students with coding, digital, leadership, and communication skills, all of which are important for their education and future professional endeavors.
Despite the growing importance of digital skills, girls remain significantly underrepresented in Cambodia's technology sector. According to the General Population Census of Cambodia 2019, among young people aged 18-25, only around 5% of women participate in ICT and engineering fields, compared to 22% of men. This gender gap reinforces the importance of Sisters of Code's mission to empower more girls with digital skills and help build a more inclusive digital workforce for Cambodia's future.
The program has already demonstrated encouraging results. According to the final survey of 27 graduating students, 74% reported increased confidence in applying the digital skills they learned, while 96% said they would recommend the program to other girls. Most notably, 100% expressed interest in participating in future Sisters of Code programs, reflecting the positive learning experience and lasting impact the program has had on them.
Behind every successful program is a dedicated educator. Throughout the 15-week journey, Ms. Un Suning, a part-time trainer at Sisters of Code, devoted countless hours to teaching coding and digital skills both online and in person.
During the graduation ceremony, she reflected on her experience working with the students, sharing how inspired she was by their enthusiasm, commitment, and willingness to challenge themselves by learning new skills.
In recognition of her contribution, Mrs. Natalja Rodionova presented Ms. Suning with a certificate of appreciation and a bouquet of flowers as a token of gratitude.
The local ICT teachers have also been one of the pillars of the program's successful implementation in Takeo Province. Mr. Meav Noreakseth, Mr. Suong Channy, Mr. Pann Leangheng, Mr. Chun Bory, Mr. Pech Channa, and Mr. Meng Sreng reflected on the past 15 weeks and shared a common message. They highlighted the remarkable transformation they witnessed, as students progressed from having little knowledge of technology to building foundational skills in game development, website development, and artificial intelligence.
To recognize their commitment and support throughout the program each teacher was presented with a certificate of appreciation and a Sisters of Code tote bag as a token of gratitude.
One of the highlights of the graduation ceremony was hearing directly from the students themselves. Two graduates were invited to share how the Sisters of Code Ambassadors Program contributed to their personal and academic growth.
Ms. Mouk Dalin, an 11th grader from Hun Sen 1 Mithona High School, enthusiastically shared how the program helped strengthen her digital, communication, and problem solving skills. Reflecting on her journey, she said, "The more you try, the more you realize you can do it." Her confidence in delivering this message in front of more than 40 attendees was itself a reflection of the growth she achieved throughout the program.
Ms. Kem Chhorkeo, an 11th grader from Heng Samrin Prey Lvea High School, shared that the program gave her new knowledge and practical skills in technology while helping her become more confident in taking on new challenges. She also expressed how honored she felt to represent young women in technology through the Sisters of Code Ambassadors Program. She concluded her presentation with an inspiring message to her fellow students: "The first step creates opportunities for the next step."
After the reflections, the most exciting moment of the ceremony arrived. As part of the Sisters of Code Ambassadors Program, students who meet the program's evaluation criteria become eligible to lead a coding club at their school with support from Sisters of Code. Each club leader will teach digital and coding skills to 15 girls through the Sisters of Code Clubs Program.
We are delighted to share that six students were selected as club leaders, namely Phal Sreyneath, Kem Chhorkeo, SoKha LeangEy, Vorn Vorneath, Dos Chanboromey, and Samol Many while nine others were chosen as club assistants, including Lai Sreynith, Pak Laichhim, Klim Sreymean, Sruoch Sengkea, Mouk Dalin, Sarin Mana, Yun Saosovanmony, Neang Sreypin, and Heng Sovannyroth. Together, they will lead coding clubs at their respective schools, helping more girls develop digital and coding skills and inspiring the next generation of young women in technology.
The celebration continued with the announcement of the Top Student Awards, recognizing outstanding performance and dedication throughout the 15 week program. This year, eight students from the six participating high schools received the award: Phal Sreyneath, Pak Laichhim, Klim Sreymean, Vorn Vorneath, Seang Sonika, Vann Kimhuoy, Dos Chanboromey, and Samol Many.
The ceremony then moved to one of its most anticipated moments, the presentation of certificates to all 29 graduates. Certificates were presented by Mrs. Natalja Rodionova, Ms. Un Suning, the program trainer, and the heads of the Community Tech Centers from each participating school, recognizing the students' commitment and successful completion of the 15 week program.
Sisters of Code also recognized the invaluable contributions of the Community Tech Centers. As a gesture of appreciation, Mrs. Natalja Rodionova presented a traditional Cambodian krama to five Community Tech Center representatives for their ongoing support in providing learning spaces and coordinating the program at their respective schools.
Delivering the closing remarks, Mrs. Chin Dalin, Project Leader of Sisters of Code, encouraged the graduates to build on everything they had learned over the past 15 weeks and to continue exploring opportunities in technology. She also called on the students to embrace leadership by sharing their knowledge and inspiring more girls to pursue digital skills.
The celebration concluded with a group photo, cake cutting, and lunch before everyone headed to SOSORO Museum for an educational site visit.
Students and teachers had the opportunity to explore Cambodia's economic history through interactive exhibits while learning from two museum guides, whose engaging explanations made the visit both meaningful and enjoyable. Sisters of Code sincerely thanks SOSORO Museum for warmly hosting the group and helping create a memorable learning experience for everyone.
The graduation marked the end of a meaningful 15 week journey, but it is only the beginning for these young women. With new digital skills, greater confidence, and a passion for learning, they are now ready to share their knowledge with other girls and continue growing as future leaders in technology.
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