Youth Dreams: Building Brighter Futures

With over 20 years of experience in the hospitality and hotel industry in Siem Reap, Mr. Makara has created something truly remarkable with Youth Dreams. Established in 2016, Youth Dreams was born from his vision of empowering young people to build better lives by equipping them with skills to secure employment, improve their nutrition, and earn an income that supports their families. The lack of access to education, nutrition, or income opportunities traps many children in a cycle of poverty that can be nearly impossible to escape.

Makara began by reaching out to his network within the hospitality industry, seeking like-minded individuals who shared his vision. He needed people with not just the right skills but the right attitude. Through partnerships with non-profit organizations (NPOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), as well as mass distribution of flyers and word-of-mouth referrals, he gathered the first cohort of students for Youth Dreams.

The program’s foundational courses—food and beverage service, housekeeping, food preparation and front office —have been the cornerstones since the beginning. Looking to the future, Youth Dreams aims to expand with additional training in bakery and electronic technician skills.

Each class is structured as a six-month in-house program, combining vocational training with English and Chinese language lessons, as well as computer literacy. This comprehensive approach ensures that students graduate well-rounded and ready to enter the job market.