Sound Principles of Self-Reliance Presented to Hundreds of Young Single Adults from Throughout Cambodia. 

"I Will Determine a Bright Future," was the theme of the first ever Self-Reliance Conference workshop, held for over 200 energetic Cambodian young single adults ages 18 to 30, who were invited to attend from throughout the country. The designated venue was the beautiful Garden City Hotel, in Phnom Penh. The conference was sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and planned under the direction of Yi Phanna, Manager Self-Reliance Services, Cambodia, for the specific purpose of teaching individual self-reliance skills and principles, to create a vision of a brighter future for success to those seeking to improve their lives. During the two-day conference, each participated in activities, lectures, assessments and evaluation, and hands on training, which analyzed individual strengths to internalize principles of proven success.

Chad Furness, Asia Area Manager of Self Reliance Services for the LDS Church, traveled from Tiawan to be one of the facilitators leading the workshop. The seminar, separated into six areas of focus, allowed each individual to emerge with a clarity of their personal strengths and skills using the outcome of the information to improve their present and future careers. These segments included financial, health, self-reliance, recognizing and learning problem solving skills, learning to set and attain goals using the results of their personal evaluation, and how to grow financially.

Finally, implementing the skills and knowledge acquired through the workshop, the large group was divided into individual teams for an entrepreneurial challenge, (contest) which included a time deadline. Each team was given a directive to create a business opportunity plan for a new business to be presented the following morning for approval (in front of their peers) and to three successful businessmen who acted as judges. Given only a few hours, each group had extraordinary ideas, successfully creating business plans with PowerPoints to illustrate their product/business including a bussiness plan, budget, and marketing.  Winners of the competition were announced following their presentations and according to one of the highly qualified judges, Vichit Ith, 

"I have judged college business competitions that were not as good as some of our Young Single Adults prepared in much less time." 

The desired outcome of the conference was, for each participant, to be instilled with belief and confidence in themselves and a clear path to follow to improve their future lives and careers and to contribute to the future economic emergence of their beloved Cambodia.

Success of  presenting such a specific workshop is best judged by some of the comments of those young people who attended such as the one below:

"When we are self-reliant, we use the blessings and abilities our Redeemer has given us to care for ourselves and our families finding solutions to our own problems."

Utimately, success for individuals attending this seminar, will only be achieved as they take personal responsibility to make adjustments in behavior, habits and to develop their individual strengths and expertise.