Designing a Better Infrastructure Future for Cambodia With An Australia Awards Scholarship

• Proeksa Meas
• 31 December 2015
• Construction Focus
• 1425 Views

Poverty has decreased in Cambodia from 53 percent of the population in 2004 to less than 20 percent today. However, the Cambodian people have limited access to sanitation, good roads and electricity due to poor infrastructure development. Building quality infrastructure is critical to the continued development of Cambodia and the country needs professional Cambodians with good knowledge, experience and a passion to improve fellow Cambodians’ lives and livelihoods. People like Oung Ponnaka, an Australia Awards alumnus, whose work focuses on rural infrastructure projects such as irrigation, road construction and small community buildings throughout Cambodia, benefiting thousands of Cambodians.

As a teenager Oung was unsure what he wanted to pursue for a career but as he grew older he realised how important infrastructure was for Cambodia. ‘I then decided that infrastructure was the priority subject for me as I saw that infrastructure development was weak’.

After completing his tertiary studies at the Institute of Technology of Cambodia he became a civil engineer specialising in water resources. As he continued to work he knew that if he wanted to continue to contribute to the development of Cambodia he needed to upgrade his skills, and that with infrastructure as a growing technical discipline, this would also help his career development.

Through a one-year Australia Awards scholarship, Oung had the opportunity to gain valuable additional professional skills in water infrastructure. He completed a Master of Technology (Construction Management) at Swinburne University in Melbourne from 2009 to 2010. Since his return to Cambodia he has been promoted to Senior Design and Management Irrigation Engineer on an Australian Government-funded program.

Through his studies he was able to understand the importance of design in construction, as well as ensuring the profitability of infrastructure and how to look after those working on infrastructure sites through health and safety training.

Oung didn’t just learn in the classroom during his time in Australia. He and his children, who attended school in Australia, learnt about other cultures, different ways of learning and gained valuable life experience.

‘It is an excellent scholarship’ says Oung. ‘My personal benefit was to build on my capacity, knowledge and skill which has led to a promotion to a higher paid position. On the social capacity I see that my projects have been supporting the development of Cambodia through having correct conceptual design and ensuring it is the right infrastructure development for this country.’

The prestigious Australia Awards Scholarships have been offered by the Australian Government in Cambodia for over 50 years as a fundamental part of the Australian aid program. As Australia Awards scholars, recipients can gain an internationally-recognised qualification from an Australian university and have the chance to pursue a career that makes a difference in the lives of Cambodians.

For more information visit

http://www.australiaawardscambodia.org/infra