Children as Agents of Change
Peace Team Cambodia Learning Review, May 2025
“I’ve learned about children’s rights, and I pray that children in my village will grow up smart and strong.”
In May, Viva’s partner network in Cambodia, PEACE Team Cambodia (PTC), conducted a locally led Learning Review with children, churches and community members in two cities, Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. The aim of the Learning Review was to celebrate and reflect on the progress and challenges of various programmes, including capacity-building training in child protection, church collaboration, and Learning Spaces. The declaration above was from one child who has clearly grown in knowledge about themselves and a passion for seeing other children develop, too.
Child participation and community empowerment were key priorities of this engagement as PTC and Viva facilitated an environment where children and community members were empowered to share openly as experts of the change and challenges that they have experienced. The focus group discussions and listening exercises for the adults started with worship and prayer, while the children were led in Khmer games and a drawing exercise. As the reflection activities began, it was very clear that setting the atmosphere of the room cultivated an environment of comfort for genuine dialogue.
There were about 8-10 children in each focus group, and a "River of Life" exercise was conducted, where the children were able to share the stories of their experiences and their future dreams for themselves as well as their peers, communities and villages. Children were invited to stand up when they spoke, and it was encouraging to witness their voices grow louder and their confidence increase as they realised how much their opinions were being valued.
As many of them shared their experiences, it was clear that the church-led Learning Spaces have been a place of flourishing and learning for them, places where the children felt listened to, cared for, and encouraged. One key moment in one of the discussions was when a question was asked: "What is one thing you would like the adults around you to know?", to which one girl responded: "I want my parents and adults to know and to tell me that I am a smart and kind-hearted and capable teenager."
Photographs courtesy of Peace Teams Cambodia.
It was encouraging to see that, as they shared prayer requests, these included those that were inward-looking:
I pray for motivation and strength from Jesus.
I want to become a good and faithful youth in church.
As well as outward-looking:
I pray that pastors continue to empower all children, and care for those who have been abused or exploited.
One 16-year-old girl who attended Bible study and participated in the Learning Space for two years gave an important testimony: "I was invited by friends to join the English class and Bible study on Sundays. After regularly attending church on Saturdays and Sundays, I learned about self-protection, hygiene, child protection, and important life skills. Now, I’m more confident speaking in public. I’ve gained a sense of morality and respect—and adults listen to me more. I’m more open, I love myself and those around me, and I enjoy sharing my knowledge with others, including adults. I’ve also learned to manage my time and responsibilities, and I’m now actively involved in serving at church on Sundays. I truly love learning and want to continue my education through high school."
Other children echoed similar sentiments of change:
I have changed a lot since joining the church—I’ve become patient and less angry.
I now feel wiser and have let go of the sorrow in my heart.
I have changed as I now have the opportunity to serve in the church.
During the Learning Review, many children expressed a strong desire and commitment to education and demonstrated their sense of responsibility and resilience despite the socio-economic challenges they faced. However, one of the most notable changes expressed by children was their growing confidence and sense of agency. Many are now brave enough to speak with adults to express their concerns, raise issues, and seek help, something they had previously lacked the courage to do. They also showed awareness and practical application of self-protection strategies against abuse, supported by their knowledge of child rights and the Child Protection Policy.
In their role of observing the children, one of the consultants noted that, “Children were not only benefiting from the support of mentors and teachers but also stepping into supportive roles for others. As they shared their experiences, we learned how children advocated for others, how they shared their knowledge about child protection with peers in their schools and communities and had the courage to approach trusted adults when they noticed others at-risk or in need of protection.”
Adrienne, a coach who supports partner networks in Asia, very much enjoyed being able to support this exercise. “This Learning Space review carried out by Peace Teams Cambodia and Viva demonstrates that when adults, churches, communities, and society facilitate safe environments for children to share their experiences, empower them to discover and use their voices, and create opportunities for them to lead, children are no longer seen as passive recipients of programmes, but rather active agents of change.”
Learning Spaces are run in various ways in several Viva-supported partner networks, contextualised to the country and culture in Asia, Africa and Latin America. This review exercise serves as an encouragement to networks as it highlights the benefits to children in Cambodia, and enables other networks to be inspired and have hope that, in their Learning Spaces, they, too, will see children become agents of change.
Follow Peace Teams Cambodia here: https://www.facebook.com/peaceteamcambodia/.