Weaving Women Leadership for Change: Fong Chompey
Ms. Fong Chompey is one of the inspiring women of Weaving Women Leadership for Change (WWLC), a Women Peace Makers’ program that supports emerging women leaders in civil society in Cambodia. The program provides the tools and space for these women to come together to learn, explore, inspire, celebrate and share about themselves and their leadership challenges.
Ms. Chompey currently serves as the deputy head of Cambodia Indigenous Women Working Group (CIWWG). She belongs to the Jarai indigenous group, located in Ratanakiri, Cambodia. She works mainly on women’s rights and environmental issues through advocacy, research, facilitation, and mobilization of Indigenous People.
Growing up within her tribal community and witnessing how women and girls were devalued, Chompey developed her passion to work for the promotion of the rights of indigenous women and girls. In her community, most girls cannot pursue higher education and are expected to fulfill domestic roles. Women earn little to no income and rarely hold leadership positions.
Chompey reflected on her experience after participating in the WWLC program:
“At first, I was very skeptical of joining WPM’s Weaving Women’s Leadership for Change (WWLC) since my work schedule is really tight. Yet, I thought maybe I should try as I want to push myself further. After joining, it makes me feel different and special. The modules of each workshop are interrelated and build on one another. I appreciate the Community Change Project which allowed participants to work as a team, applying what we learned into practice and contributing to our own community. The sessions on feminism and women’s empowerment provided me with another way of reflecting on my own experience as a woman, which is very eye-opening and makes me more passionate about what I am doing for the women and girls in my community. I really enjoy learning from the facilitators and especially other participants.
The sessions on feminism and women’s empowerment provided me with another way of reflecting on my own experience as a woman, which is very eye-opening and makes me more passionate about what I am doing for the women and girls in my community.
Another element of the WWLC program that I appreciated was the focus on self-care, especially meditation. Before joining this program, I found my mind constantly thinking about work, which caused me to overlook caring for myself and easily feeling stressed and burnt out. I have taken the meditation practice as a routine because that can help me stay focused amidst problems, fall asleep faster and find my center. I realize that I smile more and can control my negative thoughts better when they arise. Self-care is so much more than beauty; it also means taking care of your mental health.
Before joining WWLC program, I lacked confidence, feared being judged and thought of myself as inferior due to my status as an indigenous person, with limited experience and education. Some people see indigenous people as lazy and quiet. Yet, with the knowledge and skills provided in WWLC, I have been able to gradually unlearn these haunting stereotype mindsets and see myself as capable and full of potential.
Being away from my home village and staying in Phnom Penh, I have been trying to find a support system that I can count on and trust. That’s why another component I like is the WWLC’s Sisterhood Mentorship Program. I am looking for women with whom I can talk openly and honestly about work, personal life and professional growth. I especially appreciate having someone as a sister so we can support each other and shine together. I am so happy that my dream came true to get a mentor. Joining WWLC has helped me to build my knowledge and capacity through key topics such as self-care, feminist transformative leadership, team leadership, self-awareness, especially real life stories from other participants and mentors. The sharing experiences are the best lessons and life-changing experience for me. It motivates me to see my own potential to try speaking out and being myself. WWLC is a safe space for women to learn together, to speak out, to inspire each other and to support each other.
My dream is to see more indigenous women reaching their full potential and to change traditional negative stereotypes and perceptions on women and girls in indigenous communities.
My dream is to see more indigenous women reaching their full potential and to change traditional negative stereotypes and perceptions on women and girls in indigenous communities. Women of indigenous communities can also take on important leadership roles and meaningfully participate in the decision-making process in their family, community, and society.”
Support programs like Women Peace Maker’s WWLC and other programs that support women’s rights, indigenous communities and community development by contributing to our 2020 Annual Appeal.