In our latest interview, we had the pleasure of speaking with Emily Williamson, the passionate founder of REACH Siem Reap.
From her early days volunteering in Cambodia to establishing a charity that’s making a real difference in the lives of local families, Emily’s journey is one of dedication and heart. She shares insights on what inspired her to start REACH, the challenges of running a non-profit, and how she balances her demanding role with personal life.
Emily, what inspired you to start REACH Siem Reap? Was there a specific moment or experience that made you realise this was your calling?
I fell in love with sustainable development and Non-Government Organisation (NGO) work at age 21 when I first began volunteering in Siem Reap. I remember my final day of placement at that organisation, when I was taken by the local social workers to visit the families the NGO was supporting, and the shock I felt at being confronted by such widespread poverty. In particular, the living conditions of some of the children. Witnessing the adverse conditions directly was the catalyst for wanting to do more.
In 2019, after a couple of intensive years volunteering and fundraising for a grassroots cause within Cambodia, I decided I wanted to establish a new entity. I wanted to create a charity that prompted full transparency with its funds – something that is incredibly important to me. It was at this point that I established REACH Siem Reap, which provides holistic support to Cambodian families, to keep them together and break longstanding cycles of poverty within their community.
You’ve lived between Asia and Australia your whole life. How has that experience shaped your approach to humanitarian work in Cambodia?
I’ve always had close ties to Indonesia. As a child, my mum and dad ran a small business in Bali which meant I spent quite a lot of time there growing up. With their business, my parents were extremely passionate & firm with the idea they wanted to operate a local-led model, which involved hiring from the community only.
I learned so much about the culture, belief systems and how to respectfully engage with local communities in a foreign country simply from being present and witnessing those interactions in their business.
This experience was further enriched during my year abroad at Swinburne University’s Sarawak Campus in Borneo. Immersed in a different culture, I gained a profound appreciation for cross-cultural collaboration and the power of mutual learning.
These are some of the main reasons we also operate a local-led model at REACH Siem Reap, whereby only Khmer employees lead and deliver programs to the community. We want the next generation to know that ‘if you can see it, you can be it’ as we seek to drive positive and sustainable solutions.
Running a charity must be incredibly rewarding but also challenging. How do you balance the demands of your work with your personal life?
Running a charity is incredibly rewarding but as with everything, it can still be testing. With the organisation still in its formative years, fundraising remains something that is a high priority for us and something that at times can be challenging.
From a work-life balance perspective and as I’m sure a lot of founders can relate to; it comes in ebbs and flows. Some months I can maintain a healthy balance, whereas other months I struggle with it. Fortunately, my partner is extremely encouraging and understanding when I hit the busy times. Having a professional support network as well as an incredible team to delegate work to also helps as it ensures that I never reach burnout.
Can you walk us through a typical day for you in Siem Reap? What are some daily routines or habits that help you stay motivated and focused?
No two days are the same. Each day brings new opportunities and challenges. Staying motivated however is something that comes easy to me. In times of stress, I often stop what I’m doing and take a moment to look outside the office window and watch the kids learning or playing outside. Khmer people (Cambodians) are extremely positive and resilient people.
The energy, compassion and determination of the children in the face of adversity is something that motivates me daily. When you are so blindly passionate about something, doing the work feels like the easy part, it is the switching off that is the challenge.
What are some strategies you use to manage stress and prevent burnout, especially given the emotionally demanding nature of your work?
I am a big fan of cycling. I wake up at 5am most mornings and aim to have two hours by myself before work on my bike. I also ensure I have at least one full day off, out of seven, to regather my thoughts, talk and unwind with my family, friends and support network.
You’ve witnessed a lot of change and impact through your charity. Can you share a story that stands out to you as particularly meaningful or transformative?
There are so many incredible stories, it’s too hard to pinpoint just one. The below milestones however are something I am extremely proud of;
- Surviving the pandemic. Three days after we opened ‘our school’ the government enforced its closure under the pandemic mandate. During this time, we pivoted our focus and attention onto the development of our programs and in doing so kept all 15 local staff employed throughout the pandemic.
- Completing our first inaugural 650 km charity bike ride in 2022 following two years of cancelled events due to COVID. That year, 31 selfless individuals cycled across the Kingdom of Cambodia to raise over $200k AUD for local families. It is the most we’ve raised from one event to date. We are however aiming to raise even more on our 2025 Charity Bike Ride in January in which we still have availability for riders.
- Celebrating our beneficiaries’ achievements into further education. To date, REACH Siem Reap has helped facilitate 6 x University scholarships, 1 x vocational training graduate placement and 3 x hospitality training course placements.
As someone who has lived in different parts of the world, how do you stay connected to your roots and maintain a sense of home?
For most of the year, my family is based in Indonesia so they can visit me more frequently than if they were in Australia which makes staying connected a lot easier. I’m also incredibly lucky that my family is very supportive of the work I do and help facilitate.
Since its inception, my father has been involved in ‘Ride to Reach’, which is our annual cycling fundraising event whereby cyclists take on the Kingdom of Cambodia over 11-days. Being able to combine spending quality time with him while at the same time, raising vital funds for our school, is something I am grateful for.
I am also required to travel once a year for work to Australia to fundraise. If schedule allows, I will always try to add some personal time to the end of the trip to reconnect with friends and family.
Looking ahead, what are your future goals for REACH Siem Reap? Are there any new projects or initiatives you’re particularly excited about?
Our goal at REACH Siem Reap is to be able to provide every student at our school with a pathway to fair employment and a fair wage either through a scholarship for further education or a vocational training placement.
Our investment in a child’s education and journey with each family can span 15 years; we are currently supporting more than 250 kids aged 4.5 through to young adulthood.
Over the next 5 years’, we anticipate that over 70 students will have graduated from our program, which is incredibly exciting. Our hope is that these students become the first of many within their families, to break the poverty cycle.
