Southeast Asia is undergoing a sea change in socioeconomics and the environment. But its people won’t have forge ahead alone.
Equipped with a new $1 million donation from the Henry Luce Foundation, the UH Center for Southeast Asian Studies will work to create close mentorship programs that transcend institutional boundaries through joint fieldwork, professional training, conference participation, and scholarly publication.
With their expertise in Southeast Asia, Sothy Eng and Thao Le from Human Development and Family Studies were invited to join the team. Their role will be to participate in on-campus UH project activities, attend sequential project workshops and training sessions with Cambodia-based colleagues, and collaborate with project participants.
“My excitement is that this grant will provide networking opportunities with students and scholars from Southeast Asian universities, as well as with our own UHM colleagues in other colleges who share a passion for finding solutions to growing global environmental issues impacting Southeast Asia,” says Sothy.
He adds, “I am most excited that Thao and I will represent CTAHR and share our expertise in the human and family sides of the changes in urbanization and labor migration facing children and families in Southeast Asia.
“Migration and urbanization are changing gender roles and norms in relation to work and creating power struggles that can result in family disruption and violence or abuse. Childrenʻs educational attainment is also impacted by the increase in parents leaving home for work in the city, leading to rising school dropout rates in many countries in Southeast Asia.”
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