New Partnership with Starwood Hotels to Support Students

November 2011 -

We are excited to share the fantastic news that Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and EGBOK Mission have formed a partnership to fund EGBOK Mission students through hospitality education and training and by providing job opportunities at Starwood Hotels to give back to the Cambodian community.

Starwood, which includes brands such as W Hotels, Le Méridien and Sheraton, will be supporting EGBOK Mission students through hospitality training and education for the 2011-2012 school year. Starwood’s support will provide one student with a full scholarship to attend vocational school for an intensive, one-year training program. This scholarship includes school tuition, housing, food and living essentials, school supplies, transportation to and from school, an array of social services and supplemental computer and language courses.

Two EGBOK Mission students are already employed at Starwood’s Le Méridien Angkor hotel in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

EGBOK Mission student Kea, is an example of how EGBOK Mission and Starwood Hotels will provide for underprivileged young adults in Cambodia.

Kea spent most of his childhood living in an orphanage. After his parents passed away, no one in his extended family could afford to support him or send him to school.

Through EGBOK Mission’s hospitality program, Kea was able to visit hotels and restaurants and meet with industry professionals. Kea was inspired to pursue a career in food and beverage service and was accepted to attend the Paul Dubrule School of Hotel and Tourism supported by EGBOK Mission.

After graduation, Kea was offered a position at Starwood’s Le Méridien Angkor hotel. He works as a server. His annual income is about $1,860, nearly three times the national average. Kea’s dream is to one day open his own restaurant to support himself and his family.

Kea’s story is just one of the many success stories to come as a result of Starwood’s support.

This partnership will provide a wonderful platform for Starwood’s hospitality professionals to volunteer with EGBOK Mission in Cambodia and engage with the local communities in which they work and do business. Hospitality professionals will be able to share their knowledge and expertise with Cambodian young adults who are aspiring for careers in the industry.

EGBOK Mission looks forward to a lasting partnership with Starwood to increase the scope of impact in Cambodia by providing more underprivileged young adults with education and employment opportunity in the hospitality industry.

Thank you to Starwood for displaying an outstanding commitment to the social responsibility we have to support the education and employment of the world’s most underprivileged communities.