The "Girl in STEM Design Thinking" 2025 event, an initiative of KPMG Cambodia and co-organized by Tech for Kids Academy, proceeded smoothly and concluded with remarkable success on October 25, 2025, at KPMG Cambodia. The event brought together 40 outstanding youths who actively showcased their abilities under the careful attention and detailed guidance of the judging committee, experts, and the organizing team.

The "Girl in STEM Design Thinking" program was created with the primary goal of promoting and strengthening the capacity of Cambodian youth to become technology innovators and social problem-solvers by exploring the STEM field. Throughout this busy one-day event, the 40 youths from 18 different high schools and universities underwent intensive training on the Design Thinking methodology. This training equipped them with crucial entrepreneurial mindsets to identify and solve community problems with innovation, as well as practical Micro:bit coding. This newly acquired knowledge was immediately applied by all candidates through teamwork to collectively solve problems and create impressive prototypes, which demonstrated their effort, learning, and creativity.

Impressed and appreciative of these efforts, Ms. So Dary, Partner & Head of Corporate Tax at KPMG Cambodia, stated in her opening remarks: "I am truly delighted to be with all of you today. I believe this program will help you become the tech leaders of the future."

The success of this event is clear evidence of the immense potential and positive transformation of the youth. Representing Tech for Kids Academy, Ms. Aing Sereyvathana, Entrepreneurship and Social Program Manager, shared her thoughts: "Today has truly revealed the great potential and incredible transformation of all the young women! Their growth directly responds to the mission and vision of Tech for Kids Academy in equipping youth with digital, entrepreneurial, and technological skills."

The event served not only as a platform for technical skills but also helped build confidence and provided an opportunity for the youth to fully unleash their potential. One participant described the change she experienced:

"For me, the most important thing I discovered today is that I can use technology to create solutions by myself! At first, I was very hesitant to speak up when working in a group; it was a major challenge for me. But by applying Design Thinking and learning to code with Micro:bit in this program, I learned how to express my ideas and even presented my group's project by myself. This made me much more confident! I feel truly ready to learn more and use this knowledge to create a bigger impact on my community and nation!"

At the same time, the experience of working in diverse teams also opened up new perspectives for the participants. Another participant added:

"I joined the 'Girl in STEM Design Challenge' because I really wanted to learn about Design Thinking and Micro:bit and to see what solutions we could create. Today truly exceeded my expectations! Working with female friends in the group brought so many different ideas and helped me see problems from various perspectives, which made our teamwork highly creative. I strongly encourage other youths to join events like this because they will gain valuable experience and be able to fully showcase their abilities!"

After impressive presentations from the top 8 finalist teams, the judges selected three winning teams with the most creative and impactful ideas for the community. The winning teams include:

• 1st Place (Top 1): Project "Farm Guard Alert" - A sensor system that can detect the presence of humans or animals, integrated with a soil moisture sensor to monitor dryness and automatically activate an irrigation system.
• 2nd Place (Top 2): Project "Personal Road-Crossing Alert System for Blind People" - A portable device that detects oncoming traffic and notifies the user through sound or vibration before crossing the road.
• 3rd Place (Top 3): Project "Water Level Alarm" - A water level notification system that sends an SMS message to the user, allowing them to take timely action.

We congratulate the three winning teams and commend all eight teams for their dedicated efforts in showcasing their talents to the best of their abilities!

In his closing remarks, Mr. Thorn Raden, Senior Manager, People Performance and Culture at KPMG Cambodia, shared his impressions: "The energy, creativity, and teamwork from all the students are truly amazing. It reminds me that the future of the STEM field is very exciting... I believe this program highlights the importance of investing in the next generation."

The brilliant success of the "Girl in STEM Design Thinking" 2025 program is a clear testament to the collective commitment to building up Cambodia's youth resources. This success was made possible by the initiative and full support of KPMG Cambodia, as well as all stakeholders, including the judges, mentors, the organizing team, and the 40 outstanding youths who contributed to the event's smooth execution.