#34: The Greatest Victories Doesn’t Come From Winning
How the ASEAN-China-India Youth Leadership Summit Shaped Kimhab’s Journey of Self-Discovery and Regional Connection
Welcome to SEAmplified’s newsletter where we amplify the voices of youths and unravel our shared culture and lived experiences in Southeast Asia.
Today, we are introducing a special feature series – Reimagining ASEAN China India – where youths from the region share their experiences taking part in a regional Sustainability Summit.
Here’s the first article of the series, where we follow along the journey of Kimhab Peav, a Cambodian youth leader who participated in the summit in 2023.
He shares how the summit inspired his journey of self-discovery, broadened his perspectives, and deepened his commitment to sustainability and regional collaboration.
Reading time: 6 mins
When Kimhab Peav (Kim) enrolled in an Accounting and Finance undergraduate program 3 years back, his decision was guided by practicality—a specific degree with promising job prospects.
But that didn’t mean that Kim knew what he wanted to do in life.
This spurred him to apply for various hackathons and competitions, as long as he was available. One of them was the inaugural ASEAN-China-India Youth Leadership Summit (ACIYLS) in 2023.
The sustainability startathon consists of a qualifying round and a grand final. The qualifying round was held individually in all 12 countries, where the top 3 teams that emerged victorious would secure a place in the grand finals.
In the Cambodia Country Round, Kim’s team focused on waste management—a significant issue in Cambodia.
Kim shared that people in Cambodia, particularly in rural areas, resort to burning waste, due to the lack of proper waste management.
“It’s just a big landfill that you would just go and throw your trash, and then you burn down the plastics and all that, which is not very good at all, not very sustainable,” Kim shared.
While waste management has improved in urban areas like Phnom Penh, the system still faces challenges like inadequate resources, inefficiencies, and improper sorting of waste which leads to a reliance on landfills.
These landfills are often overburdened and poorly managed, emitting unpleasant odors and methane gas.
The solution that Kim and his team proposed involved black soldier flies, a species that thrives on trash.
They proposed a collaboration between hotels and black soldier fly farms, where hotels could invest in waste transportation to farms, and the farms would share profits from selling fly larvae as animal feed and fertilizer.
While other teams brought prototypes, Kim’s team focused on practicality and social impact, which surprised judges with their well-thought-out approach.
In the grand finals held in Singapore, delegates from all over the region would come together, and attend a mix of learning journeys, forums, and mentoring sessions that would eventually lead to the final round of pitching.
His newly formed team of delegates from various countries addressed fabric waste, with the aim of reducing environmental impact.
Areas like Southeast Asia, China, and India are significant global hubs for textile and garment production, which generates considerable byproducts, including unused fabric, defective textiles, and scraps.
Due to the limited waste management infrastructure, and the non-biodegradable nature of the textiles, harmful chemicals and greenhouse gasses are released, causing further environmental degradation.
Kim and his team proposed a production line to repurpose factory byproducts into new products, marketed creatively through mystery boxes.
It was through the summit that Kim was able to grow both professionally, and individually.
After the summit concluded in 2023, he felt a lingering sense of responsibility to give back.
“I was like, I am an alumnus, right? So I should try to give something back, not just disappear after the contest,” Kim shared.
This mindset led him to return as an emcee for the Cambodia Country Round in 2024 and volunteer at the Grand Finals in Singapore, deepening his connection to the program that had profoundly impacted his life.
Regional Exposure
For Kim, ACIYLS stood out because it was a rare opportunity for Cambodians.
“In Cambodia, we mostly have debate competitions or public speaking events. It’s not really diverse,” he explained. “Either you compete in public speaking, or you pitch an idea at a hackathon. That’s all.”
ACIYLS, by contrast, opened doors to a multinational competition where participants could connect with like-minded individuals, widen their perspective on society, and feel part of a broader regional community.
For Kim, the summit was a melting pot of cultures, ideas, and aspirations. It brought together active youths from across the region who shared a passion for enacting change.
He was also inspired by several individuals he met during the summit.
They included fellow volunteers like Ing Kai, who founded Stick Em to make STEAM education accessible, and Wint, who is educating youths in Myanmar about social entrepreneurship despite the challenges posed by the military coup.
He also admires the organizers, for creating a platform that connects participants from 12 different countries.
“How did [the organizers] just have this idea to connect everybody from 12 countries?” Kim questions.
“I think every youth, they might feel like they could give it a shot. They are given an opportunity to try something new. I mean, even if they fail, at least they have tried it out.”
And for Kim, ACIYLS was the biggest thing he had ever won.
“That was a good learning curve for me,” Kim shares.
Personal Growth
The summit also brought about internal growth for Kim. As someone who had often felt lost and insecure about his future, he found solace in realizing he wasn’t alone.
“Out of the 180 delegates who came to Singapore, I can see at least 100 struggling with the same things as me,” he said.
This shared sense of struggle helped Kim embrace a calmer, more step-by-step approach to life.
“You cannot overthink,” he advised. “If it’s meant to be, it will be. The path will find itself.”
Participating in ACIYLS was more of a psychological aid for Kim than a direct career guide. While it didn’t help him narrow down any career paths, it reassured him that uncertainty is part of the journey.
“Seeing others in the same boat makes you feel less alone. Struggling, yes, but not rushing,” he reflected.
The summit also left a lasting impact on Kim’s mindset and behavior.
“I now try to cut down my use of plastic and disposable utensils,” he said.
Inspired by Singapore’s cleanliness, he adopted habits like keeping trash with him until he could dispose of it properly.
For Kim, these small changes reflect a larger philosophy of mindfulness and respect.
“People should be more mindful of how they act. If you’re not going to change, at least don’t harm others,” he said.
Winning Isn’t Everything
Kim’s approach to the competition was unique. While many participants were focused on winning, Kim felt that coming to Singapore was already a victory.
“I already won the country round,” he said. “But in a way, what I define winning is making connections with everybody and talking to the organizers.”
“Of course I contributed my share of the project, but I also wanted to enjoy my time with my friends,” Kim stated.
Even though he was sick for four of the six summit days, Kim made the most of his time by connecting with other delegates and soaking in the atmosphere.
Connecting with people from different backgrounds was one of the most valuable takeaways for Kim.
“It’s another way to improve your social skills and overcome social anxiety,” he said. “Be shameless—just talk to people. If the conversation is good, continue. If not, end it. It costs nothing.”
Kim believes these interactions are invaluable, especially in a foreign setting where delegates might never meet again.
As someone who believes in trying new things, Kim often recalls advice from his parents:
“Never pass judgment if you haven’t tried it.”
This mindset has guided Kim through his journey of exploration and self-discovery, allowing him to embrace new challenges and grow as a person.
For Kim, ACIYLS was more than a competition. It was an eye-opening experience that expanded his horizons, deepened his connections, and inspired him to be more mindful and proactive.
His journey is a reminder that sometimes, the greatest victories come not from winning, but from the growth and experiences along the way.
This edition was written in partnership with the 2024 ASEAN-China-India Youth Leadership Summit, co-organized by OSG Youth Alliance and Resolute Communications.
Find out more about the summit here.
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