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An Unconventional Path Into the Digital Economy
In classrooms and community spaces across Cambodia, a growing number of young people are learning how to code, design, and tell stories through video games. The effort is part of a broader initiative led by the UNICEF Office of Innovation, aimed at preparing adolescents for participation in a digital economy that increasingly values technical and creative skills.
The initiative, known as the Game Changers Coalition, focuses on adolescent girls while remaining open to all young participants. Through structured learning and hands-on projects, students gain experience in coding, game design, teamwork, and basic financial literacy. These skills are becoming essential across Southeast Asia as demand for digital talent continues to rise.
The program operates in partnership with global and regional organizations, including support from Bitget, the Global Video Games Coalition, and the Micron Foundation. Together, they are expanding access to digital learning opportunities in eight countries, with Cambodia emerging as one of the most active participants.
Addressing Gaps in Access to Technology Skills
Despite rapid growth in technology-related jobs, girls and women remain underrepresented in digital fields worldwide. In Cambodia, structural barriers such as limited access to training, professional networks, and emerging technologies have restricted participation, particularly for girls from rural or underserved areas.
UNICEF and its partners have identified video game development as a practical entry point. The format allows students to combine technical instruction with creative expression, making complex concepts more accessible. Coding becomes part of storytelling, design choices connect to cultural context, and problem-solving mirrors real-world challenges.
By grounding lessons in projects that reflect students’ own communities, the program aims to reduce the distance between abstract technology skills and everyday life. Organizers report that this approach has helped build confidence among participants who previously saw technology as out of reach.
Cambodia’s Role in a Global Initiative
Cambodia has taken a prominent position within the Game Changers Coalition. During the first global UNICEF Game Jam, a virtual hackathon connecting young creators from eight participating countries, Cambodian teams secured four of the seven global award categories. The results highlighted both technical ability and strong narrative design rooted in local experiences.
The Game Jam brought together students who had completed several weeks of guided learning. Participants collaborated remotely, shared ideas across borders, and presented finished games to an international panel. The process introduced them to digital collaboration, feedback cycles, and presentation skills, all of which are common in modern technology workplaces.
Local educators involved in the program noted that many students entered with little or no prior exposure to coding. By the end of the process, they were able to explain game mechanics, debug simple errors, and articulate how their projects addressed social or environmental issues.
Learning Beyond Code
For many participants, the value of the program extended beyond technical instruction. Students described learning how to work in teams, resolve disagreements, and approach complex problems step by step. These skills are often cited by employers as critical but difficult to teach through traditional classroom methods.
One adolescent participant from Takeo province, part of a winning team, explained that the experience changed how she viewed video games. What had once seemed like entertainment became a tool for addressing real problems in her community. She and her teammates developed storylines inspired by local challenges, using gameplay to explore possible solutions.
Educators involved in the program observed that this shift in perspective helped students connect learning with purpose. Rather than focusing on abstract outcomes, participants could see how their work might contribute to broader social goals.
National Engagement and Public Showcases
Momentum continued with a National Game Jam held in Phnom Penh, co-hosted by UNICEF and the Cambodian Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport. More than 600 students, aged 10 to 18, took part after completing a six-week tailored learning program. Over 65 percent of participants were girls, reflecting the initiative’s focus on gender inclusion.
Students from 14 schools across 11 provinces presented original video games to a jury of educators and industry professionals. The projects drew on personal experiences, local environmental concerns, and community needs. Presentations required students to explain their design choices, gameplay logic, and intended impact.
Officials from the Ministry of Education highlighted the event as an example of how creative technology can complement formal curricula. By integrating coding with storytelling and design, the program supports broader goals related to digital literacy and critical thinking.
Support From the Global Tech Sector
The expansion of the program has been supported by private-sector partners with experience in digital platforms and emerging technologies. Representatives from Bitget visited Cambodia to observe the program firsthand and engage with students and teachers.
During the visit, participants shared insights into their creative processes and discussed how cultural stories influenced their games. The exchange provided students with exposure to global technology perspectives while allowing industry representatives to better understand local contexts.
Partners involved in the initiative emphasize that their role is to support access rather than direct outcomes. By providing resources and technical input, they aim to complement UNICEF’s focus on inclusion and education rather than impose specific career pathways.
Building Skills for a Changing Economy
Cambodia’s economy is undergoing steady digitalization, with increased use of mobile services, online platforms, and cross-border digital trade. As this transition continues, demand is growing for skills related to software development, digital design, and data literacy.
Programs like the Game Changers Coalition aim to prepare young people for these changes early. By introducing concepts such as coding logic, iterative design, and basic financial thinking during adolescence, organizers hope to reduce future skills gaps.
The inclusion of financial literacy elements reflects recognition that digital participation often intersects with financial decision-making. Understanding value creation, resource management, and collaboration aligns with broader trends in the fintech sector, where technology and finance increasingly overlap.
Reaching Beyond Urban Centers
A key focus of the initiative is reaching students outside major cities. By working with schools across multiple provinces, the program seeks to include young people who might otherwise lack access to digital learning resources.
Organizers report that students from hard-to-reach areas often show strong engagement once given access to tools and mentorship. Remote collaboration tools used during the global Game Jam further demonstrated that geography need not limit participation in digital creation.
This approach aligns with UNICEF’s broader efforts to promote equity in education. Ensuring that rural and underserved communities can participate in technology-driven programs remains a central challenge across many developing economies.
Government Perspective on Digital Education
Officials from the Cambodian Ministry of Education have described initiatives like the Game Changers Coalition as part of a wider effort to prepare students for future economic participation. By placing girls at the center of digital education efforts, the program addresses longstanding gender gaps in access to technology.
Ministry representatives noted that skills such as coding, problem-solving, and teamwork contribute to leadership development and civic engagement. These capabilities are seen as relevant not only for technology careers but for national development more broadly.
The ministry’s involvement also reflects a recognition that public-private partnerships can play a role in expanding educational opportunities when aligned with national priorities.
Global Ambitions and Future Expansion
Globally, the Game Changers Coalition aims to reach 1.1 million people across twelve countries by 2027. The initiative builds on UNICEF’s Skills4Girls work, which focuses on equipping girls with digital and 21st-century skills.
Expansion plans involve collaboration with governments, civil society organizations, and private-sector partners. Each country adapts the program to local contexts, using common frameworks while allowing flexibility in content and delivery.
UNICEF officials involved in the initiative stress that the goal is not to produce professional game developers alone. Instead, the focus is on transferable skills that support adaptability in a rapidly changing labor market.
Measuring Impact Beyond Numbers
While participation figures and awards offer visible indicators of success, program leaders emphasize qualitative outcomes. Increased confidence, willingness to experiment, and a sense of belonging in digital spaces are cited as important results.
Teachers involved in the Cambodian program reported changes in classroom dynamics, with students showing greater initiative and collaboration. These behavioral shifts suggest that exposure to creative technology can influence broader learning attitudes.
Long-term tracking will be needed to assess how participants apply these skills in higher education or employment. For now, early feedback suggests that the program has broadened students’ perceptions of what is possible.
A Broader Context for Digital Inclusion
The Cambodian experience reflects wider efforts to address global shortages in digital skills while promoting inclusion. As economies integrate technology into more sectors, education systems face pressure to adapt.
UNICEF’s approach combines technical instruction with creativity and social relevance. By framing digital skills as tools for problem-solving rather than isolated technical tasks, the program aims to make learning more meaningful.
Support from global technology partners adds resources and visibility, but implementation remains grounded in local education systems and community needs.
Looking Ahead
As Cambodia continues to expand digital education initiatives, programs like the Game Changers Coalition offer insight into how unconventional entry points can engage young learners. Video game development has proven to be a practical way to introduce complex skills while maintaining student interest.
The involvement of international partners highlights growing recognition that preparing young people for a digital economy requires collaboration across sectors. For participants, the experience represents more than a single project. It introduces skills and perspectives that may influence future choices in education and work.
As reported in material developed in conjunction with UNICEF, the initiative demonstrates how targeted digital learning programs can equip young people with tools to participate in a changing economy, while addressing gender gaps and access barriers along the way.
