Five Years of Breakthrough: Voices, Vision, and the Power of Youth
- Break Through
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
Last year, Breakthrough turned five.
Five years of breaking the silence, holding space, and trusting young people to lead. What began as a small, youth-led initiative has grown into a movement rooted in feminist values, collective care, and the belief that real change happens when voices—especially those long unheard—are amplified and taken seriously.
Over the past five years, Breakthrough has evolved alongside the communities it serves, learning, unlearning, and building pathways for young people to challenge gender inequality and gender-based violence in Cambodia.
At its core, Breakthrough has always been about one thing: creating spaces where young people—particularly young women and gender-diverse youth—can speak, reflect, and lead change together.
As we enter our sixth year, we look back at the impact, growth, and stories that shaped Year Five—and the foundations they’ve laid for the journey ahead.
“Breakthrough has become a space where young voices are not only heard—they shape change,” reflected Chankanha, one of our co-founders.
Five Years of Breakthrough: Milestones and Momentum
Looking back, each year has marked a step forward—sometimes bold, sometimes quiet, but always intentional.
Sophanich, Breakthrough Cofounder:
“Looking back over the past five years, every member of the Breakthrough team carries cherished memories from every milestone we’ve reached—from our very first virtual launch and International Women’s Day cinema screenings to our ambitious Short Film Festivals in Phnom Penh. A particularly proud moment was our 4th Anniversary, when we hosted our first event outside the capital, bringing our community together in Siem Reap.”
In 2025, one milestone stood out as a turning point.
“If I had to choose the most significant moment of 2025, it would be the launch of the Linking Lives Campaign. This initiative highlighted the deep interconnection between gender inequality and climate change, and how these crises disproportionately affect women and girls,” Sophanich continued.
Through the Linking Lives Podcast series, Breakthrough adopted a new storytelling approach—one that centred lived experience and collective knowledge. Indigenous women, people with disabilities, youth organisers, and grassroots leaders shared stories of traditional knowledge, climate resilience, and mutual support.
“What made this project even more special was seeing our co-founders and team members step into hosting roles for the first time. Their growth, confidence, and ability to hold meaningful conversations reminded me how much we’ve grown together as a team,” she added.
These milestones are not just markers of growth—they reflect Breakthrough’s commitment to evolving with intention.
Year Five: Turning Vision into Action
The past year reflected the vision that inspired Breakthrough’s founding: a youth-led platform and brave space where young people challenge inequality and co-create solutions.
Bodalin, Breakthrough Cofounder:
“Our work over the past year reflects the core vision behind founding Breakthrough—to create a youth-led platform and safe space, especially for young women, to speak up, challenge gender inequality and gender-based violence, and push for real impact”.
Initiatives like Our Safety: Youth Dialogue on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) brought this vision to life. Youth were not treated as passive participants but as experts in their own digital realities—engaging directly with policymakers, UN partners, and private-sector actors to co-design responses grounded in lived experience.
Jocelyn Pederick, Breakthrough Advisor:
“At the National Youth Dialogue on technologically facilitated gender-based violence, it was inspiring to see the level of skill and care that Breakthrough brings to this work. Their approach is grounded in lived experience, strong facilitation, and ethical storytelling, which creates safe and open spaces for honest dialogue. This kind of youth-led engagement is essential, because young people are both the most affected by TFGBV and the best placed to develop solutions that make sense in the digital spaces they use every day.”
At the same time, Linking Lives continued to work from the ground up, strengthening community awareness, amplifying women’s leadership, and translating advocacy into action across environmental and social justice spaces.
Year Five at a Glance
47 videos produced to date
3 podcast videos with 27 reel videos
5 youth-led projects implemented
7 public events and dialogues convened
24 outreach activities conducted
1,800+ participants engaged
8,290 followers across social media platforms
20,000-30,000 online viewers per video on average
70+ diverse youth participated in national TFGBV dialogues
Youth-led recommendations carried forward into policy and private-sector dialogues
These achievements reflect a simple truth: when youth are trusted, they lead with clarity and courage.
Learning, Growth, and Shifting Perspectives
Beyond campaigns and events, Breakthrough’s impact is felt in how young people see themselves and the world around them.
Sopheakkanha, Breakthrough Member:
“Breakthrough doesn’t just raise awareness—it helps young women and girls turn their stories into real, actionable advocacy. My first event in 2024 showed me the power of youth voices: participants slowly gained confidence, shared their thoughts, and spoke with courage. Being part of Breakthrough made me feel safe, heard, and empowered.”
Oddommony, Breakthrough Member:
“Being part of Breakthrough helped me understand gender-based violence more deeply—not as a general concept, but as something embedded in everyday interactions, language, and social norms. Sometimes harm happens unconsciously, especially toward women and girls”.
Through collective learning and dialogue, members began recognising how power operates in subtle ways—and how early leadership matters.
“Seeing the rise of youth leadership among Gen Z and Gen Alpha gives me hope. As the youngest labour force and future leaders, we can initiate change early—across gender, environmental, and technology sectors —reshaping society from the ground up”, he added.
Theary, Breakthrough Member:
“Being part of Breakthrough deepened my understanding of gender-based violence and its roots. I saw how youth action can change mindsets, mobilize communities, and advocate for equality. Watching young leaders showed me that real change comes from reflection, dialogue, and action.”
These reflections capture what Breakthrough strives to nurture: critical thinking, responsibility, and confidence among young leaders.
Growing Pains and Honest Challenges
Growth has not come without challenges. Sustaining a youth-led movement requires navigating limited resources, emotional labour, and the realities of long-term activism.
As one team member reflected earlier this year, the work can be exhausting—but meaningful.
“These challenges are not signs of weakness—they are the realities of building change from the ground up”.
Breakthrough continues to learn how to balance ambition with care, recognising that sustainability is as important as impact.
Looking Forward: A Movement That Thrives
As Breakthrough enters its next chapter, the vision remains rooted in innovation, creativity, and collective well-being.
Sinoun, Breakthrough Cofounder:
“In our next chapter, I hope to see the Breakthrough spirit remain at the forefront of digital advocacy in Cambodia. Through storytelling and art, I want our work to inspire women, girls, and marginalised groups—especially youth—to believe their voices are not just heard, but powerful enough to challenge norms”.
“Even though the journey is exhausting, our impact makes it worth it. I’m dreaming of a future that is both impactful and healthy—where our team and the movement can thrive together sustainably”.
Five years on, Breakthrough stands not as a finished story, but as a living movement—one shaped by youth, grounded in care, and driven by collective action.
As Breakthrough moves into its sixth year, the lessons, growth, and bold milestones of Year Five continue to guide us. With renewed energy, we remain committed to youth leadership, feminist values, and collective care—building spaces where young people continue to lead, question, rest, and rise together.
Because when youth lead, meaningful change follows.
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