Cambodian in China dreams of lighting up hometown

KUNMING — Tim Chivorn's graduation project is a manifestation of his dreams — a miniature model of a hydropower station designed to operate in the mountainous region of Battambang in western Cambodia that he hopes will solve electricity shortages in the area.

The 24-year-old Cambodian is a student at the Kunming University of Science and Technology. Pursuing a major in electrical automation, he hopes to leverage his education and apply his learning to the development of Cambodia's electricity infrastructure.

Chivorn said that in his home province of Battambang, it is customary to start working at sunrise and stop at sunset, as the electricity supply is inadequate. During his childhood, frequent blackouts were a regular occurrence and severely impacted daily life.

"Every time there was an outage, the city would be plunged into darkness," he said.

The memories of those dark nights ignited a fervent desire in Chivorn to bring light to his hometown and provide uninterrupted access to electricity to its people.

When considering where to start, he found that China provided the answer. Since the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative, the country has helped Cambodia build several hydropower stations such as the Kamchay Hydropower Station and the Lower Sesan II Hydropower Station, which have been instrumental in mitigating Cambodia's ongoing electricity crisis.

Although increased access to electricity now lights up the nights in Battambang, the management and upkeep of hydropower stations still demand considerable human effort.

"Part of my dream of lighting up my hometown has come true with China's help. Now, I am determined to learn more practical skills in China and contribute to the sustainable and stable supply of power to my hometown," Chivorn said.

He arrived in China in 2018 on a scholarship to pursue higher studies in Kunming, capital of Yunnan province, and said that the city bears a striking resemblance to Battambang in terms of its warmth and hospitality. The familiar atmosphere drew him in and made him feel at home.

However, pursuing a degree in electrical engineering as a foreign student in China is a challenge, and Chivorn is no exception to that rule. In addition to mastering intricate concepts, he must also overcome the language barrier, adding another layer of difficulty to his academic journey.

"It was difficult to understand the academic terminology at first because I couldn't find the corresponding Chinese words in Cambodian," Chivorn said. His notebook is full of notes, with Chinese terms meticulously labeled with phonetic symbols and explanations.

From experiments with small light bulbs to models of hydropower stations, Chivorn has continued to explore the link between light and electricity.

His graduation project — the model of the hydropower station — took the location and topography of Battambang into careful consideration.

He requested that his seniors conduct field research and used references from the design and the operational data of a hydropower station built in Battambang with Chinese aid.

"I believe that my design will become a reality one day and that Cambodia will be able to enjoy an uninterrupted flow of electricity in the future," he said.

Xinhua