Midway Observations in Cambodia
Mengleang Kong describes the observations that happened in February and March 2026 in Cambodia
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Bunrani Hun Sen Rolea B’ier - Student shares answer and ideas on Topic 5: Self-Harm & Suicide Topic
The midway observation was conducted in all intervention schools by the M-Bright project team to monitor and gather feedback from facilitators and students. In Cambodia, the midway observation took place on 28 February, 7 March, and 14 March 2026. The research team was divided into two groups, one visiting Kampong Chhnang and the other Siem Reap.
During the observations, team members attended both indoor and outdoor sessions of the intervention. On 28 February, all three schools in Siem Reap were implementing two indoor sessions and one outdoor session of Topic 3: Depression and Emotional Regulation and Topic 4: Eating Disorder and Body-image. In Kampong Chhnang, both schools were implementing indoor and outdoor sessions of Topic 4.
Across all schools, it was observed that students were fully engaged throughout the sessions. They actively participated in activities including group discussions, role-play, presentations and sharing, and raised good questions during sessions. Facilitators showed strong confidence, creative classroom management, and always paid close attention to the students. They created a supportive environment during sessions, including encouraging students to clap when others shared and giving them gifts. The research team noted that facilitators followed the topic content well and completed almost all planned activities within the allocated time.
The team also highlighted accelerating growth beyond classroom learning. For example, one school in Siem Reap has a health office and some facilitators also manage a counseling room to provide mental health support for students. One facilitator shared her experience supporting a student who gets panic attacks. Regular supervision and guidance from senior team motivated her to continue support that student. She mentioned that it was a great experience to support adolescents by just listening to their problems, and she also noticed that student needed to be referred to professional support.
One facilitator shared that many students and teachers gained greater mental health education and awareness through the M-BRIGHT Project. Teachers from a school in Kampong Chhnang also shared that many students showed strong interested in mental health and had shared information about the programme with their peers and others.
The pictures show Hun Sen Siem Reap High School - Group discussion and presentation about beauty standards in society, and Angkor High School, and, 10 Makara 1979 High school with the supervision from central M-Bright Team:
