Phnom Penh – The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has named Chea Samnang, a doctor and actor, as its Goodwill Ambassador for Cambodia. Born on Christmas Day in 1971 in the capital, Phnom Penh, Dr. Samnang spent a lot of his childhood in the countryside, after his family fled the city during the rule of the Khmer Rouge. After the regime’s collapse, his family returned to Phnom Penh, where he went to school and completed his secondary education in 1988. He proceeded to a university in 1992 and became a doctor in 1999.

Since 1996, Dr. Samnang has been working as a television and film actor, becoming popular throughout the country.

He has been acting as a principal star in many educational television drama series on HIV/AIDS, women, labour and reproductive health. As an activist and doctor, he advocates for UNFPA activities, raising the population’s awareness, especially of the young, of reproductive and sexual health and, most importantly, of HIV/AIDS, which has been dubbed Cambodia’s “second killing fields”.

The new Goodwill Ambassador will work with the UNFPA to continue educating Cambodia’s youth about the dangers of the scourge and how to prevent it.

Contact Information:

Abubakar Dungus
Tel.: +1 (212) 297-5031
Email: dungus@unfpa.org