Loran alumnus Ray Cantwell (‘98) met Yim Viriya in 2007 while working as a technical advisor for Samaritan’s Purse Canada. At that time, Viriya was working on Hagar International’s water program in the heart of Cambodia. Viriya noticed a pattern: people’s health would steadily decline after leaving the shelter to reenter the community. He discovered that the lack of access to clean water was causing debilitating disease and eventually death. Viriya was leading a program at Hagar International to promote water filters, hand washing, and eventually, latrine construction. In 2010, the water program became a standalone organization called Clear Cambodia, of which Ray and Viriya were central to the planning. Since then, over 360,000 sand filters have been distributed across the country, impacting over a million Cambodians. 

Thanks to Ray’s involvement, from its inception, Clear Cambodia has benefitted from the contributions of Loran Scholars, with five scholars having completed their not-for-profit summers at the organization since 2012; the latest being Ellen Brisley (‘23), who finished her placement earlier this year. “I learned so much from being able to design an experiment myself and then helping to implement it. I’m lucky to have a great team.”

Summer work experiences are an exciting and transformative aspect of the Loran program. Each summer, Loran Scholars learn from leaders in public policy, enterprise, and not-for-profit sectors across Canada and the world, giving them a well-rounded understanding of postgraduate career paths and preparing them to effect meaningful change as values-driven leaders. Working with not-for-profit, community organizations like Clear Cambodia offers scholars an opportunity to connect their passion with purpose and make a positive impact in underserved communities.

We connected with Ray and Marin MacLeod (‘09)–who completed a work placement with Ray in 2012–to reflect on Loran’s multi-generational connection to Clear Cambodia, the invaluable lessons learned by contributing to community-led work in a new cultural context, and how the hands-on experience Loran Scholars gain abroad can be reinvested into communities across Canada.

Loran: Why is it important for youth to engage in community work at such a critical point in their personal and academic journeys?

Ray: It can bring life to academic learning in a practical way, more so than case studies or videos. Ellen was already interested in water and humanitarian work, but I think it was very fulfilling for her to establish the relationships that she did. Most people who get involved in community work find some kind of connection that keeps them coming back. For example, Marin MacLeod (‘09), who completed her Community Development summer with me at Clear Cambodia in 2012, told me that it was a profoundly influential experience that inspired her to redirect her career path. It’s just so rewarding to know you’re helping people. 

Marin: Local communities are experts at identifying the challenges they face and at generating relevant solutions. By engaging with communities, emerging leaders learn how to collaborate and co-create, as well as develop the humility needed to contribute effectively to teams and projects as they progress in their personal and professional journeys.

Loran: While the Loran program emphasizes the importance of Scholars reinvesting their talents in Canada, how can international experiences contribute to well-rounded leadership development?

Marin: In an increasingly interconnected world, with many global opportunities and threats, it is more important than ever for Canadian leaders, guided by Loran’s principles of character and service, to act on a global stage. Well-rounded leaders are needed—people with experience living, working, and building leadership skills across sectors and geographies. The diverse leadership opportunities afforded to students through Loran set scholars apart and accelerate their leadership trajectory. 

Ray: I often say that when you travel to a new culture or geographic context, it’s like playing a card game; the rules of the game change, but no one tells you which rules have changed. You just have to go and play. You get to learn as you navigate this new situation. You need flexibility and a willingness to learn to adapt professionally, grow personally, and come to appreciate the value of the local community. If you come in thinking you’ve got all the answers and don’t need to learn, you’re not going to have a rewarding experience. If you go into it with flexibility and a willingness to learn, you may find that you learn and grow more than anyone you believe you might be there to help. For Loran scholars, I have noticed that experiences in a novel cultural setting can change their perspective. The scholars I have worked with often return to Canada with broader skills and a renewed purpose that they apply to community service and leadership in Canada. This type of experiential learning is a valuable part of the Loran Leadership Enrichment Program.

Loran: Having seen multiple generations of scholars work with Clear Cambodia, how do you think organizations doing important work in their communities benefit from hiring Loran scholars?

Ray: Clear Cambodia is an entirely locally run organization, so hiring Loran Scholars helps them to get an infusion of outside energy, knowledge, and input within their specific context. In their case, they were looking to advance the design of a sand filter prototype that could be distributed to one family at a time on a lean budget. Ellen has a lot of experience and a network of academics, like me, who could offer fresh ideas and assistance. The team at Clear Cambodia not only got the opportunity to showcase their excellent technical work to someone who demonstrated a curiosity and openness to learn, but also to benefit from thoughtful suggestions on how their systems can be improved. On a practical level, this summer experience gave Ellen and Clear Cambodia’s team the opportunity to work together to accomplish something neither of them could have done alone. 

Loran: Marin, how did working with Clear Cambodia impact your personal or professional journey?

Marin: Working at Clear Cambodia set my career trajectory and remains one of the most significant personal and professional experiences of my life. My time in Cambodia reinforced my passion for public health, especially the social determinants of health, and introduced me to some of the most influential mentors in my life, Viriya and Ray. Viriya managed a national NGO, leading with heart and fostering collaboration and innovation, ultimately ensuring that the communities where Clear operated were at the centre of our work.

Ray has mentored me since 2012, when he supervised my community development summer and went on to co-supervise my undergraduate honours thesis, “Issues in access to safe drinking water and basic hygiene for persons with physical disabilities in rural Cambodia”, which we published in the Journal of Water and Health. After my community development summer at Clear Cambodia, Ray and I worked together on various projects for the next five years and are still in regular contact! 

As a result of my time spent living and working in Cambodia on and off between 2012 and 2014, I pursued a master’s in public health at the University of Toronto in 2015 and have been working in the global development space since. I now lead the Reach Alliance, a consortium of global universities developing the leaders we need to solve urgent local challenges of regions that are underserved for geographic, administrative, or social reasons. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide inspiration and a guiding framework for Reach’s work, and I reflect regularly on my time spent collaborating with communities in rural Cambodia. My time learning from Viriya and Ray shaped my personal, academic, and professional life in a profound way, and I am forever grateful to Loran for providing this life-changing opportunity.

Loran: How might pursuing an international placement impact a scholar’s perspective when returning to Canada?

Ray: When I was an in-stream Scholar, I met an elderly man while building bio filters. He told me how excited he was to have a water filter in his home to access safe drinking water; he was just wondering at the marvel of that. I had studied water sanitation before, but I always think back to that gentleman who thought something I had always taken for granted would never be achievable in his lifetime. When you have transformative experiences like that early enough in your professional development, it can help you, can shape you, and bring to life how different people’s experiences are in the world. 

Now, I teach a course at the University of Toronto called Water Sanitation, Hygiene and Global Health. I invited Ellen to present the findings of her summer with Clear Cambodia to my students so they can see the real-life implementation of the concepts they’ve been learning. Ellen got to frame her work, present it to an academic community, and engage in conversation. There are so many opportunities to bring Loran Scholars’ experience right back to Canadian classrooms and organizations.

Loran: As an active alumni volunteer and donor, what inspires you to keep investing in your Loran community?

Ray: I truly benefited from this community as a scholar and as an alumnus. Now, as an assessor, I get so much energy from reading the applications and finding out what this latest generation of young people is up to— it’s inspiring. When Ellen reached out to me, I committed to being there to support her through her placement. I was able to give her a lot of logistical and cultural advice. We talked about things like the importance of setting achievable yet aggressive goals, budgeting, and managing stakeholders throughout her time there. It’s fulfilling to see and support the transformation of in-stream Scholars.

Marin: As a donor and the current Chair of the Loran Alumni Council, investing in the Loran community is hugely important to me. Each summer experience provided a unique and important learning opportunity, and I continue to learn from the community of lifelong friends and mentors that Loran encompasses. Now more than ever, character, service, and leadership are needed as the world addresses urgent climate, public health, and economic challenges. I am inspired by the Loran community and will continue contributing however I can to support its growth and impact in the world. 

Want to learn more about Loran Scholars’ Summer Experiences? Watch our Instagram story highlight to join Scholars for a day-in-the-life in Canada and abroad, and learn more about Loran’s program here. If you are interested in employing a Loran Scholar for a future summer, learn more here.