Give a Day

Background

Give a Day was piloted through the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Building Project (EEB), a joint venture of Khmer Enterprise, USAID’s WE Act Project through Pact Cambodia, and Swisscontact. It aimed to create a mutual system of support based on the premise that individuals have underutilized skills, experience, and talents, and companies have unmet needs that require external expertise. The initiative demonstrated its success by attracting a growing number of ESOs to attend the monthly meetings, which mainly focused on generic investment issues. However, it became necessary to separate the different groups of ecosystem support organizations (e.g., investors, incubators and accelerators, academia, associations for SGB support, and service providers (e.g., legal, accounting, marketing, etc.) so that they could discuss their specific issues. It was also essential to connect the regional ecosystem to the Phnom Penh ecosystem.

Therefore, under 3EI, Give a Day was incorporated to expand its reach and organize monthly events not only in Phnom Penh but also at the provincial level.

Objectives of Give a Day

Empowering Systematic Examination: Give a Day is committed to providing a dedicated space for key stakeholders in the entrepreneurial ecosystem to systematically examine critical issues. By encouraging constructive dialogue and informed discussions, we aim to identify the most pressing challenges and co-create effective solutions that will fuel entrepreneurial growth and sustainability.
Cultivating Trust and Understanding: We believe that trust is the foundation of successful collaborations. Give a Day aims to foster connections and build trust among Entrepreneurial Support Organizations (ESOs). By improving their understanding of each other's work and differentiating their programs, ESOs can better leverage each other's strengths, creating a synergistic impact on the entrepreneurial landscape.
Facilitating Demand-Driven Collaborations: Give a Day endeavors to be a facilitator of demand-driven discussions, presentations, and collaborations. We organize peer exchange workshops, where ESOs can exchange knowledge, share experiences, and collectively address challenges faced by entrepreneurs. By nurturing a collaborative environment, we empower stakeholders to work together in addressing the needs of the entrepreneurial community.
Enabling Knowledge Sharing: At Give a Day, we recognize that expertise is a valuable asset that can transform organizations and services. We facilitate the sharing of expertise among ESOs, enabling them to gain valuable knowledge and insights. This collaborative learning approach leads to continuous improvement, ultimately benefiting the entrepreneurs they serve.

Vision

The vision is to be the driving force behind a dynamic and interconnected entrepreneurial ecosystem, where key stakeholders come together to address critical challenges, forge strong connections, and collaborate seamlessly. We strive to create a nurturing environment that fosters trust, knowledge-sharing, and meaningful relationships, ultimately leading to enhanced services for entrepreneurs, empowering them to thrive and innovate.

GIVE A DAY in the making

2019

Connecting the Phnom Penh entrepreneurial ecosystem study conducted

Connecting the Phnom Penh entrepreneurial ecosystem study was conducted by the Credit Suisse – Swisscontact (CSSC) Initiative. This study, funded by the Credit Suisse Financial Inclusion Initiative (FII) and implemented by Swisscontact in collaboration with Impact Hub Phnom Penh, aimed to assess the connectivity among players within the entrepreneurial network in Cambodia's capital city. The concept of Give A Day emerged from the entrepreneurial community as part of this Social Network Analysis study conducted in 2019. The Connecting the Phnom Penh entrepreneurial ecosystem study was published in 2021.

2021

Give a Day piloted

The ‘Give a Day’ initiative was introduced through a pilot program implemented with EuroCham in October to December 2021 and supported by Khmer Enterprise, Credit Suisse and Swissscontact (CSSC) Initiative.

2022

Give A Day integrated under the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Building (EEB)

Through the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Building (EEB) initiative, the Give a Day events emerged as a valuable brand for the entrepreneurial ecosystem members. Under EEB, 10 Give a Day events were organized and conducted, covering topics including investment readiness, ESO’s program mapping, funding mapping, business models, collaborative approach, digital economy, human-centered design, and lastly innovative financial modeling. 34 ESO issues were identified in three areas a) mobilizing investments, b) entrepreneurship support, and c) trade and market. Based on the survey results, 85% of participants felt Give A Day was valuable to them, and 100% mentioned that Give a Day created an opportunity to meet new organizations and exchange information, and learn about others' work. Lastly, the events in 2022 also provided the basis for Give a Day to continue in 2023, including the piloting of Give a Day in one province outside Phnom Penh.

2023

Give a Day integrated into the Enhancing Entrepreneurial Ecosystem and Investments (3Ei) Initiative

To continue the legacy of Give A Day events, the Enhancing Entrepreneurial Ecosystem and Investments (3Ei) initiative integrated Give A Day to continue its positive contributions to the entrepreneurial community and to further expand Give a Day events outside of Phnom Penh. Under 3Ei, 4 Give a Days were organized in Phnom Penh and 1 in Siem Reap. 201 people representing 83 organizations were engaged through the five Give a Days.

2024

Successfully launched Give a Day in the provinces

Building on the success of the Give a Day events in Phnom Penh, where a co-hosting strategy was effectively implemented, the initiative expanded to Siem Reap and Battambang provinces. In the first semester of 2024, the 3Ei project successfully organized seven Give a Day events, attracting a total of 348 participants, including 173 women. Four events in Phnom Penh drew 243 participants, of which 134 were women. In Siem Reap, two events gathered 83 participants, including 26 women. Battambang hosted one event with 22 participants, 13 of whom were women.