Cambodia United
The winning teams of the first two matches, Chamka Bei and Aziza went on to play each other in the final drawing crowds of cheering fans and spectators to watch Aziza triumph with a 2:0 victory. As the final whistle blew, both teams jumped and screamed with excitement hugging each other and shaking hands with rival teammates in a show of unity that transcended the borders between their respective teams. “We are so happy, I never thought we would make it this far. We are just so happy that we could come here and make new friends and take part in this event and have so much fun.” gushed Pirom, 18, captain of the recently established Chamka Bei soccer team.
The youth teams from Aziza, Chamka Bei and the Rudi Boa Center have been engaged in leadership workshops and experiential education and exchange trips organized by BAB and Aziza in the past. All of the youth come from extremely impoverished backgrounds with Tiny Toones, Rudi Boa and Aziza all originating from Phnom Penh’s poorest slums and it has been an important learning experience for each other to get exposure to both the rural and urban backgrounds of their friends. The first night in Phnom Penh for the Chamka Bei team was spent in the Tiny Toones youth drop-in center where they got to witness Cambodia’s groundbreaking hip-hop scene in action. The Rudi Boa team hosted the Chamka Bei team in the Rudi Boa schoolhouse in Village 4 of Boueng Kak lake the following night, where they performed dramas, sang songs and visited the houses of many of their friends.
The soccer tournament strengthened the bridges of friendship between these young people across the rural-urban divide that continues to grow ever wider amidst Cambodia’s asymmetrical development. The camaraderie and sportsmanship of the players was an inspiration to us all and an affirmation of our belief that peace begins with getting to know each other.
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On the coolest, rainiest day of the year, four young soccer teams battled it out with mud, sweat and smiles in a competition that was never about the winning. Newly organized teams from three of Bridges Across Borders Cambodia child education centers - Rudi Boa and Toul Tum Poung youth drop-In centers in Phnom Penh and Chamka Bei Community Learning Center in Kep - came together on August 7th with Dey Krahom’s Aziza School House to take part in the first BAB Cambodia Youth Soccer Tournament. 
The entire Chamka Bei youth team of 30 members came to Phnom Penh, which for most of whom was their first exposure to their capital.
The Aziza and Rudi Boa teams have been playing weekly at the Olympic stadium for the last few months and will continue to practice hard for the next tournament.