“I’ve been involved from the very beginning – now, I’ve seen the impact for myself.”

He joined the company in 2003, the same year as the first ever Children’s Walk took place. He supported it from the beginning and has done so every year since. Then, in 2022, Jonathan was selected as an Ambassador, with the opportunity to visit Cambodia and experience first-hand the impact from funds raised by the Children’s Walk.

“I felt really surprised and privileged at the same time,” says Jonathan, who is Head of Finance & Operations at Roche Diagnostics in Korea. “The trip was a pivotal moment for me. I had read lots of the information about our outreach programmes and the impact they have had, but nothing can prepare you for seeing it for yourself. I saw how real people’s lives have been helped and impacted by our programme, and that was very special indeed.”

Jonathan visited the work done by Child’s Dream, a charitable, not-for-profit association supporting children and young adults in Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand. Since 2019, Re&Act – the independent charity that manages the donations raised from the Children’s Walk - has partnered with Child’s Dream to support children in Cambodia by providing quality school buildings, computer laboratory facilities in high schools in remote communities as well as by providing high school scholarships to support youths to attend high school.

“Giving the children access to education gives them a means to get out of poverty and they in turn can bring a positive impact back to their own families and communities,” says Jonathan. “Seeing it all in person inspired me to do more, including of course supporting the Children’s Walk again this year.”

Cambodia is one of the least-developed countries in the world. Throughout the country, computers and computer labs are still uncommon in the educational system. Cambodian students are unable to enjoy the benefits of learning new technologies and crucial skills necessary for their future in accessing further education and the job-market. The new labs developed by Child’s Dream thanks to the support of the Re&Act open a world of opportunities for students today and in the future.

“Exactly as their name suggests, Child’s Dream is all about giving these children a chance to dream about their futures – but more than that, they also have the possibility to realise those dreams, which is really powerful,” says Jonathan. “We could really see the hope and aspiration in their faces. That will always stay with me.”