Growing platforms for impact: Highlights from our media4impact accelerator

Our media4impact accelerator program is supporting a new generation of mission-driven content creators. They’ve inspired us and given us new hope for Cambodia’s digital media landscape.

Vandara Sin and Bank Vath

July 12, 2024

What content did you consume on social media today? Did it inspire you? Did it expose you to something new? Did it open your mind?

We haven’t always been able to answer “yes!” ourselves. But through Impact Hub Phnom Penh’s media4impact initiative, we’ve met a new generation of online content creators making a positive difference through their platforms.

The media4impact accelerator is one of the only programs of its kind in Cambodia to support established, impact-driven content creators through six months of creative and entrepreneurial coaching, training, and assistance. Between late 2022 and early 2023, the accelerator supported four incredible content creators:

Zerow raises environmental awareness in Cambodia, encouraging and inspiring the next generation to live a sustainable, zero-waste lifestyle.
Luybook’s mission is empowerment through financial literacy. The platform aims to help young adults learn how to manage their personal finances and invest for future value.
ចង់ដឹង ចង់ឮ – Curiosity (of 606 Digital) shares the stories and experiences of Cambodian youth about cultural issues facing women, minorities, and the LGBT community.
Dosslarb: A multimedia platform promoting the well-being of young Cambodians through discussion of sexual and reproductive health matters.

This has been one of our favorite programs at Impact Hub Phnom Penh, and it’s built an inspiring community that has lasted to this day.

Why a Program for Content Creators?

Let’s take a quick step backwards — why did we support content creators in the first place?

When we talk to people about “content creators,” they often think of video influencers (in Cambodia, usually related to food, travel, or online shopping). The other common response is journalists or news media.

But there’s another huge category of content creators. Our media4impact accelerator supports content creators who are impact-driven. Their passion is to raise awareness and improve knowledge on social and environmental issues. They work in diverse formats: video and vlogs, podcasts, data visualization, illustration, and more.

And these content creators have a huge potential impact. Today, 87% of 15-30 year olds in Cambodia are active on social media. Like it or not, content we consume online influences what we believe, what we learn, how we act. In a context where anyone can share a message online, it’s more important than ever to uplift the platforms and people creating positive content for societal benefit.

Accelerating Creators’ Journeys with Comprehensive Support

Over six months of the media4impact accelerator, we offered mentorship, training, networking opportunities, peer community, and a creator stipend to our four teams.

One goal of the program was improving their creative and distribution strategy. They explored new content mediums from each other and outside experts. They also learned new approaches of audience engagement and community building (and not coincidentally… all four teams exceeded their original targets for social media reach by the end of the program!).

What we think truly set the program apart was the integration of an entrepreneurship component. We paired the content creators with business mentors and held sessions on commercialization pathways, business strategy, and HR/team matters. The participants shared that this was extremely beneficial, because they hope to pursue full-time careers in content creation and media. Understanding the business side is critical to sustaining their platforms and impact.

The Heart and Soul Behind Content Creation

Both of us have been working in communications, and with content creators, for years. And still, we managed to be blown away when we got to see behind the scenes of how these content creators work.

The 606 Digital team produced a few new podcast episodes as part of their “ចង់ដឹង ចង់ឮ – Curiosity” project through the accelerator program. Their podcast weaves together the stories and advice of mental health advocates and people who have dealt with mental health challenges and discrimination. Each episode is only 30 minutes long, but it’s truly the most heartfelt, thought-provoking, and inspiring 30 minutes.

We got to see firsthand the team’s passion and care for the content and the people they bring onto the podcast. They told us that the process of shooting and editing the episodes brings them to tears almost every time. To them, producing content for the public on mental health and acceptance isn’t just about helping others. It’s also a process of deep healing, and of hope, for themselves.

We’re so proud of how the media4impact accelerator is helping change the narrative around content creators, while providing tangible support to help them grow. The 72 pieces of content — on sustainability, reproductive health, financial literacy, and mental health — that the teams created during the program had a combined reach of 2.6 million social media users. The momentum will keep building — and we can’t wait to see what’s next in store!

Want to learn more, or be part of bringing more impact media programs to life? Get in touch!