Vansak Soeum
Nutrition Officer, UNICEF Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Master of Public Health with Honours (First Class)
Since completing his Master of Public Health in 2021, Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship alumnus Vansak Soeum has built a career in public health in Cambodia – as a pharmacy lecturer at the University of Puthisastra, a social behaviour change design researcher at 17 Triggers, and now as a nutrition officer with UNICEF Cambodia.
"To me, public health is about putting people in the centre and creating systems that give everyone a fair opportunity to live a healthy life. Through these experiences, I've learnt to look beyond individual behaviour and think more about the systems that shape people's health. It's not enough to ask whether an individual is choosing to eat well or live a healthy lifestyle – we also need to ask whether the systems enable those choices. Health, nutrition, WASH and education systems are all interconnected and influence public health."
Vansak is proud to have contributed to Cambodia's efforts to strengthen food and nutrition at a national level – from contributing to the country's Food Systems Roadmap, to strengthening school and adolescent nutrition programming, and designing social and behaviour change approaches that support healthier diets and food environments. In his current role at UNICEF, Vansak works with the Government of Cambodia, UN agencies, development partners and communities to strengthen nutrition policies, systems and programmes for women, children and adolescents. His work spans maternal and child nutrition, school nutrition, food systems, social and behaviour change, community systems and healthy food environments – contributing to programme planning, technical coordination, evidence generation and partnership building.
"What I'm most proud of is seeing the work move from discussion and planning into something real – whether that's a school creating a healthier food environment, a community thinking differently about nutrition, or an approach we've worked on being put into practice. Nutrition is health, and Cambodia is facing a triple burden of nutrition, including undernutrition, micronutrient deficiency and overnutrition, and non-communicable diseases in Cambodia are rising fast. To me, investing in food systems and nutrition isn't just a public health solution – it also drives economic growth through job creation."
Supported to thrive
Vansak is quick to credit the people who have supported him along the way. He is especially grateful to his research supervisor, Associate Professor Ailsa Holloway, for her guidance throughout his master's degree.
"I'm very grateful to Associate Professor Holloway for her guidance – it helped shape the way I think and work today. I'm also deeply grateful to the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship for giving me this opportunity, and to the AUT Scholarship Office, which became like a family to me during my time in New Zealand. And of course, I'm thankful to the friends, colleagues and family who have supported me throughout the journey."
During his Master of Public Health, he studied courses on health systems management, global health, health promotion, nutrition and resilience. His master's degree research examined distance to healthcare services as a risk factor for Type 2 diabetes in Cambodia.
"That research has stayed with me. Diabetes is often discussed in terms of individual lifestyle and behaviour, but my research made me think more deeply about how much the wider environment matters – even something as basic as how far someone lives from healthcare services can shape health outcomes. That way of thinking still shapes how I approach nutrition and food systems work today."
Advice for future Manaaki scholars
Vansak has some great advice for other students interested in applying for a Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship.
"My advice to future Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship students is to make the most of every opportunity. Don't focus only on completing your academic work. Build relationships, learn from different cultures, and take the opportunity to experience New Zealand: its people, culture and environment.”
Think about what you can take from your experience and bring it back to your own community, he adds.
“The knowledge, perspectives and friendships you gain while you’re studying in New Zealand can stay with you long after graduation."
