February 2026 Young Planet Leader Chouly Thy

Chouly Thy is a Cambodian social entrepreneur, innovator, and educator who believes meaningful change happens when young people are trusted to lead. She holds a Master of Science in Business Analytics from Babson College in Boston and a Bachelor’s degree in International Business from IPU New Zealand.

Growing up in Banteay Meanchey province, Chouly saw how limited opportunities often restricted youth participation. Her passion for education and civic engagement began at age 10 through Cambodian Red Cross and led her to found the Social Issues’ Solutions Club at age 14. Through SISC, she has built a youth-led platform where young people learn, design and lead hands-on projects addressing real community challenges. Over eight years, SISC has mobilized 325 youth members to lead 31 community-based projects, reaching 12,000+ beneficiaries across Cambodia in areas including education, environmental action, mental health, fundraising, and knowledge-sharing. Her work has been recognized internationally; she is a Top 10 Smart Good Citizen Awardee, a Rise Fellow ’21 and was named by Forbes as one of the 100 most promising teens.