The 2013 HM Awards presented by Sealy Posturepedic have raised $30,000 for the Sala Bai Hotel School in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
A documentary (click on the YouTube image above) – produced by HM magazine’s Editor-In-Chief and founder of the HM Awards, James Wilkinson – about Sala Bai was screened on the night in an effort to raise as many funds as possible for a charity the magazine is proud to be involved with.
“We are incredibly proud to be helping young people from poor and disadvantaged families realise their dream of working in the hotel industry through training at Sala Bai,” Wilkinson said.
“This donation will help ensure 30 more young Cambodians will receive the training they need to not just get jobs, but great careers in the hotel industry.”
The attendees of the HM Awards were asked to pledge $1000 to sponsor a student at Sala Bai, which covers 6-months’ training fees (lessons, school supplies, books, uniforms) and daily expenses (accommodations, food, bicycle, insurance and medical expenses) for the students.
Since the 2007 HM Awards, almost $200,000 has been raised for Sala Bai, the equivalent of training 100 students for a year – almost a tenth of the amount of students that have graduated since the school was founded in 2002.
This year’s documentary was the second produced by Wilkinson about Sala Bai, with the first screening at the 2008 HM Awards and raising just under $30,000.
The 2013 HM Awards were presented by Sealy; hosted by HM magazine; co-hosted by AHS, Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School, Foxtel Business, Intrust Super and Nespresso; and sponsored by A-List Guide, CCA, Dometic, ISIS, iBahn, HotelHome Australia, Miele, McLaren Vale Beer Company, Oyster Bay Wines, Prototype Furniture, San Pellegrino, Spice magazine, www.spicenews.com.au, Time Out Melbourne and Time Out Sydney.
The Accommodation Association of Australia (AAoA), Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA) and Travmedia.com were supporting partners.