NGO's and Social Entrepreneurs
A major aspect of the Cambodia From the Ground Up trip is to visit with different NGO's and social entrepreneurs in order to learn from them and apply this new knowledge not only to the service project we did but also to future projects. Throughout the two weeks we met with a total of 15 different organisations which you can find out more about below- including a quick summary of what the group does, what we did when we met with them and our thoughts. Social enterprises are marked with a [*] and all the rest are NGO's. My top 5 are also marked with a [+].
List
1. Ragamuffin
2. Tiny Toones [+]
3. Cambodian Center for the Protection of Children's Rights
4. Homeless World Cup [+]
5. The River Kids Foundation
6. Small World [*] [+]
7. PicoSol
8. NRG Solutions [*]
9. Agile Development
10. 2 Way Development
11. Skateistan
12. Wildlife Alliance [+]
13. Senhoa [+]
14. Global Giving
15. The Branch Foundation
Other: The World Race
2. Tiny Toones [+]
3. Cambodian Center for the Protection of Children's Rights
4. Homeless World Cup [+]
5. The River Kids Foundation
6. Small World [*] [+]
7. PicoSol
8. NRG Solutions [*]
9. Agile Development
10. 2 Way Development
11. Skateistan
12. Wildlife Alliance [+]
13. Senhoa [+]
14. Global Giving
15. The Branch Foundation
Other: The World Race
Summary
1. Ragamuffin [June 28]
The Ragamuffin Project is committed to the relief of emotional pain and psychological damage in children and adults. We work together with those who bring such relief to people who suffer around the world.
Ragamuffin is a British NGO that works in the UK, Cambodia, Russia and Peru. They aim to cure children, teenagers and adults from past trauma through art therapy. This includes singing, dancing, visual arts and more to get the person to find their inner self and learn to show it. They plan to build the person's confidence up, so that they can go back into their own community and bring positive development to it.
This organisation was founded by Carrie Herbert and Kit Loring, who wanted to carry out the project in the UK. Eventually they tried bringing it to Cambodia and it was a success. So they started to collaborate with other NGO's and then opened up their facility (picture shown). This program is open to anyone, the staff will take the person in, assess them, learn about their past then create a specific program through which the individual can overcome their past and reach a high level of self confidence.
Carrie, whom we met with, said that children are more resilient and will generally take less time to "heal". Basically, the older the person is, the longer it will take and the harder it is to do. They have trouble in Cambodia financially because many don't see mental illness as a priority to fix.
Contrary to many other forms of art therapy, Ragamuffin doesn't believe in interpreting the art somebody does for them. It is up to the creator to find himself in the piece that they have produced.
When we arrived, we talked with Carrie about the project over lunch, then went upstairs to do a 15 minute, in some sorts, stimulation of some of the forms of therapy used at Ragamuffin. Right before coming to the facility we had visited the Toul Sleng/ S-21 Prison, so we were told to, in less than 15 minutes, use colours to express our emotions and describe the things that we saw there, then name the piece and share it. Afterwards we went upstairs to the recording studio and listened to an amazing song written and sung by a 14- year old Cambodian girl.
I personally found this NGO very unique- it was completely different to anything else I had ever seen, but, in some ways, it sort of also reminded me of the UAE women safehouses... just, a lot more happy. Both are a place for people who have nowhere else to go, it's just that Ragamuffin focuses more on discovering yourself. This organisation was very interesting and I enjoyed going; the atmosphere was relaxing and it was one of those optimistic, hopeful places.
Visit the Ragamuffin website to find out more.
2. Tiny Toones [June 28]
The Ragamuffin Project is committed to the relief of emotional pain and psychological damage in children and adults. We work together with those who bring such relief to people who suffer around the world.
Ragamuffin is a British NGO that works in the UK, Cambodia, Russia and Peru. They aim to cure children, teenagers and adults from past trauma through art therapy. This includes singing, dancing, visual arts and more to get the person to find their inner self and learn to show it. They plan to build the person's confidence up, so that they can go back into their own community and bring positive development to it.
This organisation was founded by Carrie Herbert and Kit Loring, who wanted to carry out the project in the UK. Eventually they tried bringing it to Cambodia and it was a success. So they started to collaborate with other NGO's and then opened up their facility (picture shown). This program is open to anyone, the staff will take the person in, assess them, learn about their past then create a specific program through which the individual can overcome their past and reach a high level of self confidence.
Carrie, whom we met with, said that children are more resilient and will generally take less time to "heal". Basically, the older the person is, the longer it will take and the harder it is to do. They have trouble in Cambodia financially because many don't see mental illness as a priority to fix.
Contrary to many other forms of art therapy, Ragamuffin doesn't believe in interpreting the art somebody does for them. It is up to the creator to find himself in the piece that they have produced.
When we arrived, we talked with Carrie about the project over lunch, then went upstairs to do a 15 minute, in some sorts, stimulation of some of the forms of therapy used at Ragamuffin. Right before coming to the facility we had visited the Toul Sleng/ S-21 Prison, so we were told to, in less than 15 minutes, use colours to express our emotions and describe the things that we saw there, then name the piece and share it. Afterwards we went upstairs to the recording studio and listened to an amazing song written and sung by a 14- year old Cambodian girl.
I personally found this NGO very unique- it was completely different to anything else I had ever seen, but, in some ways, it sort of also reminded me of the UAE women safehouses... just, a lot more happy. Both are a place for people who have nowhere else to go, it's just that Ragamuffin focuses more on discovering yourself. This organisation was very interesting and I enjoyed going; the atmosphere was relaxing and it was one of those optimistic, hopeful places.
Visit the Ragamuffin website to find out more.
2. Tiny Toones [June 28]
Tiny Toones is about providing less fortunate Cambodian children and teenagers with an education and engaging them to do so through the opportunity to learn about hip hop and break dancing. It's goal is to provide the less fortunate youth with creative opportunities that will help guide them to a brighter future. It is a school in one fo the poorest areas of Phnom Penh (the capital city of Cambodia) where kids learn about music and dance including break dancing, singing, DJing, writing your own songs and producing them, and beat boxing as well as English, Math, Khmer and computing. The youth is willing to learn these educational courses as they are also being given the opportunity to learn about hip hop.
They get kids to come to the school through word of mouth- the kids go around telling everybody that there is a school that teaches you how to break dance and eventually more and more people come. The school is targeted towards poor local youth who generally face social or family disadvantages, drug use and lack of education. Tiny Toones receives an average of 100 kids a day and 200 different kids throughout the month. Once the student reaches 18-20 years old, they, hopefully, go to University, but are also recruited to be teachers for the next generations of students. This student to teacher program has yet to not work. The school teaches about ten classes (subjects mentioned above) simultaneously. If possible, some of the kids are put back into the proper schooling system.
This organisation all started with a man names KK who was living in the US at the time. Homeless children around heard that he used to beatbox and breakdance so they begged him to teach them. At first he said no, but eventually, since they kept nagging him, he agreed. These kids went and told all their friends about "the man who gives free breakdance classes" and soon, he was teaching 70 or so kids in his one bedroom apartment. So, he started Tiny Toones, moved back to Cambodia and got more kids and added the educational aspect of the program.
Their biggest challenge, which is similar to the majority of or other NGO's, is funding. But, recently, Tiny Toones released an album written and produced completely by the kids of the organisation.
When we visited the Tiny Toones facility in Phnom Penh, we went in and watched a show-and-tell session and then heard quick presentations from two different people about the mission and vision of the NGO. Then we had some free time to go and play, talk and take pictures with the kids.
Personally, I thought Tiny Toones was really cool; I couldn't stop smiling when I was there. The kids are so happy, regardless of their condition, and are full of energy. They were so grateful and a pleasure to be around and I find the way that hip hop is incorporated to get youth to get an education very smart and interesting.
Find out more about Tiny Toones here.
They get kids to come to the school through word of mouth- the kids go around telling everybody that there is a school that teaches you how to break dance and eventually more and more people come. The school is targeted towards poor local youth who generally face social or family disadvantages, drug use and lack of education. Tiny Toones receives an average of 100 kids a day and 200 different kids throughout the month. Once the student reaches 18-20 years old, they, hopefully, go to University, but are also recruited to be teachers for the next generations of students. This student to teacher program has yet to not work. The school teaches about ten classes (subjects mentioned above) simultaneously. If possible, some of the kids are put back into the proper schooling system.
This organisation all started with a man names KK who was living in the US at the time. Homeless children around heard that he used to beatbox and breakdance so they begged him to teach them. At first he said no, but eventually, since they kept nagging him, he agreed. These kids went and told all their friends about "the man who gives free breakdance classes" and soon, he was teaching 70 or so kids in his one bedroom apartment. So, he started Tiny Toones, moved back to Cambodia and got more kids and added the educational aspect of the program.
Their biggest challenge, which is similar to the majority of or other NGO's, is funding. But, recently, Tiny Toones released an album written and produced completely by the kids of the organisation.
When we visited the Tiny Toones facility in Phnom Penh, we went in and watched a show-and-tell session and then heard quick presentations from two different people about the mission and vision of the NGO. Then we had some free time to go and play, talk and take pictures with the kids.
Personally, I thought Tiny Toones was really cool; I couldn't stop smiling when I was there. The kids are so happy, regardless of their condition, and are full of energy. They were so grateful and a pleasure to be around and I find the way that hip hop is incorporated to get youth to get an education very smart and interesting.
Find out more about Tiny Toones here.
3. Cambodian Centre for the Protection of Children's Rights [June 28]
To eliminate all forms of violence against children and youth, including child labor, trafficking, sexual abuse and commercial sexual exploitation through intervention, rehabilitation and reintegration and to provide an education and life skills that will give survivors the ability to sustain their own futures with dignity.
CCPCR holds programs throughout Cambodia to not only prevent the above actions taken against children, but to also provide help to those who have faced these things to eventually reintegrate them into society. As a whole, long-term goal, CCPCR is working towards a world in which children and youth have equal rights in society and are free from all forms of violence and exploitation. Their programs include education, the teaching of life skills as well as showing the youth their rights.
They have two major programs that break down into other projects. These are (1) Prevention Programs and Community Education, which consists of the Village Safety Net Program, the Child Labour Prevention Program, Primary and Community Education and the Health Care Program and (2) Shelters and Transistion Houses for children who have already faced these conditions. This second program includes investigation and rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration. So, basically, they have six main strategies in order to reach their above goal: recovery and rehabilitation, reintegration, coordination, staff capacity building, prevention and rescue.
This NGO works in collaboration with many other organisations, not only in Cambodia.
Visit the CCPCR website for further information.
4. Homeless World Cup and Happy Football Cambodia Australia [June 29]
HFCA started a soccer program in Cambodia in correspondence with other local NGO's and as a result, Cambodia has been able to take part in the Homeless World Cup for the last five years. The Homeless World Cup is an international association that holds tournaments in different countries every year (including Mexico, Poland, Austria, Italy, Brazil, France and more). The tournament lasts a few days every year and receives funding from FIFA. Obviously, in order to be allegeable to play, you have to be homeless; its' aim is to beat homelessness through soccer.
We visited the HFCA program where there were many kids playing, including the boys who were training to go to the tournament this year. The majority of the other ocuntries also have girls teams, but Cambodia does not. As a result, HFCA is doing everything they can to encourage girls to participate and the coaches are looking to, in the near future, be able to form a strong enough girls team that will be able to compete. Other countries also get to bring 8 players to the tournament for both their girls and boys team; they play 4-aside and have 4 substitutes. The Cambodian team though can only take 4-6 players from their over 16 team because they don't have enough money this year for all the plane tickets to Poland, where the tournament is taking place. This creates a bigger challenge on the players becuase they might not have the chance to be subbed out during the game.
The over 16's aren't the only team though, they are just the only ones who can go to the cup, but there are still other teams including the under 6's, under 10's, under 14's and the under 16's. So, how do they get their players? HFCA are in correspondence with four different organisations in Cambodia, including the River Kids Foundation (below), that work with homeless kids. They ask each organisation to bring them 20 kids (boys or girls) to join the league. They can also send in some part-time players, so HFCA trains up to about 100 kids every Saturday and Sunday from 7-9 am. HFCA also provides all the kids with cleats and all the other gear they need as well as professional coaches from the Cambodian Football Federation. They receive the majority of their funding from fundraisers (more detail here) and individual donations.
Once a player becomes too old to take part in the Homeless World Cup, they encourage them to become coaches for national teams or to go to university or even to go play for the Cambodian National Team, which takes part in FIFA. (So far, they have two boys he have already done this). The coaches, from the Football Federation, are volunteers looking to give back to their community as many have had similar tough childhoods. They are hoping that through this program they will be able to keep the kids busy and production and away from drugs and other aspects common in poverty.
When we went to the training, we talked to the over 16's coach about the program, then warmed up to play. We played a mixed team game and a girls vs. girls game. We ended with a cool down and some group photos.
I find this concept and tournament very interesting. It's amazing to give youth this opportunity because some of them are really outstanding players and deserve the shot to make it to the National team. I look forward to talking to some of my friends about this because I could see them being coaches or being involved some other way. I'm also interested to see what we could do to help because we have such a high interest in soccer at school.
Learn more about the Homeless World Cup here, about the Cambodian team for the tournament here and about the HFCA program here.
5. The River Kids Foundation [June 29]
This foundation targets slum areas, such as those along the Mekong River, where human trafficking, drug use, physical abuse and domestic violence are very common. Through social workers this foundation retrieves kids undergoing these conditions and take them from their parennts (who are generally out trying to gain an income) and bring them back to one of the foundation facilities (there are four).
They focus on supporting the children and taking them off their parents hands so that their family can be better off (more money from feeding less people). The kids get fed at the foundation and go through different programs that will help them be independent when they grow up. This includes an education that consists of English, Khmer, computing as well as other lessons such as life skills and counselling. They also try to put some of the kids back into the local schooling system- public and private- which they are in correspondence with, where the foundation would pay all the school fees. In order for them to self sustain themselves they also teach them how to sew and so on for micro financing and in order to allow them to start their own businesses and make their own money. All in all the foundation has five major aspects: education, health, social services, work and income. They aim to aid the children in all five categories in order to move them towards a better future.
Currently the have 456 kids from babies through to teenagers in their programs and a running total of over 800. The short term goal of the foundation is the safety of the children and pulling them out of their conditions to learn to better their own lives. They plan to do this through the courses they provide. Their long term goal is to essentially, eventually, decrease human trafficking and abuse in the slum areas of Cambodia or even end it all together.
After having specifically asked, it was made clear that they do not work with orphans; all the kids they work with still have parents living in the slums that they go back to each night (the kids do not sleep at the facility). They wanted to clarify that that wasn't their target group of people. Also, after the founder of the River Kids Foundation corrected us a few times when we were discussing the NGO, we began to understand that they do not call their 4 different centres 'shelters' because they find it insulting to the children and they believe it leaves them in a more vulnerable state.
As for financials, 80% of the foundation's funds come from individual donations from overseas (a majority of which come from Singapore) which are made through the River Kids Foundation website. So, they do depend heavily on the input of specific individuals. The other 20% comes from sponsorship from other organisations that they work with, located generally in Cambodia and other areas in Southeast Asia.
We went in to visit the facility and talked to the owner for a long while. At the end we walked around and looked at the centre. I personally doubt the organisation... Don't get me wrong, I think it's still amazing that they help so many people, but so many things during the visit threw me off. The fact that the founder of the organisation pulled out his ringing iPhone just when he was talking about how tight funding was and how he dedicated all of his time as a nonprofit volunteer of the centre was the most unsettling. But also, one of the classrooms had a pretty decent TV sitting straight in the middle of the room and even, aside form the electronics, I found that the entire system was unsustainable and very unstructured. Maybe they can't do better, but to me, things seemed very disorganised and almost as if they were doing things and making decisions as the days went on. I'm not saying that the foundation is bad, I would just like to do more research and look at other aspects of the program.
Read more about The River Kids Foundation here.
6. Small World and Khmer Enterprises [June 30]
This foundation targets slum areas, such as those along the Mekong River, where human trafficking, drug use, physical abuse and domestic violence are very common. Through social workers this foundation retrieves kids undergoing these conditions and take them from their parennts (who are generally out trying to gain an income) and bring them back to one of the foundation facilities (there are four).
They focus on supporting the children and taking them off their parents hands so that their family can be better off (more money from feeding less people). The kids get fed at the foundation and go through different programs that will help them be independent when they grow up. This includes an education that consists of English, Khmer, computing as well as other lessons such as life skills and counselling. They also try to put some of the kids back into the local schooling system- public and private- which they are in correspondence with, where the foundation would pay all the school fees. In order for them to self sustain themselves they also teach them how to sew and so on for micro financing and in order to allow them to start their own businesses and make their own money. All in all the foundation has five major aspects: education, health, social services, work and income. They aim to aid the children in all five categories in order to move them towards a better future.
Currently the have 456 kids from babies through to teenagers in their programs and a running total of over 800. The short term goal of the foundation is the safety of the children and pulling them out of their conditions to learn to better their own lives. They plan to do this through the courses they provide. Their long term goal is to essentially, eventually, decrease human trafficking and abuse in the slum areas of Cambodia or even end it all together.
After having specifically asked, it was made clear that they do not work with orphans; all the kids they work with still have parents living in the slums that they go back to each night (the kids do not sleep at the facility). They wanted to clarify that that wasn't their target group of people. Also, after the founder of the River Kids Foundation corrected us a few times when we were discussing the NGO, we began to understand that they do not call their 4 different centres 'shelters' because they find it insulting to the children and they believe it leaves them in a more vulnerable state.
As for financials, 80% of the foundation's funds come from individual donations from overseas (a majority of which come from Singapore) which are made through the River Kids Foundation website. So, they do depend heavily on the input of specific individuals. The other 20% comes from sponsorship from other organisations that they work with, located generally in Cambodia and other areas in Southeast Asia.
We went in to visit the facility and talked to the owner for a long while. At the end we walked around and looked at the centre. I personally doubt the organisation... Don't get me wrong, I think it's still amazing that they help so many people, but so many things during the visit threw me off. The fact that the founder of the organisation pulled out his ringing iPhone just when he was talking about how tight funding was and how he dedicated all of his time as a nonprofit volunteer of the centre was the most unsettling. But also, one of the classrooms had a pretty decent TV sitting straight in the middle of the room and even, aside form the electronics, I found that the entire system was unsustainable and very unstructured. Maybe they can't do better, but to me, things seemed very disorganised and almost as if they were doing things and making decisions as the days went on. I'm not saying that the foundation is bad, I would just like to do more research and look at other aspects of the program.
Read more about The River Kids Foundation here.
6. Small World and Khmer Enterprises [June 30]
Small World is a collaborative workplace designed to ensure that passionate, business minded youth have access to an enjoyable and productive work environment. It serves as an education, networking, and small business resource and support center where students and budding entrepreneurs can learn and network with others to discuss, test, and launch new business ideas.
Small World is actually not an NGO, it was the first social enterprise we visited. It focuses on bringing people together to start their own businesses and projects and to show them that it is possible to do what they want to do with their lives. Sakada Sam, one of the cofounders of Small World, said something I found interesting. He said that two people that are giving only 50% is better than one person who gives 100%... sort of like the saying two heads are better than one. This reflects Small World's mission; it is facility space that allows you to collaborate with others through the development of your project, which is meant for you to find your passion. It's a facility where you can find a cofounder and other supporters for what you want to do and where students have the opportunity to be teachers and teach others who work in Small World something new. This is done through workshops, conferences, events and more.
Small World in itself might not be an NGO, but many NGO's come and rent out its facilities for its own development. Currently, they have several NGO's and students working at its centre. This includes an engineering team that develops robots, interns from France working on their own project and many more. The project you develop under Small World doesn't have to be anything specific- it can be whatever you want.
When we asked why Small World wasn't an NGO, Sakada brought up the point that sustainability is key, which I agree with completely, and according to him NGO's like this one aren't very stable in Cambodia. They don't want to be sitting around waiting for donations to come; rather than letting the outcome of the program depend completely on whether or not somebody thought to donate that month, they have developed a structure in which they will have just enough income every month to keep the project running. This leaves them with the ability to focus on further developing Small World rather than worrying what they will do if they don't receive the income they need.
To raise their initial funds (to pay for the facility and start up the program), one of the cofounders of Small World biked from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh (about 320 kilometres). This raised money as well as emphasised the point that young people should do what they want to do because all of it is possible. This lesson is key at Small World, so the project also brought some publicity to the organisation's name. Currently, they get their funds through plans they create with those working in their facility. One of these plans include the group paying Small World $30 a month which allows them to come in, use the space, have free air conditioning, drinks and wifi and be provided with the opportunity to collaborate with others. So once a plan is figured out, people come with their laptops and start to work. Small World also has a restaurant available and those at the facility can order food while they work, which will also provide the enterprise with a bit of an income.
All four of the cofounders of Small World have their own projects in addition to running this enterprise. These projects vary from businesses to service work and more. Sakada Sam, the one we met with, is also the founder of a business called Khmer Enterprises which provides web development services, content marketing and graphic design.
We went into the Small World facility, talked to Sakada for a while about the project, toured the house and then had lunch at the facility restaurant where we further discussed the enterprise.I found this project extremely interesting, and I know I've said that for most of them, but I think that of all the different groups we visited this is definitely one of my favourites. The program is well-structured and sustainable, which is crucial to its success. Small World has so much potential and I personally think that it can go very far. To be given the opportunity to collaborate with others is not only wonderful but is key to the development of any project. The message and service aspects of the whole program just make it that much better. I hope that when I'm done with school I will have an opportunity like this one that I can take advantage of.
Find out more about Small World or Sakada's Khmer Enterprises and take a look at Small World's Youtube channel.
Small World is actually not an NGO, it was the first social enterprise we visited. It focuses on bringing people together to start their own businesses and projects and to show them that it is possible to do what they want to do with their lives. Sakada Sam, one of the cofounders of Small World, said something I found interesting. He said that two people that are giving only 50% is better than one person who gives 100%... sort of like the saying two heads are better than one. This reflects Small World's mission; it is facility space that allows you to collaborate with others through the development of your project, which is meant for you to find your passion. It's a facility where you can find a cofounder and other supporters for what you want to do and where students have the opportunity to be teachers and teach others who work in Small World something new. This is done through workshops, conferences, events and more.
Small World in itself might not be an NGO, but many NGO's come and rent out its facilities for its own development. Currently, they have several NGO's and students working at its centre. This includes an engineering team that develops robots, interns from France working on their own project and many more. The project you develop under Small World doesn't have to be anything specific- it can be whatever you want.
When we asked why Small World wasn't an NGO, Sakada brought up the point that sustainability is key, which I agree with completely, and according to him NGO's like this one aren't very stable in Cambodia. They don't want to be sitting around waiting for donations to come; rather than letting the outcome of the program depend completely on whether or not somebody thought to donate that month, they have developed a structure in which they will have just enough income every month to keep the project running. This leaves them with the ability to focus on further developing Small World rather than worrying what they will do if they don't receive the income they need.
To raise their initial funds (to pay for the facility and start up the program), one of the cofounders of Small World biked from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh (about 320 kilometres). This raised money as well as emphasised the point that young people should do what they want to do because all of it is possible. This lesson is key at Small World, so the project also brought some publicity to the organisation's name. Currently, they get their funds through plans they create with those working in their facility. One of these plans include the group paying Small World $30 a month which allows them to come in, use the space, have free air conditioning, drinks and wifi and be provided with the opportunity to collaborate with others. So once a plan is figured out, people come with their laptops and start to work. Small World also has a restaurant available and those at the facility can order food while they work, which will also provide the enterprise with a bit of an income.
All four of the cofounders of Small World have their own projects in addition to running this enterprise. These projects vary from businesses to service work and more. Sakada Sam, the one we met with, is also the founder of a business called Khmer Enterprises which provides web development services, content marketing and graphic design.
We went into the Small World facility, talked to Sakada for a while about the project, toured the house and then had lunch at the facility restaurant where we further discussed the enterprise.I found this project extremely interesting, and I know I've said that for most of them, but I think that of all the different groups we visited this is definitely one of my favourites. The program is well-structured and sustainable, which is crucial to its success. Small World has so much potential and I personally think that it can go very far. To be given the opportunity to collaborate with others is not only wonderful but is key to the development of any project. The message and service aspects of the whole program just make it that much better. I hope that when I'm done with school I will have an opportunity like this one that I can take advantage of.
Find out more about Small World or Sakada's Khmer Enterprises and take a look at Small World's Youtube channel.
7 & 8. PicoSol and NRG Solutions [July 1]
In PicoSol's vision, the introduction of solar power for Cambodia's population will contribute to improvement of rural life. NRG Solutions was established with the goal of providing sustainable, appropriate, and affordable solar energy solutions to Cambodia and South-East Asia.
Both PicoSol and NRG Solutions have to do with solar energy in Cambodia, which is why they're put together. PicoSol, in some sorts, is the general company for how to use panels and more and NRG Solutions is one of the many companies that distribute solar panel products in Cambodia. PicoSol is an NGO and NRG Solutions is social enterprise.
Not only is solar energy ideal in Cambodia but it is also greatly needed. Sunlight is abundant and between 60%-80% of the Cambodian population doesn't have access to reliable electricity.
PicoSol is a Dutch NGO that came to Cambodia. Rather than just selling panels, they train people and lead lessons on how to install them, how to trouble shoot, how to prevent problems and so on. They do this through a four part program: the establishment of installation and operation manuals, the development of training materials, the training for the installers and the training for the inspectors. The latter two trainings include troubleshooting, operation and maintenance. Aside from this they also have awareness programs including workshops at schools and more as well as networking programs with nearby entrepreneurs. Basically, the idea is, in order for solar panels to be sustainable in the community, there have to people available who will be able to help if anything goes wrong. This allows the community to be self-reliant and not depend on outside aid. They also work a lot on explaining to the population why solar energy is better and also on facilitating the market chain (diagram below). Some of the high-tech products they offer are expensive but the goal is not to only implement this energy change in poor villages, but rather, in all of Cambodia.
NRG on the other hand, creates and sells solar panel products as well as aids impoverished areas in Cambodia by presenting the product to people who can start their own business and sell it to make a bit of an income. A micro financing system with solar panels in some sorts. For their entire range of products they try to keep it as simple as possible in order to allow uneducated communities to still have to opportunity to understand and use the items.
Both companies' products span from small simple lights/flashlights to big systems that purify water through the use of UV lights (generated from the solar panels).
We drove out to Sre Ampil Village to the PicoSol facility, where we had a presentation from one of the local staff about the NGO. This was followed by a quick tour of the village space and mock buildings they are working on (their current project is to try and run a village solely on solar panels). Then we got a presentation from NRG Solutions.
I think that both organisations are good and well-structured. I specifically think that what PicoSol is doing for the solar panel business is great because sustainability is key and it is crucial for communities to be able to solve any issues they may have without having to call in for foreign aid.
Find out more about PicoSol's international projects here or about their Cambodian programs here. To download PicoSol's Cambodia flyer (in English) click here. You can also learn more about NRG Solutions here.
In PicoSol's vision, the introduction of solar power for Cambodia's population will contribute to improvement of rural life. NRG Solutions was established with the goal of providing sustainable, appropriate, and affordable solar energy solutions to Cambodia and South-East Asia.
Both PicoSol and NRG Solutions have to do with solar energy in Cambodia, which is why they're put together. PicoSol, in some sorts, is the general company for how to use panels and more and NRG Solutions is one of the many companies that distribute solar panel products in Cambodia. PicoSol is an NGO and NRG Solutions is social enterprise.
Not only is solar energy ideal in Cambodia but it is also greatly needed. Sunlight is abundant and between 60%-80% of the Cambodian population doesn't have access to reliable electricity.
PicoSol is a Dutch NGO that came to Cambodia. Rather than just selling panels, they train people and lead lessons on how to install them, how to trouble shoot, how to prevent problems and so on. They do this through a four part program: the establishment of installation and operation manuals, the development of training materials, the training for the installers and the training for the inspectors. The latter two trainings include troubleshooting, operation and maintenance. Aside from this they also have awareness programs including workshops at schools and more as well as networking programs with nearby entrepreneurs. Basically, the idea is, in order for solar panels to be sustainable in the community, there have to people available who will be able to help if anything goes wrong. This allows the community to be self-reliant and not depend on outside aid. They also work a lot on explaining to the population why solar energy is better and also on facilitating the market chain (diagram below). Some of the high-tech products they offer are expensive but the goal is not to only implement this energy change in poor villages, but rather, in all of Cambodia.
NRG on the other hand, creates and sells solar panel products as well as aids impoverished areas in Cambodia by presenting the product to people who can start their own business and sell it to make a bit of an income. A micro financing system with solar panels in some sorts. For their entire range of products they try to keep it as simple as possible in order to allow uneducated communities to still have to opportunity to understand and use the items.
Both companies' products span from small simple lights/flashlights to big systems that purify water through the use of UV lights (generated from the solar panels).
We drove out to Sre Ampil Village to the PicoSol facility, where we had a presentation from one of the local staff about the NGO. This was followed by a quick tour of the village space and mock buildings they are working on (their current project is to try and run a village solely on solar panels). Then we got a presentation from NRG Solutions.
I think that both organisations are good and well-structured. I specifically think that what PicoSol is doing for the solar panel business is great because sustainability is key and it is crucial for communities to be able to solve any issues they may have without having to call in for foreign aid.
Find out more about PicoSol's international projects here or about their Cambodian programs here. To download PicoSol's Cambodia flyer (in English) click here. You can also learn more about NRG Solutions here.
9. Agile Development [July 1]
Agile develops enterprising solutions based on locally identified social, economic and environmental need. We're providing organic, sustainable gardens in shelters for trafficked girls, floating gardens, employment pathways for young men, and even solar lights for rural Cambodians.
Agile Development focuses on developing Cambodian communities to the point of self-sustainment. It is key for them to work with the community rather than for the community; they will do thorough needs assessments before launching a program. They create different projects around Cambodia with the coordination of the community then they will implement it. There are four projects that they have done so far which are mentioned above: they have developed sustainable gardens in shelters, they launched a floating garden in a village, they work with local men to help them find jobs and they work with providing impoverished areas of Cambodia with solar panel products.
This NGO is based out of Cambodia and Australia and was cofounded by five people including the man we met with and a local Cambodian women. Each person specialises in different specific fields, so as a team, they use each members' strengths to enhance the different programs. Though we didn't get as much information on this organisation than we did with others I loved the fact that they work with the community and help them with what they need rather than what ADG thinks they need, and I also think that using each person's strengths is a good lesson when working on a service project or any other group project for that matter.
Stay posted with the ADG website to learn about their future projects.
10. 2 Way Development [July 1]
2 Way Development places hundreds of volunteers every year to work with established development charities worldwide. All our placements are skills based, allowing volunteers to build up knowledge and experience, whilst contributing to a specific need in a charity or NGO.
The cofounder of ADG (above) that we met with also works part time at 2 Way Development. Basically, what they do is provide other NGO's and organisations with volunteers. People will apply to work as a volunteer through 2 Way Development, those working at this program will read this persons' resumé and applications then they will accept them (or not) for specific projects. Generally the people signing up to be volunteers are looking to have some field experience that can help them with their future careers. 2 Way Development also holds conferences and more to help guide youth through having a career in international development.
So, basically, it's an agency of volunteer service work. This also means that 2 Way Development has a great deal of contacts with different NGO's and knowledge about international development and service as well as specific information on different countries and organisations.
Visit the 2 Way Development website.
11. Skateistan [July 1]
Skateistan is connecting youth and education through skateboarding in Cambodia and Afghanistan.
Skateistan is a skateboarding NGO that began in Afghanistan and in the last few years has started to develop in Cambodia. It is a form of sport therapy; they use skateboarding to engage youth to get involved in their community and to have fun. The program consists of four parts: skateboarding, an arts-based education, cultural exchanges and youth leadership. The NGO is sponsored by Quicksilver and, actually, is rather well-known internationally, especially in Canada and France.
Skateistan tailors its programs to the local community, which is what they view as their key to success. In Afghanistan, in addition to the above four programs, they also have a back-to-school system for those who have dropped out of or have never gone to school. For this, along with learning how to skateboard, they go to an accelerated education course to learn what they have missed, and then they are placed into public school. But, in Cambodia, Skateistan isn't an education service; it is just something fun for kids to do and a way for them to form relationships and stay away from any trouble present in their impoverished community. Skateistan get their kids from their partnerships with other local NGO's. These partner NGO's generally incorporate education in their programs, so it's not like the kids aren't getting any education at all. Skateistan runs three sessions a day that consist of 1 hour skateboard classes, including how to ride, how to make your own skateboards and how to fix them and 1 hour arts classes including visual arts, DJing and more.
The target group that they reach out to in Cambodia depends on their partner organisations. It isn't exclusive to homeless children, or orphans, but rather, it depends on what the other NGO's are exclusive to. Generally, they all come from pretty sketchy backgrounds though, because, think about it, their aren't any NGO's for rich Cambodian kids.
They have about 200 kids registered every week and they are working towards getting the number of girls even to the number of boys. Currently, in Cambodia, the ratio is about 40:60 girls: boys, so they are almost there. To help them reach this balance they are looking to work with NGO's whose target group is only girls.
They recieve their funding from grants, individual donations worldwide, the aforementioned sponsors such as Quicksilver, fundraising events and the government (they are currently recieving financial support from the German embassy).
As of now, Skateistan is looking to manage their growth, to start a program where the students can become the teachers (like at Tiny Toones- above) and to branch out to other countries.
I found this NGO to be very similar to Tiny Toones in many ways, and though I think that the Skateistan concept is very cool, I feel like their structure, especially in their Cambodian programs, is a little bit skewed. Initially I was shocked that Skateistan wasn't providing their skateboarding students with an education. Rather than skateboarding being a way to engage kids to get an education, like hip hop is with TIny Toones, it really is just for fun. And though that's nice for the kids, I don't think that it's as effective as it could be. Why doesn't Skateistan just provide their students with an education and then, rather than depending so heavily on other NGO's to provide them with children, they can just recruit their own kids by word of mouth like so many other NGO's in Cambodia do or they can be partnered with NGO's that don't provide their kids with an education. I do think that the skateboarding is important but to me, I feel like it would end up being useless... When the kids grow up, their biggest priority will be being able to gain an income, so, if the students don't want to end up being the next generation teachers at Skateistan then they're going to need an education to get a job because, honestly, what job are they going to find in Cambodia where the only skill they require is skateboarding and that will pay them enough to live off of. So, personally, I just don't see why the program isn't structured differently to aid the kids with their future and give them skills that they can be using for the rest of their lives, but I do think that the organisation has a lot of potential.
Check out the Skateistan website, the Cambodian project, the Skateistan documentary or the Youtube channel.
Skateistan is a skateboarding NGO that began in Afghanistan and in the last few years has started to develop in Cambodia. It is a form of sport therapy; they use skateboarding to engage youth to get involved in their community and to have fun. The program consists of four parts: skateboarding, an arts-based education, cultural exchanges and youth leadership. The NGO is sponsored by Quicksilver and, actually, is rather well-known internationally, especially in Canada and France.
Skateistan tailors its programs to the local community, which is what they view as their key to success. In Afghanistan, in addition to the above four programs, they also have a back-to-school system for those who have dropped out of or have never gone to school. For this, along with learning how to skateboard, they go to an accelerated education course to learn what they have missed, and then they are placed into public school. But, in Cambodia, Skateistan isn't an education service; it is just something fun for kids to do and a way for them to form relationships and stay away from any trouble present in their impoverished community. Skateistan get their kids from their partnerships with other local NGO's. These partner NGO's generally incorporate education in their programs, so it's not like the kids aren't getting any education at all. Skateistan runs three sessions a day that consist of 1 hour skateboard classes, including how to ride, how to make your own skateboards and how to fix them and 1 hour arts classes including visual arts, DJing and more.
The target group that they reach out to in Cambodia depends on their partner organisations. It isn't exclusive to homeless children, or orphans, but rather, it depends on what the other NGO's are exclusive to. Generally, they all come from pretty sketchy backgrounds though, because, think about it, their aren't any NGO's for rich Cambodian kids.
They have about 200 kids registered every week and they are working towards getting the number of girls even to the number of boys. Currently, in Cambodia, the ratio is about 40:60 girls: boys, so they are almost there. To help them reach this balance they are looking to work with NGO's whose target group is only girls.
They recieve their funding from grants, individual donations worldwide, the aforementioned sponsors such as Quicksilver, fundraising events and the government (they are currently recieving financial support from the German embassy).
As of now, Skateistan is looking to manage their growth, to start a program where the students can become the teachers (like at Tiny Toones- above) and to branch out to other countries.
I found this NGO to be very similar to Tiny Toones in many ways, and though I think that the Skateistan concept is very cool, I feel like their structure, especially in their Cambodian programs, is a little bit skewed. Initially I was shocked that Skateistan wasn't providing their skateboarding students with an education. Rather than skateboarding being a way to engage kids to get an education, like hip hop is with TIny Toones, it really is just for fun. And though that's nice for the kids, I don't think that it's as effective as it could be. Why doesn't Skateistan just provide their students with an education and then, rather than depending so heavily on other NGO's to provide them with children, they can just recruit their own kids by word of mouth like so many other NGO's in Cambodia do or they can be partnered with NGO's that don't provide their kids with an education. I do think that the skateboarding is important but to me, I feel like it would end up being useless... When the kids grow up, their biggest priority will be being able to gain an income, so, if the students don't want to end up being the next generation teachers at Skateistan then they're going to need an education to get a job because, honestly, what job are they going to find in Cambodia where the only skill they require is skateboarding and that will pay them enough to live off of. So, personally, I just don't see why the program isn't structured differently to aid the kids with their future and give them skills that they can be using for the rest of their lives, but I do think that the organisation has a lot of potential.
Check out the Skateistan website, the Cambodian project, the Skateistan documentary or the Youtube channel.
12. Wildlife Alliance [July 2]
The basic tenet of our mission is to work directly with habitats and communities to protect, preserve, and provide. Wildlife Alliance’s focus is on direct action on the ground and direct access to the people actually performing the everyday tasks, instead of training a few teachers to go into communities to convey our ideas.
Wildlife Alliance is an American NGO that fundraises in its office in New York and implements action in Cambodia. It's main focus is to protect wildlife, and, unlike many other NGO's, it works in the field to provide direct protection. In order to do so it is partnered with local communities and the government. It's four major fields of work are deforestation, wildlife extinction, climate change and poverty. All Cambodian forests are protected by different NGO's: each have their own strategy, so they don't collaborate, but they do have monthly meetings so that they can share their projects and progress.
Wildlife Alliance has three major goals, to protect, preserve and provide. All their projects fall under three categories: wildlife, forests and economic development. They can be seen in the diagram below- those listed below are not all the programs that Wildlife Alliance runs, they are just the major ones:
The basic tenet of our mission is to work directly with habitats and communities to protect, preserve, and provide. Wildlife Alliance’s focus is on direct action on the ground and direct access to the people actually performing the everyday tasks, instead of training a few teachers to go into communities to convey our ideas.
Wildlife Alliance is an American NGO that fundraises in its office in New York and implements action in Cambodia. It's main focus is to protect wildlife, and, unlike many other NGO's, it works in the field to provide direct protection. In order to do so it is partnered with local communities and the government. It's four major fields of work are deforestation, wildlife extinction, climate change and poverty. All Cambodian forests are protected by different NGO's: each have their own strategy, so they don't collaborate, but they do have monthly meetings so that they can share their projects and progress.
Wildlife Alliance has three major goals, to protect, preserve and provide. All their projects fall under three categories: wildlife, forests and economic development. They can be seen in the diagram below- those listed below are not all the programs that Wildlife Alliance runs, they are just the major ones:
The Wildlife Rapid Rescue Team, under the wildlife category, decreases illegal wildlife trade throughout the country. They work with the Forestry Administration and rescue animals from this illegal trade and then release them into wild once any injuries or sicknesses have been cared for. This trade includes people selling wildlife as meat or products, illegal zoos or keeping them as pets. Through this program they stop and prevent that; they have confiscated and released about 56,000 animals so far. Before releasing the animals they will tag them to monitor whether they've already been captured or not. This program consists of the following subcategories: operation planning, implementing, confiscation, rescue, transition, release procedure and post-release. Operation planning consists of informant network, wildlife hotlines and legal procedures. Implementing consists of securing the premises, stopping the vehicle and identifying the offenders. Confiscation is made up of the seizure of the animal, apprehension and documentation. Rescue includes first aid and animal handling. Transition consists of moving the animal to natural enclosure, feeding them and rehabilitation. Release procedure is the transportation to a suitable habitat and post release includes making sure the habitat stays appropriate and more. This program is one of their most major ones that gives way to many other programs listed below.
The Care for Rescued Wildlife happens after the rescue of the animal in the first program, which is above. If the animal that they rescued is sick or injured then they care for it. So far they have cared for over 1,200 animals, some of which are endangered. The government is very helpful in this aspect of the program because they have laws that classify endangered species, uncommon species and common species. Penalties for illegal activity are different for how endangered the animal is, which is very helpful for the Wildlife Alliance. So, the government is rather supportive and helpful for this side of things.
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Station, the last project listed under the wildlife category, is also a part of the Wildlife Rapid Rescue Team structure. The step which is transition in that first program is basically this station. It is when animals, who aren't ready to be put back into the wild, are relocated to this rehabilitation station. It is a forested enclosure and the animal is put into the respected habitat that they will later be released into, allowing them to become familiar with the area while still being cared for. All aid and support given to the animal while it is in the enclosure is hands off to not make the animal dependent on human aid. When it is time for the animal to go into the wild, the door will be left open and the animal can wander out at its will.
As for forests, the first program is called Zoning and Demarcation. This project reduces land grabbing on state forests. They do this by installing posts to mark boundaries to a forest that is public land. This means that no individual or group can then go mark off within those boundaries to take it as their own. Generally, people want to take this land and claim it as their own to cut down all the trees for wood and take any animals for the illegal trade.
The Building Political Will section under forests is about the rejection and cancellation of economic land concessions. Wildlife Alliance works to create stake holder coalitions to protect the Cambodian forests.
The Strict Law Enforcement program consists of ranger stations that conduct law enforcement to stop deforestation, illegal logging and wildlife trafficking. The ranger's job is not only stopping it if it is happening but also preventing it altogether and bringing any cases to court. The only problem with this, and the biggest glitch that the Alliance is currently facing according to the representative we talked to, is that they are arresting, generally, the wrong person. Often times, young, poor men are hired to do such illegal activity by others in order to gain a bit of an income, the problem being that the poor man generally gets arrested because they won't confess to who hired them out of fear of what will happen to them. The Cambodian government is asking Wildlife Alliance to find a better solution, but so far they still haven't been able to do so. They have, though, started an appeal campaign to get it to stop altogether so that the poor aren't unfairly punished. They are working with a famous Cambodian actor to star in a TV awareness campaign.
The last section under forests is Aerial Monitoring, which is another program in which Wildlife Alliance is working with the government. They have helicopters monitoring the land for any illegal activity, which also aids in the government's necessary surveillances. If anything is found then it is reported to the other programs immediately.
In the last category, economic development, Wildlife Alliance is looking for a way to aid impoverished communities and communities they had to punish for destroying wildlife. The first program, Agricultural Development includes planting food and creating chemical-free products that they distribute to said communities. To water these plants they use drip irrigation to conserve water and take other actions to help the environment through this program.
As for Community Ecotourism, their main goal is to conserve natural resources and preserve local culture. They try to improve local communities' livelihoods and to exchange tourists' and locals' culture in order to empower the local communities. What Wildlife Alliance does is get poor families from less fortunate Cambodian communities to participate in this program by being guides and more in order for them to gain an income to support their families. There are natural lodges for tourists to stay in as well as kayaking, biking, trekking and other activities. The community can work any number of jobs to better their own lives. Through this program they also try to encourage poachers who have been caught and can no longer make money from that business to become wildlife protectors and more at these tourism spots.
For Reducing Emission from Deforestation and Forest Degradation as well as Reforestation, the names are pretty self-explanatory. In order to work towards reducing emissions Wildlife Alliance works with the Forestry Administration of Cambodia and for the latter project they not only replant trees, but also maintain and restore natural water sources. They keep everything as natural as possible: when trees had been cut down, grass grew in the place of the tree, so when they aim to reforest an area they cut the grass, plant the tree then use the cut grass as fertiliser on the tree.
And, lastly, for the Environmental Education program, the Alliance has a bus that goes around different provinces in Cambodia and teach about habitat and species conservation. They also have different campaigns to educate a community and allow it to advocate environmental protection.
The Care for Rescued Wildlife happens after the rescue of the animal in the first program, which is above. If the animal that they rescued is sick or injured then they care for it. So far they have cared for over 1,200 animals, some of which are endangered. The government is very helpful in this aspect of the program because they have laws that classify endangered species, uncommon species and common species. Penalties for illegal activity are different for how endangered the animal is, which is very helpful for the Wildlife Alliance. So, the government is rather supportive and helpful for this side of things.
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Station, the last project listed under the wildlife category, is also a part of the Wildlife Rapid Rescue Team structure. The step which is transition in that first program is basically this station. It is when animals, who aren't ready to be put back into the wild, are relocated to this rehabilitation station. It is a forested enclosure and the animal is put into the respected habitat that they will later be released into, allowing them to become familiar with the area while still being cared for. All aid and support given to the animal while it is in the enclosure is hands off to not make the animal dependent on human aid. When it is time for the animal to go into the wild, the door will be left open and the animal can wander out at its will.
As for forests, the first program is called Zoning and Demarcation. This project reduces land grabbing on state forests. They do this by installing posts to mark boundaries to a forest that is public land. This means that no individual or group can then go mark off within those boundaries to take it as their own. Generally, people want to take this land and claim it as their own to cut down all the trees for wood and take any animals for the illegal trade.
The Building Political Will section under forests is about the rejection and cancellation of economic land concessions. Wildlife Alliance works to create stake holder coalitions to protect the Cambodian forests.
The Strict Law Enforcement program consists of ranger stations that conduct law enforcement to stop deforestation, illegal logging and wildlife trafficking. The ranger's job is not only stopping it if it is happening but also preventing it altogether and bringing any cases to court. The only problem with this, and the biggest glitch that the Alliance is currently facing according to the representative we talked to, is that they are arresting, generally, the wrong person. Often times, young, poor men are hired to do such illegal activity by others in order to gain a bit of an income, the problem being that the poor man generally gets arrested because they won't confess to who hired them out of fear of what will happen to them. The Cambodian government is asking Wildlife Alliance to find a better solution, but so far they still haven't been able to do so. They have, though, started an appeal campaign to get it to stop altogether so that the poor aren't unfairly punished. They are working with a famous Cambodian actor to star in a TV awareness campaign.
The last section under forests is Aerial Monitoring, which is another program in which Wildlife Alliance is working with the government. They have helicopters monitoring the land for any illegal activity, which also aids in the government's necessary surveillances. If anything is found then it is reported to the other programs immediately.
In the last category, economic development, Wildlife Alliance is looking for a way to aid impoverished communities and communities they had to punish for destroying wildlife. The first program, Agricultural Development includes planting food and creating chemical-free products that they distribute to said communities. To water these plants they use drip irrigation to conserve water and take other actions to help the environment through this program.
As for Community Ecotourism, their main goal is to conserve natural resources and preserve local culture. They try to improve local communities' livelihoods and to exchange tourists' and locals' culture in order to empower the local communities. What Wildlife Alliance does is get poor families from less fortunate Cambodian communities to participate in this program by being guides and more in order for them to gain an income to support their families. There are natural lodges for tourists to stay in as well as kayaking, biking, trekking and other activities. The community can work any number of jobs to better their own lives. Through this program they also try to encourage poachers who have been caught and can no longer make money from that business to become wildlife protectors and more at these tourism spots.
For Reducing Emission from Deforestation and Forest Degradation as well as Reforestation, the names are pretty self-explanatory. In order to work towards reducing emissions Wildlife Alliance works with the Forestry Administration of Cambodia and for the latter project they not only replant trees, but also maintain and restore natural water sources. They keep everything as natural as possible: when trees had been cut down, grass grew in the place of the tree, so when they aim to reforest an area they cut the grass, plant the tree then use the cut grass as fertiliser on the tree.
And, lastly, for the Environmental Education program, the Alliance has a bus that goes around different provinces in Cambodia and teach about habitat and species conservation. They also have different campaigns to educate a community and allow it to advocate environmental protection.
Wildlife Alliance, for its many many different projects, receive their funding from private donations, street campaigns and other fundraising. They do not have any sponsors or corporate donors. No, they do not receive financial aid from the government either, just support that facilitates their work such as the classification of animals, making laws and easing awareness campaigns. Actually, the Alliance ends up giving a lot of money to the government from poaching fines and more, not the other way around.
Yes, it is non-profit even though they have all their tourism, money making projects under economic development. All the money they gain from the Ecotourism goes back into the community, Wildlife Alliance does not make any income from it.
We clearly got the most information during this presentation, but that was because the organisation does so much: not only does it aid wildlife (plants and animals) but it also develops communities and I find that amazing. I read in one of the booklets that of all the people charged for poaching, illegal animal trading and whatever else, 90% of them will go back and work for one of the Wildlife Alliance programs (generally the Ecotourism one) and 10% will go back and continue these illegal activities. I find this so great that they understand that the majority of the people doing these things are only doing it because they need to make money and the fact that the Alliance was able to create a plan in which they do have the opportunity to continue to make an income without harming wildlife is incredible. The environment generally isn't the global issue that I care about the most, but this was truly interesting and inspiring.
Check out some of the interesting NGO statistics here, look at some of their amazing pictures in the gallery or learn more about the organisation on the Wildlife Alliance website.
Yes, it is non-profit even though they have all their tourism, money making projects under economic development. All the money they gain from the Ecotourism goes back into the community, Wildlife Alliance does not make any income from it.
We clearly got the most information during this presentation, but that was because the organisation does so much: not only does it aid wildlife (plants and animals) but it also develops communities and I find that amazing. I read in one of the booklets that of all the people charged for poaching, illegal animal trading and whatever else, 90% of them will go back and work for one of the Wildlife Alliance programs (generally the Ecotourism one) and 10% will go back and continue these illegal activities. I find this so great that they understand that the majority of the people doing these things are only doing it because they need to make money and the fact that the Alliance was able to create a plan in which they do have the opportunity to continue to make an income without harming wildlife is incredible. The environment generally isn't the global issue that I care about the most, but this was truly interesting and inspiring.
Check out some of the interesting NGO statistics here, look at some of their amazing pictures in the gallery or learn more about the organisation on the Wildlife Alliance website.
13. Senhoa Foundation [July 8]
Senhoa Foundation supports vulnerable persons & survivors of human trafficking by providing income-generating opportunities, social reintegration and programs for self-empowerment.
Senhoa is a Cambodian NGO that has three different sections that all work with children as well as teenagers. The three parts are the Lotus Kids Club (LKC), the Lotus House and the Jewellery Life Skills Program.
The LKC is a facility and set of programs to give poor kids the ability to be kids and the opportunity to be able to go to school after. In the morning, they lead a preschool program (which currently has 24 kids enrolled) where the kids are brought in by social workers from the surrounding area. This region is the poorest in Siem Reap and the adults, and parents of the children in the LKC, generally turn to collecting trash to gain an income. This leaves their children more succeptible to trafficking. This preschool gives them the opportunity to recieve one meal (lunch) and to be able to be put into public school after and receive support through until 6th grade.
In the afternoon, they have a community program that has between 20 and 40 kids. This is to get them to socialise and learn to be with people, skills necessary for their future. This consists of different classes each da including music, guitar, English, Khmer, Cambodian culture, sewing and other life skills they can use to become useful in their society when they grow up. Unlike the preschool program, which recruits kids through social workers, the afternoon children generally learned about the program through word of mouth. The children in this program also tend to be Vietnamese refugees and local children who face abuse.
The second program, the Lotus House, is a shelter for young girls who are vulnerable and subject to human trafficking. At this house they get help and safety and the opportunity to do something with their lives. They are partnered with the Cambodian Centre for the Protection of Children's Rights (above) and provide subsidised housing in which the girls can learn to be independent. The programs also assist them with job placement for the future.
Of the three Senhoa projects the Lotus House is the only one that we didn't go visit, so I don't know as much about it, but I do know that some of the sisters of the kids who are at the LKC are in the Lotus House and some of the girls at the Lotus House also end up working with the third program- the Jewellery Life Skills Program.
The last section of Senhoa Foundation, the Jewellery Life Skills Program, is the most well-known internationally. It's for girls aged between, generally, 16 and 24 to go in and create jewellery that they sell. The income from sales is put back into the project. They have a collection with model Coco Rocha (picture shown), they are a part of New York Fashion Week, they were in Vogue and other magazines and more. So, they get a lot of demand from such amazing publicity.
Basically, what it is, is young women who come in 4 hours every day, 5 days a week and doing two different programs. The first program, which is for the first two hours, is them making jewellery that they can then go and sell. They are partnered with Swarovski who donated all their crystals to the program for the girls to work with. They do this to teach the girls the concept of trust and to prove to them that they do have value and the respect to handle such expensive materials. This program also teaches the girls how to be an employee: they have a uniform they have to wear each day, they have to call in sick if they won't be able to come in, they have to sign in and they get paid. This helps them to find a job in the future and teaches them responsibility. They also have the opportunity to be creative and make their own designs which they also sell. This program is so successful regardless of the fact that most of them haven't had prior schooling because their job is very repetitive and it doesn't need an education in order to do it. It is also a form of art therapy.
The second two hours are for them to get an education and learn life skills. They learn Khmer, English, Math, Computing and more (many of them are illiterate so this part of the program is crucial). This portion of the program is to provide them with the skills they need to get a job, because, at the end of the day, that's all they're going to need to survive in the future.
The actual organisation, not the girls who make the jewellery, get funding from partner NGO's, some fundraising events, but mostly from individual donations from, mostly, Califormia (they have a base office there). You can also buy the jewellery online and that brings in money as well (information below). The LKC is getting a new facility soon too, which is good because it will allow them to offer the program to more people.
When we visited Senhoa, we went first to the LKC facility and had a quick presentation about that portion of th eprogram. Then we walked around and went to a newarby soccer field to play with some of the kids (they have parnered with another NGO to be able to provide soccer to the LKC kids). Then we drove to a hotel in Siem Reap, called Shinta Mani Hotel, where the Jewellery Life Skills Program has a room rented out for their vocational training sessions. Here, we heard another presentation about this part of the program.
I found this NGO, especially the jewellery part of its' program very interesting. It's well structured and passes very crucial lessons such as respect, trust and responsibility in such a simple manner. The program not only helps the girl better their current lives but also sets them up perfectly to have the opportunity to find a good job in the future. The project, regardless of all the international publicity it's gotten, has managed to stick to the fundamentals and keep the key purpose in mind: to help these girls. I thought it was great, sustainable, well-organised and I see it going places.
Learn more about the three separate programs here, visit the Senhoa website or follow Senhoa on tumblr here. You can also check out the jewellery boutique here or the specific Coco Rocha line here.
Senhoa Foundation supports vulnerable persons & survivors of human trafficking by providing income-generating opportunities, social reintegration and programs for self-empowerment.
Senhoa is a Cambodian NGO that has three different sections that all work with children as well as teenagers. The three parts are the Lotus Kids Club (LKC), the Lotus House and the Jewellery Life Skills Program.
The LKC is a facility and set of programs to give poor kids the ability to be kids and the opportunity to be able to go to school after. In the morning, they lead a preschool program (which currently has 24 kids enrolled) where the kids are brought in by social workers from the surrounding area. This region is the poorest in Siem Reap and the adults, and parents of the children in the LKC, generally turn to collecting trash to gain an income. This leaves their children more succeptible to trafficking. This preschool gives them the opportunity to recieve one meal (lunch) and to be able to be put into public school after and receive support through until 6th grade.
In the afternoon, they have a community program that has between 20 and 40 kids. This is to get them to socialise and learn to be with people, skills necessary for their future. This consists of different classes each da including music, guitar, English, Khmer, Cambodian culture, sewing and other life skills they can use to become useful in their society when they grow up. Unlike the preschool program, which recruits kids through social workers, the afternoon children generally learned about the program through word of mouth. The children in this program also tend to be Vietnamese refugees and local children who face abuse.
The second program, the Lotus House, is a shelter for young girls who are vulnerable and subject to human trafficking. At this house they get help and safety and the opportunity to do something with their lives. They are partnered with the Cambodian Centre for the Protection of Children's Rights (above) and provide subsidised housing in which the girls can learn to be independent. The programs also assist them with job placement for the future.
Of the three Senhoa projects the Lotus House is the only one that we didn't go visit, so I don't know as much about it, but I do know that some of the sisters of the kids who are at the LKC are in the Lotus House and some of the girls at the Lotus House also end up working with the third program- the Jewellery Life Skills Program.
The last section of Senhoa Foundation, the Jewellery Life Skills Program, is the most well-known internationally. It's for girls aged between, generally, 16 and 24 to go in and create jewellery that they sell. The income from sales is put back into the project. They have a collection with model Coco Rocha (picture shown), they are a part of New York Fashion Week, they were in Vogue and other magazines and more. So, they get a lot of demand from such amazing publicity.
Basically, what it is, is young women who come in 4 hours every day, 5 days a week and doing two different programs. The first program, which is for the first two hours, is them making jewellery that they can then go and sell. They are partnered with Swarovski who donated all their crystals to the program for the girls to work with. They do this to teach the girls the concept of trust and to prove to them that they do have value and the respect to handle such expensive materials. This program also teaches the girls how to be an employee: they have a uniform they have to wear each day, they have to call in sick if they won't be able to come in, they have to sign in and they get paid. This helps them to find a job in the future and teaches them responsibility. They also have the opportunity to be creative and make their own designs which they also sell. This program is so successful regardless of the fact that most of them haven't had prior schooling because their job is very repetitive and it doesn't need an education in order to do it. It is also a form of art therapy.
The second two hours are for them to get an education and learn life skills. They learn Khmer, English, Math, Computing and more (many of them are illiterate so this part of the program is crucial). This portion of the program is to provide them with the skills they need to get a job, because, at the end of the day, that's all they're going to need to survive in the future.
The actual organisation, not the girls who make the jewellery, get funding from partner NGO's, some fundraising events, but mostly from individual donations from, mostly, Califormia (they have a base office there). You can also buy the jewellery online and that brings in money as well (information below). The LKC is getting a new facility soon too, which is good because it will allow them to offer the program to more people.
When we visited Senhoa, we went first to the LKC facility and had a quick presentation about that portion of th eprogram. Then we walked around and went to a newarby soccer field to play with some of the kids (they have parnered with another NGO to be able to provide soccer to the LKC kids). Then we drove to a hotel in Siem Reap, called Shinta Mani Hotel, where the Jewellery Life Skills Program has a room rented out for their vocational training sessions. Here, we heard another presentation about this part of the program.
I found this NGO, especially the jewellery part of its' program very interesting. It's well structured and passes very crucial lessons such as respect, trust and responsibility in such a simple manner. The program not only helps the girl better their current lives but also sets them up perfectly to have the opportunity to find a good job in the future. The project, regardless of all the international publicity it's gotten, has managed to stick to the fundamentals and keep the key purpose in mind: to help these girls. I thought it was great, sustainable, well-organised and I see it going places.
Learn more about the three separate programs here, visit the Senhoa website or follow Senhoa on tumblr here. You can also check out the jewellery boutique here or the specific Coco Rocha line here.
14. Global Giving [July 9]
Global Giving works to catalyse a global market for ideas, information, and money that democratizes aid and philanthropy.
Global Giving is different to the other projects we saw during our time in Cambodia, it is an international website that holds the information of thousands and thousands of NGO's. This allows you to scroll through different projects (by country, category or whatever else) and find something that you are passionate about supporting that you can donate to. And rather than just throwing money at it and that's it, you also get reports and more to see how your money was spent. It's basically just providing NGO's with an easy-to-use fundraising and management system that can help them get individual donations they need in order to keep their projects going. It also serves as a networking tool and provides nonprofits to find out about similar projects in the same area and so on. There are also certain other tools on the site including tips on fundraising and more. So far, Global Giving has helped 8,135 projects and has raised $87,607,789 from all donations.
We didn't actually meet with Global Giving or anything like that: one of our western staff used to work there and so she gave us a quick presentation about it. The video below goes into more detail about how the entire system functions.
Visit the Global Giving website to find out more about the program, to learn about different NGO's or to donate to a project.
15. The Branch Foundation [July 9]
The Branch Foundation aims to work alongside marginalised communities in South-Esst Asia to support sustainable community development through education, capacity building and renewable energy solutions.
The staff member who used to work with Global Giving currently works with the Branch Foundation, so she made sure to tell us a little bit about that too.
This NGO is registered in New Zealand but implements change in Thailand, the Thai-Burma border, Cambodia and Vietnam. It focuses on three major aspects (as mentioned above): education, capacity building and renewable energy solutions. Education focuses on getting youth to understand and reach their full potential through the academic and extra-curricular activities opportunities provided by the Branch Foundation. The capacity building programs work with the local communities to, through a number of different projects, promote and sustain self-sufficiency. The renewable energy solutions programs are pretty self-explanatory: it is to ensure communities to reliable access to sustainable energy.
An example of a few of their projects, at the Koung Jor Shan Refugee Camp on the Thai-Burma border, is the launch of the Education Project, the establishment of weaving centres (one of the most sustainable projects yet) and providing the majority of the families living at the camp with solar lighting panels. As you can see, each of the three projects are working towards either education, capacity building or renewable energy solutions.
Learn more about their different projects here or check out the Branch Foundation website.
The Branch Foundation aims to work alongside marginalised communities in South-Esst Asia to support sustainable community development through education, capacity building and renewable energy solutions.
The staff member who used to work with Global Giving currently works with the Branch Foundation, so she made sure to tell us a little bit about that too.
This NGO is registered in New Zealand but implements change in Thailand, the Thai-Burma border, Cambodia and Vietnam. It focuses on three major aspects (as mentioned above): education, capacity building and renewable energy solutions. Education focuses on getting youth to understand and reach their full potential through the academic and extra-curricular activities opportunities provided by the Branch Foundation. The capacity building programs work with the local communities to, through a number of different projects, promote and sustain self-sufficiency. The renewable energy solutions programs are pretty self-explanatory: it is to ensure communities to reliable access to sustainable energy.
An example of a few of their projects, at the Koung Jor Shan Refugee Camp on the Thai-Burma border, is the launch of the Education Project, the establishment of weaving centres (one of the most sustainable projects yet) and providing the majority of the families living at the camp with solar lighting panels. As you can see, each of the three projects are working towards either education, capacity building or renewable energy solutions.
Learn more about their different projects here or check out the Branch Foundation website.
Other: The World Race [July 10]
On our last day in Cambodia, while sitting in a restaurant, I got to talking to a lady from the next table. She was very friendly and kind and she told me that she was doing this 11 month challenge called The World Race, where you visit 11 countries in 11 months. I didn't get any other information out of our conversation but I thought it was pretty cool so I came back and did a bit of research on it. It is a Christian mission and though I'm not a very religious person I still thought that it was rather interesting.
Find out more by watching the explanation video or check out The World Race website.