Field Reports
The Power of a Thank You
Today I’m delighted to share with you another edition of our Voices From the Field. This one is from our NGO partner in Cambodia – The Global Child (TGC). In their modest facility in Siem Reap, TGC provides a strong education along with life-skills training for 36 fortunate young people. Havingpartnered with TGC for the past six years, I know
Voices From The Field
A few days ago, I was talking with Mike, a good friend and a generous supporter of our work. Mike asked me a lot of questions. Some really good questions. He wanted to know more about what was happening with our work – on the ground – in country. As our conversation continued it occurred to me that others might
Partnerships Are The Key To Our Success
Recently I’ve stopped using a few sensitive words when I talk about our work. Which ones? I’ll get to that in just a moment. What I really want to talk about first is partnership.Partnership. That’s the critically important feature of how we work with NGOs in Cambodia and Thailand. Why do I emphasize partnership? For a very practical reason. Here’s
The Need is as Great as Ever
The Need is as Compelling as Ever Now is the perfect time for you to make an important difference in the lives of so many kids Normally I begin these newsletters by sharing a few stories with you. Today, I’ll take a different approach. We recently made a new video to tell about the work we do – and why
These Cambodians Really Need Your Help
I’ve just returned from another of my regular trips to Cambodia and Thailand. While there I visited with more than 25 of our NGO partners. As I ventured out to the countryside I got a first-hand look at the fine work they are doing. It’s inspiring to see how they improve the lives of the villagers they serve. Awesome. Proud
Let’s Keep The Momentum Going
I Need Your Help to Keep the Momentum Going When I was speaking with a friend recently our conversation wandered through a variety of topics. However, his queries invariably returned to our activities with the SE Asia Foundation. Afterwards, with a blinding flash of the obvious, it occurred to me that progress should be the theme of this spring newsletter,
Holiday Gift Giving with a Creative Flair
During the holiday season my mind invariably turns to gratitude. Like many of you, I have a multitude of blessings. At this stage of my life, however, I realize that I am most grateful to you – our generous donors – who make it possible for us to continue our work eliminating poverty in Cambodia,Myanmar, and Thailand. Because of you
Today I want to talk about books . . . the power of books
Think back with me. Think back to the time you were a kid. What role did books play in your life back then? If you were anything like I was in those early years, books were essential. For me, books were HUGE. I’m not talking about just school books . . . those were always there. I’m talking about storybooks.
Three Stunning Success Stories
Even though I was unable to travel to Myanmar during this most recent visit to Southeast Asia, I did have the opportunity to meet with two of my wonderful Myanmar partners who happened to be in Thailand at the time. So I’ve got some great, first-hand reports for you today. Kwan Lhar Village Preschool Several years ago, in response to
Looking Back to Strengthen Our Way Forward
Why, you ask, would a forward-looking guy like me talk about looking back? That easy. The past happened only because of YOUR generosity. More importantly, your continuing support gives us confidence that we can move forward in the year ahead and accomplish even more.I’ll begin this with a quick overview of what YOU accomplished during the fiscal year we just
Changing Lives at the Crossroads
A couple of months ago I wrote about the time I went to prison in Cambodia. Perhaps you’ll remember. Now there’s more to that story I want to tell you about today. My
Education Breaks the Cycle of Poverty
One of my current NGO Partners is Anjali House in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Locally based and Cambodian led, they are truly making a difference in their local community. Here’s what
The Joy of Clean Water
Most of us take clean water for granted. I certainly do. Thirsty? Just head for the nearest faucet. Turn it on. Clean water appears. Easy as that! But what would
The Day I Went To Prison In Cambodia
Imagine this. Imagine small children in prison. Really. That’s what I saw when I visited the Siem Reap provincial prison along with Se Chhin the Deputy Director of my NGO
Avoiding the Risks of Early Marriage
Early marriage … sometimes for girls as young as 15 or 16 (or even younger) is a clear-cut pathway into continuing poverty. The pressures of tradition and the need to
Shelter Can Be Life Changing
It gets incredibly hot in Cambodia. And when the rainy season arrives, the rainfall is intense. For kids who play outside, these weather extremes can cause problems throughout the year. That
The Importance of Soap
Hygiene is a crucial issue Today I want to talk about soap . . . yes, soap . . . something we all take for granted. But what would life be
Listening to the Kids
One of my favorite NGO Partners in Cambodia is Anjali House. The leader there is Nadi. Nadi has a challenging job for sure. Just imagine caring for and educating more than 200
The Power of Partnership
Many of you know that “partnership” is an essential element of the work we do. In this spirit of partnership, we work with carefully vetted, local, grass-roots NGOs (non-government organizations)
The Awesome Power of Scholarships
University scholarships are a clear pathway out of poverty. So, you won’t be surprised to know that we fund a lot of scholarships. Sometimes more than 20 in one year.
