Field Reports

Who in their right mind would give a tractor to a Monk?
I know. I know. Strange notion isn’t it? I get that. Who in their right mind would give a tractor to a monk? Or a dump truck? Or a rice-harvesting machine? I confess. We did all those things – and more. Several times. We did that for monks. We also did that for secular community groups supporting preschools and libraries.

The Amazing Result When Nonprofit Organizations Work Together – A Case Study in Cambodia
It all began with a workshop on Leadership. That was back in 2017 — when leaders from about 25 different NGOs (Non Governmental Organizations) – all focused on the education and wellbeing of children and women – assembled at a Siem Reap hotel for that training session. It was a good session, well received. No surprises since we have successfully

Some Thoughts About Myanmar
I love working in Myanmar. Without a doubt the most difficult place for me to work, but also the most satisfying. Why? Let’s see if I can briefly summarize this.The need for help in Myanmar is immense. Just think about it for a moment. Here is a country — finally emerging from sixty years of rule by a heavy handed,

Report for the Baan Mae Ta Maew IT Training Program Project
Written by Carol Acosta, President of the Maechan, Thailand Rotary Club Submitted by Bill Taylor, International Service Chair, Rotary Club of Edmonds Daybreakers The dedication for Mae Ta Maew was held on Friday, Feb. 19th, 2021. It turned out to be an all-day event. Originally we had a group to go to the school but, because some had to attend

Report for the Ban Wiang Sa Water Purification Project
Written by Carol Acosta, President of the Maechan, Thailand Rotary Club Submitted by Bill Taylor, International Service Chair, Rotary Club of Edmonds Daybreakers All work was completed at Wiang Sa and the dedication held on Wednesday, February 17th. We wanted the kids to be present for the dedication and, as it turned out, many of our club members were able

Look What YOU Did
Look what YOU have done. Seriously. Take a look at what YOU have done in the last six months. Not me. Not the SE Asia Foundation. It’s what YOU have done. Without YOUR generous donations none of this would have happened. For that, we are most grateful. This has been a challenging time – to say the least. COVID has


Impact
Impact really matters. We pay attention to impact. We focus on impact. We work to achieve as much impact as possible.In this newsletter today, I’ll share a few stories about the impact we are making and the changes we are bringing about in the lives of the many villagers we serve. Bill Taylor, Founder “It has made a huge impact

Gratitude
In these pandemic times it’s easy to get caught up in the maze of coping and forget how much we have to be thankful for. Bill Taylor, Founder I want you to know how grateful I am for you, and your interest and support. In the U.S. and Canada we have national holidays to reflect on such things; appropriately, both

Voices From the Field
Normally we use our newsletters to tell you stories about the good work you are funding and how that changes the lives of those we serve. This newsletter is a bit different. Today we bring you some voices from the field. These voices are from a group called PEPY – Empowering Youth, one of the many fine organizations we support

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.

Helping Abandoned Children
Here in Cambodia, “orphanages” are often viewed in a well-deserved, unfavorable manner. In way too many cases, so-called “orphanages” are simply scams run for the benefit of the sponsor, not

Special Care for Special Kids with Special Needs
Today I want to talk about about kids with developmental issues … kids with learning disabilities … kids with special needs. They show up in all cultures and all countries.

These Kids Crave Education
All too often when I was growing up school seemed like such a drudge. With most of my friends feeling the same way, that only reinforced my attitude. Why did

A Safe Haven for Marginalized Women
In Cambodia it’s not unusual for impoverished women to find themselves in difficult situations. Often, it’s financial. Sometimes it’s a bad marriage. Sometimes it’s domestic violence. Often it is a

Only 23 More to Go!
A few days ago, I wrote about the new toilet block we provided for a village school in Cambodia. That was certainly good news for the kids and teachers there.

Toilets Change Lives For Kids
Let’s talk about toilets. Here in America, and in most of the western world, we take toilets for granted. That’s not the case elsewhere on the planet – especially at

PreSchool is a Great Head Start for the Kids
Time and time again, research demonstrates that kids attending preschool thrive when entering Grade 1. Just recently our wonderful NGO Partner, the Grace House Community Center, took that step and

The Importance of Bicycles
Today I want to talk about bicycles. Here in America bicycles are readily available and often taken for granted. But, in many of the villages where I work in Cambodia