Field Reports

Local charity provides COVID relief in Cambodia
Here’s an article that appeared in our local on-line newspaper, My Edmonds News, on September 14th. SE Asia Foundation, an Edmonds-based charitable organization, has announced the completion of a successful fundraising campaign to provide assistance to impoverished villages in Cambodia affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Grants of nearly of $43,000 were made to vetted non-government organizations working with the residents

You Really Stepped Up To The Challenge
Two months ago we told the story about how the COVID-19 pandemic was impacting so many villagers in Cambodia – and what was needed to help those folks survive during that challenging time. You – our wonderful donor community – rose up to meet the challenge with amazing generosity. With your support we were able to make $29,000 in grants

As pandemic spreads to small villages, kids in Southeast Asia need your help
The following article appeared on the My Edmonds News web site today. in Southeast Asia are in real peril from the current pandemic, way more than we are. Think about it. You’re a child. To you, the whole world is your small village. You and your family live in a primitive bamboo or wooden house, possibly without electricity or running

Your Amazing Help with the COVID-19 Crisis in Cambodia
With a huge thank you to all of our supporters – you know who you are – last week we were able to send $22,000 in grants to eight of our highly trusted NGO* partners in Cambodia. This way we directly address the crisis brought about by the current pandemic. Hundreds of village families will directly benefit from your generosity.

Vulnerable Villagers Need Our Help Urgently
Under normal circumstances this would be the time for me to send you a quarterly newsletter reporting on another successful trip working with the organizations we regularly support in Cambodia, Myanmar, and Thailand. Unfortunately, I can’t do that right now. Like most of you I’m spending my time sheltering in place, keeping appropriate social distancing when I do venture out,

It’s Always About the Kids — This Time in Cambodia
It’s hard to imagine that $2500 could buy 10 computers and give a group of young students in Cambodia their first experience with modern technology, but a recent contribution made that happen. When our board president, Candace Sellers, enthusiastically told her friend Larry about an upcoming trip to Cambodia to visit some of the projects sponsored by SEAF, he asked

A Social Enterprise Story Helping the Entire Community
This is a story about social enterprise, and how we work to support education in a very real way. Imagine living in a house like one of these Now imagine that your only water source is a community well a very, very long walk away. This is life in the very remote Kyet Tuu Ywel (Two Parrots) village located in the north eastern part

Innovation in Education
Meet Tammy DurandTammy runs an innovative school called ABCs and Rice educating street kids in Siem Reap, Cambodia.Nine years ago Tammy visited Cambodia. Saw the challenges village kids faced. Vowed to do something about it.Nine years later she is still there, living in Cambodia, doing something about it.One of our favorite placesto support. Here’s the Story Government school in Cambodia is

Helping People Help Themselves
This is a story about how we enhance the sustainability of the organizations we serve. He needed $20,000 CCDO is a fine organization. We’ve worked with them successfully on several of their other projects.But this time, our initial response was “No, not yet.” Keeping in mind our long-held value of “helping people help themselves”, my first question was “Why aren’t

We Can See The Difference
There are so many heartwarming stories I could tell you about the work we are doing in Southeast Asia. With your help we are now providing education and housing for thousands of needy young women and girls in Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar each year, as these regions claw their way back from poverty and troubled political histories. Take Sedtha Long,

Sustainability: A Story of a Monk and His Machine
Here’s a story I love sharing – especially given our Foundation’s commitment to creating sustainability in those organizations we select for support. Meet U Vimala. (Oo-wee-mala) He’s the head monk

Searching for Sustainability
Philanthropy Is Never Enough. Every single day I spend working in SE Asia helping organizations do a more effective job of educating girls and providing job training for women, that

A Success Story — Thanks to You
Back in 2015 I visited a small Karin village about thirty minutes outside of Hpa-an, the capital of the Karin State in Myanmar. The 800 families living there had only

A Recent Trip to Myanmar, Cambodia, and Thailand
I’ve just returned from nearly five weeks in Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia. In this report I’ll give you a quick look at some (but not all) of the projects I

Lunch for 500
Shortly after we arrived at the Koenawin Monastery for our visit a couple of days ago, the Monk suddenly said: “The kids are coming. Let’s go for their lunch”. So,

The New Building at Koenawin
The highlight of my recent visit to the Koenawin Monastery was being there to celebrate the beginning of construction for their new dormitory for girls. You may recall from a

A Visit to the New Generation School
On a recent trip to Myanmar I visited an interesting school called Myo Set Thit. In Burmese that means “New Generation”. At this school, led by the impressive and inspirational,

People Joining Together to Help Each Other
Recently, our Myanmar Country Director, Treasure Shine, and I visited the Marga Society in Hpa-an, the capital city of the Kayin (Karen) State. In the Burmese language Marga means “blessing”

Mae Ab Education Center
Sometimes It Is Really Difficult To Say “No” Recently Carol, George, and I visited the village of Mae Ab where a dedicated group of volunteers is working to provide the

A Visit to the Guiding Star Monastery School
Recently we visited the Lan Pya Kyel Monastery School located about 45 minutes outside Hpa-an, Myanmar, the capital of the Karin State. In English Lan Pya Kyel translates to “Guiding