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,

Safety for Girls – Koenawin Monk School
As a long-time advocate for educating girls, it is gratifying to visit the various Monk and Nun schools to see first-hand their fine work being done in this regard. Up

Visit to a Lashio Nun & Monk Schools
Today was a busy day in Lashio. In the afternoon we visited the Nayar Thiri Nun School. There, in the interest of safety, 40 girls from the local villages become

A Day With The Kwan Hlar Village Youth Group
Today was a delightful day in the Mon village Kwan Hlar. I was invited there because their youth group (a few of whom I had met while working in the

A Visit to Poon Mon Village
Yesterday we visited the Lahu village of Poon Mon, located about 14 miles north of Lashio, Myanmar – up close to the China border. These people were relocated here in

Pain Sar Village Visit
Today we visited Pain Sar, a Lahu village located 26 miles north of Lashio, Myanmar. Highly agricultural, this village of 52 households and 320 people is struggling mightily to improve

Khone Suu Village Visit
Today we visited Khone Suu Village, in the dry zone south of Magwe, Myanmar. Getting there was quite an adventure. I’ve driven on some pretty bad roads in my time

Visit With Life and Hope Association
I had a most interesting conversation with the Venerable Lorm Loeurm, Executive Director of the Life and Hope Association in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Located on the grounds of the Wat

A Visit to Kwan Hlar Village
A couple of days ago we visited Kwan Hlar village, the home of our friend, Nyen Shwe, a very dedicated and hard working young Mon man living and working in

A New School for Lakhana Village
When I visited Lakhana Village last summer I met with the village Women’s Group. They were absolutely determined to have a “post-primary” (junior high) school so their children could continue

A Visit to Nath Maw Village – Myanmar
Nath Maw Village is a small place on Giant Island, located in the Thawlwin River. Nath Maw is accessible only by a ferryboat across this very large river. The current