Leaders Empowered to Advance Development newsletter sent

Lead Special Activities:

Gratitude is Everything

Teach Someone to Read

Community Service

Culture Diversity

Donors 1

Community Service 2

LEAD Team 3

Tam Sop Family & Friends 4

National University of Management 5

Electrical Engineering & Pharmaceutical 6

Partnership 8

Inside this issue:

So

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Volume 1, Issue 1

October 2014

LEAD has met on a few occasions to discuss what kind of works we can do to give

back to the community. We have decided to make a difference in some people’s lives by

teaching them how to read. We are helping our own family members, neighbors local and

abroad. Many team members such as Saren, Tam, Ramorn, Lumang, and Channaro have

already been teaching in their community. Left. I met this sweet young lady at the school

that I volunteer. Dany, 24 years old, a mother of two who works as a custodian at the

local high school. She was sitting alone looking bored, so I asked if she wanted to read so

that she can improve her skills . I was so surprised that she had a phone and recommended

that she should read instead. She was delighted to learn about the book, I proceeded to

invite to my office to choose the book of her own choice to read. She took the short nov-

els about Buddha.

I believe in education and passing it forward. If each of us would take the lead to teach

one person to read, this world would be a more educated place.

Cambodia is launching a new habits in reading. They used to think that reading has put

them to sleep.

Saren, Vansoneath, Lumang and friends col-

lected food and clothes items to donate to the

poor in Kandal Province. Left: a group of

high school and college students from around

the country joined hand in hand to work as a

team toward a great cause. This group has

also educating on how to save the environ-

ment about health and sex, and how to pro-

vide support and help to the community hos-

pitals and schools. Below: They are educat-

ing the next generation on how to save our

environment and how planting trees has vari-

ous benefit.

Saturday Nov. 9th was Cambodia Independence Day; everybody

had the day off except for LEAD. We went to Takhmao province

to educate forty children. LEAD collected school supplies to do-

nate to those children. LEAD also used their day off to educate

kids on health and how to maintain good hygiene with fun games

and activities. The children were made aware on how to look for

symptoms of certain illnesses. Kids were awarded with books and

pencils when given good feedback on the exercises we taught.

LEAD was happy spending this quality time to make a difference.

We enjoyed every minute spent.

LEAD TEAM: Educating Neighborhood Children

NEWSLETTER TITLE

After my few months in the US

we were very excited to reunite

and talk about our plan to give

back to the community. We will

be teaching and encouraging oth-

ers to read, as well as doing other

service in the community.

Meetings scheduled bimonthly to

organize humanitarian events.

Vechhay, Vansoneath, Tam, Ramdoul,

Kakrona and Saren are going to col-

lege. Na, Ramorn, Lumang and Sok-

neth education is being delay because

of their schools departments. They are

expected to return to college soon.

LEAD TEAM MEMBERS

SOLUTION FOR CHANGE

Thanks to Maria and A.T. for their generous support to

Tam and his family. Tam has packed his clothes and

moved to college. The school is about 120 kilometers

from his current resident apartment but he will be staying

in a dorm at KIT. Tam was very excited about school

and already talking about returning home visiting his

family on a monthly basis. KIT guarantees employment

after Tam accomplishes his four years there.

Below: His siblings are learning how to read English.

Tam Family & Friends

Tam Sop, Software Engineering, Kirirom Institute of Technology

“To catch the reader's attention, place an interesting sentence or quote from the

story here.”

NEWSLETTER TITLE

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1

I had the pleasure of working with Rebecca Flores this past summer. She is the founder of The Natasha Love Foundation as well as a poet,

artist and a singer. This year Natasha, her daughter, would have been 25 years old, but tragically was killed through teen violence at the age

of 18 in 2007. Rebecca and her family had lost the most beautiful and talented family member. Natasha was Miss Teen RI and volunteered at

the local hospice reading poetry to the elderly patients along with her dog. She had just received her drivers’ license and was just hired by

Bank of America the day she was killed. It was very sad to listen to her mother retell her daughter’s story. I am also a mother and cannot

imagine what Rebecca has gone through. I am honored to be one of her colleagues. Rebecca and I spent many late night hours trying to figure

out ways to find funds. I had witnessed Rebecca’s artistic works. She works diligently with her art students and her board of directors to raise

money to support girls and to raise awareness about teen violence and bullying. Channaro and Vansoneath are the two lucky LEAD members

to be awarded with The Natasha Love Foundation Scholarship. These two students happen to be studying at the same school and working to-

wards the same major. This is the amazing work of the Universe! They also live across the river from each other. They are both very active in

their community helping kids learn English and doing other good deeds. Channaro is currently working at the Khmer People public radio

station and attending the National University of Management pursuing his business management degree and often volunteering at many other

humanitarian events throughout Cambodia. Channaro is also helping her brother teach English to their neighbors.

Left: a few LEAD

members joined a lead-

ership programs retreat

in Kirirom.

Right: Vansoneath and

sister were celebrating

their father’s 50th birth-

day.

Vansoneath, Business Management

Channaro Chamroeun, General Manager, National University of Management

Sharing what you have

is the best gift ever!

Ramdoul is the top student of her

class. She has received the highest marks of

all 29 students. Thank you Grace Gonzalez and

Ammala Doungsovanh and the Neighborhood

Health Plan of Rhode Island (NHPRI) team for

supporting her. She is very grateful for the

special support for her education. Below:

Ramdoul’s school. Her brother has graduated

from the same school and has been offered

employment there. He is also an electrical

engineer. Her parents continue to work hard to

support their kids while they are in school.

Lumang Chhoam, Pharmacist, University of Health Science

Ramdoul Sovan, Electrical Engineer, National Polytechnic Institute of Cambodia

NEWSLETTER TITLE

John Kelly, President and CEO of The Meeting Street School, has sponsored Lumang’s education.

She has been out of high school since 2013 because she has no financial support. Thank you John

for giving her the opportunity. Lumang has been working in the factory earning $100/month to

save up for college. The whole family is forever grateful for John’s gift. Lumang was in tears

explaining her family’s hardships. We have shared video clips on Youtube. She will be in school

by January of 2015. In the meantime, she continues to work in the factory to save up for her addi-

tional tuition ($1350/year) . She is a wonderful young lady. She doesn’t pressure her parents

about her receiving an education but was hoping to make her own way. She knows her parents are

working very hard. The father has a side job as a taxi driver, transporting factory workers. They

are saving all their income to support their two kids. Lumang has a younger brother at home. She

is currently teaching him English in the evening and is also

teaching her co-workers at the factory.

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1

Kakrona has left his family and his hometown to pursue a higher

education in Phnom Penh and has excelled to Norton University

majoring in Computer Science. He has been resourceful to his col-

leagues and the community. He was happy to receive the special

gift from Kevin McDevitt and Charles Newton. He is able to pay

full year tuition. Kakrona has special skills with technology. He

can repair computers, phones and make computer programs. He has

been living at the Pagoda since 2006. His father became blind in

2013 and his mother has been the only person that provides him

with support. He is very grateful for the opportunity to be able to

pay for college tuition this year. Kakrona continues to have hope in

finishing up college but knows he has to work very hard for it.

Saren, with positive attitude about life. Always ready to

help others. She spoke up for others. She is a great leader.

Currently teaching English to 20+ young students in

Takhmao community near her hometown from Monday

through Friday 5:30-6:30p.m. Right: Saren and mother who

has been working very hard to support her education.

Kakrona Nak, Computer Scientist, Norton University

Saren Thorn, Business Administration, Pannasastra University

My friend Peov Mey and his

family donated a Macbook for

our computer expert.

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1

Facebook Youth had collected funds from

friends and generous donors to buy food

to donate to flood victims in Preyveng,

Cambodia. Lumang and I had the pleas-

ure participating in the process to help the

120 families who lost their home. We

were very happy to do it.

LEAD is a very active team, we are involving a few different groups to help make a difference in

Cambodia community. We are committed to share our resources in educating others the basic skills

to survive. A colleague that I had the pleasure working with for the past two years founded Cambo-

dian Children English for Action (Cam.CEA). Dan Ven has high hopes for kids in his village. He

has moved out of his hometown (60 KM from the Cambodia Capital) a few years ago to reside in the

Pagoda in Phnom Penh. He is very poor himself but want to share with others what he can. He is

struggling to find support for the school and I was lucky enough to be able to help built the school

from the primary stage. The teacher salary at Cam.CEA is based on the number of the students in

the class ($2/student). I have been supporting the cost and the solar installation ($500). There are 40

students in the classroom underneath Dan’s parents house. The students are fast learners and most

importantly, they are eager to speak English. There are more information available on Facebook,

Dan and I can also be contacted on Facebook. The living wage in Cambodia would be $350-

$500/month, but the reality is not. I could spend 3-5 times more in helping others and buy food.

Lunch would cost $9 and dinner would cost $11-16 at Tonle Basak Buffet Restaurant but I haven’t

been in there. I always eat and prepare food at home and it would cost about $3-5 per meal.

Model Teens have been planting trees

throughout Cambodia. College students

created this group a couple of years ago,

they had envisioned educating and en-

couraging others to plant trees for its

many benefits. Thus far, they have

planted 10,000 trees. I have had the pleas-

ure of participating in their great work.

Partnering with Facebook Youth, Model Teens & Cam.CEA

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1

Right: Local residents Sitha Derng, 33 years old has four children ages

ranged from 1– 13 years old. She is trying to make ends meet by selling

donuts as a snack after breakfast and after lunch times. She makes two

trips a day (around 8 a.m. & 2 p.m.) to our center trying to make some

money. I often buy her goods to treat the staff and the people at the center.

The goods normally cost a quarter to 50 cents. I have seen her struggle

and often trying to give emotional support and encouraging gestures. She

loves to chat but is often on the run. She normally brings one of her kids

along with her. She makes about $2.50 a day and husband works as a

steel worker in the neighborhood making $100/month. She is also car-

ing for her elderly mother and her baby brother. Right pictures: Profes-

sor Don and students enjoying the donuts. Don is also supporting Sitha

by buying her snacks to treat others.

Sreyneth would love to go to school;

unfortunately she does not have the

financial support to proceed in her edu-

cation. Sreyneth’s father was a fisher-

man and was washed away and

drowned working, leaving her and her

family without any support. She is a

very bright young girl and often talks

about going to school. It was sad to

hear her story. I was able to help pay

half of her monthly tuition and hope to

be able to send her for the full year in

2015. Her mother is struggling to sup-

port her two kids while working end-

less hours as a construction worker

earning $100/month.

are no scholarships available here in

Cambodia. The truth is that the gov-

ernment doesn’t care about education

or it’s own people. This new genera-

tion has showed much interest in pursu-

ing higher education than their parents

generation despite the struggle. Youth

are crying for support of their educa-

tion but no government official seems

to care. They are on their owns.

Tam has politely approached me to

help Bunthon with his college tuition. I

am able to help with half of his tuition.

Saren is helping him with the applica-

tion process to Pannasastra University.

His family can’t afford to send him to

college at the moment. He is trying to

find different sources but it is very hard

for Cambodian students. There are no

financial aids to help students and there

LEAD mem-

bers are the

luckiest group

of youth who

has your sup-

port. Thank

you again for

your invest-

ment in their

education.

Support Seekers

Vechhay is 24 had just started college at the Royal

University of Agriculture because of a generous

sponsor like Sokha Sorn. She was so delighted to

help Vechhay. She met him during her trip in July.

Vechhay’s father had a tragic traffic accident and

was killed instantly when Vechhay was young. Cur-

rently, Vechhay is caring for his elderly mother and

his siblings. There are 11 people under his care. He

was kept out of school because of his family situa-

tion. He is the only person who had a source of in-

come to support his big family. His high school Prin-

cipal Meng Sor knew Vechhay’s situation and felt

the need to help. He then offered a job to Vechhay.

For about three years he has been a gatekeeper at his

previous high school making $100/month.

For more info please visit our Facebook page.

Left: Oyster Mushroom busi-

ness was introduced to

Vechhay by one of his teach-

ers. This business has been

supporting the family of 11

people. It’s very cheap here

(50 cents/lbs.) Just enough to

feed the family.

Vechhay Nem, Royal University of Agriculture

NEWSLETTER TITLE

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1

LEAD’s Diverse Cultures/Religion

1005 North Main Street , Suit 2016

Pawtucket, RI 02860

B US I NE SS NAM E

[email protected]

Mission: Sharing knowledge to give the light of life.

Vision: To fill in the missing puzzle and to educate others in basic living skills for a better

self sufficient and for the BIG picture.

Leaders Empowered to

Advance Development

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