You will have noticed that we had a delay of several months in issuing newsletters. It's an unusual situation for us, and one I must apologize for.  The reason basically is that we've been in the midst of moving our program from the rural area of Kos Khel to the capital city of Cambodia, Phnom Penh. Our director, Suy Leang, who for years has done a stellar job in managing our activity in Cambodia, has developed health issues that prevent him from traveling as often as he had been doing in the past. Since he lives in Phnom Penh, it seemed a natural choice to make the shift. I should mention that we will still be serving the rural community of Kos Khel, but with only the Sanitation Program, in which we building latrines for poor families. We do this on the occasional basis as funds are available, and it requires far less ongoing supervision and support. (You'll see that we have received a new donation to cover the construction of another latrine. The photos are right here in this newsletter.)
  

We all know that change happens, and this has certainly been the case for us. There have been a number of delays in implementing the major change of moving the lending program. Far more than I had anticipated.   
But, finally, we are here. Leang has had good success in finding our new loan officer, Um Norak, who has a wealth of contacts and experience, We'll be able to rely on him to find some excellent candidates for loans. So much so that we are confident to be able to issue individual loans without the usual "group system" we've been using in the past. It's a fresh start in Phnom Penh, which should work well over time.
 
I'm so pleased to introduce our first client, Penh Raksmey, and look forward seeing her simple business grow over the next few months. We hope to make a significant difference in her life. The poor in Cambodia get by on less than $2 per day - in other words, about $50. So when you look at a loan of $200 you are really looking at an amount equal to four months' income, which is a large amount of money for Raksmey. It's an amount that she could never hope to save up on her own, and gives her the capital she needs to build her business.

If you would like to add your name to the list of donors you too can make a real difference for other women like Penh Raksmey. Please give it some serious thought.

Click  here to make a donation.    

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Good sanitation is essential for health and well being, but it's not the norm in rural Cambodia. Old habits of poor hygiene, of using open fields in elimination of body waste, are still wide spread. The result is the contamination of streams and soils, the spread of disease, high rates of infant and young child mortality, and heavy caseloads of diarrhea and other infections.

 

 Please donate here.    

    

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