Vote today to help fund an excellent Cambodian children's charity
 

Hi FlyerTalkers--

I'm posting this to drum up some support for a children's organization that helps ex-street kids in Phnom Penh. They provide education, vocational training to kids and parents and small loans to help the families start business that will keep the kids off the street. I know the woman who runs the organization and have personally seen them in action and promise that they are a worthy organization. :-:

For the next two days they are collecting votes to win $5,000. This is 7 months of funding for them so it would be huge for them if they won. They are less than 150 votes behind with 1.5 days left of voting.

All it takes to vote is submitting your email address--it's free and they won't spam you (I voted a few weeks ago and haven't gotten a single email from them except for the confirmation email).

I have seen the FlyerTalk team mobilize before to help, and I would love it if you would consider voting here for Children's Communities Cambodia.

http://sunsuperdreams.com.au/dream/v...ide-phnom-penh

Beyond voting (but please vote) if you have any interest in getting involved in this charity, please let me know. They're helping a group of children and families that have been affected by forced evictions from their homes in the (former) Boeng Kak Lake area of Phnom Penh. They're always looking for various supplies and assistance because their operating budget is very small.

I'll vote...

I voted.

I find the website a bit confusing. How is the voting going?

Not great, there is 16 hours of voting and they are 1,000 votes behind now. :(

Thanks so much for everyone that voted for Children's Communities Cambodia. They won the competition and the $5,000, which covers seven months of services for the children of the former Boeung Kak lake in Phnom Penh. Everyone at CCC are delighted, thanks so much for your help!

That's great news, giblet, thanks for reporting back.

Just a footnote - giblet was involved in the Kiva team, decided to become a Kiva Fellow (on her own dime but with FT assistance), went through training in San Francisco and was assigned as a Fellow on assignment to microlending organisation MAXIMA Mikroheranhvatho Co. Ltd. in Phnom Penh. She served there for three months, posting on FT and in her various blogs, and - is STILL in Cambodia, close to two years on now.

I trust giblet implicitly in her recommendations for charities in Cambodia - and for street foods in Asia!

Her page describing the weaving industry in Cambodia here, about customs and rice here and more about her here.

If you are going to Asia check out her street food recommendations here.

Update: e-xchanging with giblet, she pointed out this blog, written by the woman who runs this charity, on what conditions can be like for adults and children in Phnom Penh: The Anarchy Block.

It's truly unimaginable that people can live like this, but then again, so was the time of the Khmer Rouge.

HI There,

In Cambodia, the Children still remain quite poor and there are many charities. Can we find out more information especially what percentage is used for the children? some organizations use up to 50% for administration and office expenses which negates our real intentions to help the children.

cheers

Chris Shun

My understanding is that this charity, because it is small and nimble, uses almost all of its earnings to directly help the children. I have seen this help in action myself, and have 100% faith in this organization. If you are actually interested and would like more details, I'd suggest contacting them directly. http://www.voice.org.au/VOICE-in-Cam...-cambodia.html