KHMER ALLIANCE FOUNDATION (KAF)

KAF 18th Annual Meeting Report
Sunfish Restaurant
11505 N.E. 4th Plain Road
Vancouver, WA 9862
June 24, 2006
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Participating members are:
Dr. Meng Srun Sin, Las Vegas, Nevada;
Mr. & Mrs. Khim Paul, Norwalk, California;
Mr. Kompha Seth, Chicago, Illinois;
Mr. Sovann Lowe, Vancouver, Washington State;
Mr. & Mrs. Sar Van, Lynnwood, Washington State;
Mr. & Mrs., Chhang Marith, Kelso, Washington State;
Mr. Srorn Ros, Olympia, Washington State.

1. First of all, Mr. Chhang Marith welcomes and expresses thanks to all participating members. He also underlines the importance of the Annual Meeting as an opportunity to meet members face to face, and thus strengthening friendship and building trust among members as well. Then, he invites Dr. Meng Srun Sin, Kaf President, to conduct the meeting.

2. Then, Dr, Sin gives a short review and observation regarding Kaf activities in 2005 when the politics in the country were in some kind of trouble during the year. We will examine the possibility of what we can do to help Cambodia this year. He asks each member to update the activities during the year and the new projects.

3. Ms. Thach El hands out a statement to inform the meeting about the financial situation as of June 24, 2006. The total balance at the time is $17, 5525.68.

4. Then, Mr. Van Sar (Project Director) talks about Kaf program of actions which is generally divided into three projects: advocacy, Community Assistance Project (CAP) and Individual Assistance Project (IAP). He enumerates some of the projects as below:

Old business. The projects are carried over from last year:
a. Dr. Sin reminds everybody of the 15th Anniversary of the Paris Peace Agreement in Stockton;
Members in Stockton will be contacted to discuss and confirm;
b. Jhantrea Project of Sala Chan is to be launched, but needs to have authorization from the Project leader (Mrs. Sos Kem); Mr. Van Sar will visit the place soon this July. Our helper in Phnom Penh was sent to contact the Chief Monk and religious Committee in Wat Tuol Sdey, in the beginning of June. Mr. Van Sar will find out on the site when the construction should be started.
c. The meeting approves $500.00 to finish Prek Tasar School by Mr. Van Sar;

New business: The following projects have been proposed an approved at the
meeting:

a. A new community development in Lovek sponsored by the Cambodian Association of Longview-Kelso. It is known as Longview-Kelso Lovek Friendship. The fund of $500.00 was raised for Mr. Van Sar to buy a water pump.
b. Mr. Tan Chiep has requested Kaf as a fiscal agent to sponsor a project for a Computer Lab at Phni Meas College in Prey Krabas, Takeo;
c. Mr. Van Sar also brings news about the two Cambodian students of the Royal University of Phnom Penh who will continue their higher education, Master of Social Work degree program at the University of Washington in Seattle (UW). The first group consists of Mr. Ly Long and Miss Dalin Meng who begin the program in the Fall 2006.

As far as sponsorship is concerned, KAF won’t have the ability to take charge in the project, but can help in other ways possible. You may be interested to contact them this coming Fall 2006. A second group will start the second Fall 2007.

5. Mr. Paul Khim, Scholarship Chairman, suggests that “we should teach people how to fish, but not to provide them fish all the time”. He says school is a very important facility for them to learn. Then, he asks Kaf to help build two schools, one in Prey Totung in Kompong Cham, and another in Stung Treng. The meeting suggests we should first take initiative to look for generous persons who are interested in the project for the time being.

6. In turn, Mr. Kompha Seth, from Chicago, talks about how to raise funds. He shares his experiences from the fundraising to build a Killing Fields Memorial in Chicago. He says the Cambodian Association of Illinois had only $300.00 as seed money to start with. Then, he managed successfully to raise $5,000.00. Because of the strong commitment and will of his team, he could manage to raise one million dollars to set up a wonderful building known as “Cambodian Heritage Museum and Killing Fields Memorial” in Chicago, Illinois.

He shows the strategies that: “We must know ourselves; know our products; know how to market our products; know how to maximize the public interest in our products; and know three kinds of people who will support and help buy our products through Connection, Power, and Money. He also suggests we must know the sources of funding such as “Foundation, Corporation, Friends and Individuals”. He sticks to the strategies and sources which are keys toward success in his project.

7. Member and nomination: Mr. Srorn Ros has been very supportive to Kaf for many years. He commits to help set up a Kaf homepage. Because of his willingness and commitment to the common cause, the meeting warmly welcomes Mr. Srorn Ros as Kaf member. Then, Mr. Van Sar proposes to nominate him as Assistant to Kaf Executive Director. The nomination is unanimously recognized and approved with sincere applauses.

The meeting ends at 5:50 PM with a cheerful atmosphere and friendship.
Reported by:
Chhang Marith,
Kaf Exec Dir