Cambodian Community Dream Organization, Inc.

Dream Journal – January 2024

Happy New Year

We sincerely hope your 2024 is off to a good start. If your New Year's resolutions include more travel consider visiting us in Cambodia. We would be happy to show you around our projects and let you experience village life. Our students are always eager to welcome you into their schools and practice their English skills. “Our” villages are just a stone's throw away from the famed Angkor Wat temples and of course, we can recommend great accommodations and restaurants that won’t break the bank. 

Our New Year resolutions absolutely avoid dieting and we very much hope our diet continues with a healthy dose of grants and donations. We do plan to continue exercising prudence, responsibility, and accountability. Indeed, CCDO started the year off with much promise and new grants.

The Women Empowerment program

The Soroptimist International (SI) has sponsored the Women Empowerment program for the past 2 years. Not only were we providing detailed regular reports we also welcomed their members to meet their beneficiaries. We are proud to report that SI has now extended its $45,000 grant for yet another 2 years.

Maureen Maguire, the past president, ensured that the program could be implemented in two new areas that really need the support of marginalized women to help improve their lives. Giving a woman the understanding, confidence, and tools to successfully take care of their families and make informed decisions for their lives is vital in bringing improvement in rural areas and breaking the cycle of poverty. Cambodian women are so smart and so hard-working. 

WASH Program

Our steadfast and dedicated members of the Rotary Club Sentosa gained approval for Global Grants (8/9/10) for the WASH in Schools Program (WINS). This means another 15 schools will have new toilet blocks so that the safety and hygiene of the students are guaranteed.

The whole team on the ground is buzzing in anticipation and hard at work preparing the program for a large contingent of Rotarians in mid-January. Ksenija Olmer, Vice President from California, will join founder Jenni Lipa, on the ground in Cambodia to welcome the visitors and accompany them in some amazing activities. Stay tuned for all the details and inspiring photos.

Donors

The Forgotten International made the end of the year sweeter with a surprise last-minute $5,000 donation which supplied the 29 preschools with uniforms and supplies just in time for the new school year. Thank you Tom & Jennifer for thinking of us. 

Bastion Foundation sees the value in our digital literacy program in the schools and has agreed to continue funding this program.

The Forgotten International made the end of the year sweeter with a surprise last-minute $5,000 donation which supplied the 29 preschools with uniforms and supplies just in time for the new school year. Thank you Tom & Jennifer for thinking of us. 

Bastion Foundation sees the value in our digital literacy program in the schools and has agreed to continue funding this program.

There are some other new grants in the works and we hope to have them confirmed soon. We will be sure to let you know. 

No donation is too small and every contribution goes a long way indeed. Our staff can squeeze blood out of stone. Every purchase is scrutinized and gets at least three different bids, be it toothbrushes, water filters, or construction materials.



Louise Williams generously donated $3,500 for our scholarship program.

As every year our very long-time supporter, Gene Dunham, generously donated $1,750 towards the program.

Bubba & Nicole Duster gave a huge donation of $3,000 to honor their parents, Carol & Mark Duster.

An anonymous donor who made a surprise visit to our office was graciously treated to an impromptu visit to our schools and villages and was so impressed, that he gave $20,000 to our Education Program. A fairytale ending. 



Ed Fortier & Sheng Wang gave $2,000 with a matching company grant.



We hope for peace and progress in 2024 for all and wish each and every one a Happy New Year!

Thank you for reading and following our work!