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Cambodian Community Dream Organization, Inc.
Dream Journal ~ February 2021 
This Valentine’s Day we send love and heartfelt appreciation to all our wonderful supporters around the world. Even in the challenging year of Covid, our organization has received many donations and grants. In fact, this was the best funding year to date and we were able to pass the love on to thousands of Cambodian children and their families through the new programs and initiatives. We love our team on the ground as well as our ‘invisible’ support team all around the world that makes the magic happen.  
Old Letters Lead to New Wells












When our VP Ksenija Olmer was stuck during the early Covid days of 2020 in Prague, Czech Republic, she came across a plea for help with translating old WWII family letters from Czech to English. She volunteered her help, but the keeper of the letters, Eva Brandt wasn't comfortable with the arrangement. So they agreed a donation will be made to CCDO in lieu of the translation fee.
Not only were the many poignant letters translated, Ksenija and her husband visited many places in Czech Republic associated with the Jewish family, whose many members sadly perished in the Holocaust.
They sent photos of villages, cemeteries, synagogues, and new documents back to the United States. Through this exchange a new friendship was formed and many months later upon their return to their home in California the two women finally met in person, social distancing and all.

Nine water wells were built with the donation, in honor of the family members.
Mobile Library Expands
Did you hear the great news of our new mobile tuk-tuk library last month?
Our initial idea was to have the mobile library operating 3 times a week. However, the response from our rural schools was overwhelming, so we have decided to run 2 mobile libraries for six days a week. We are now bringing the excitement of books and reading to a whooping 12,652 students in 32 schools.

We have purchased more books and employed two librarians so that we can spread the power of the written word.

To watch the library in action : click the video below
Visitors
With travel restrictions still in place, our visitors have been some very VIP people from Phnom Penh. The US Embassy sent a contingent to see our education initiatives in action.

Mr. Socheat OU, Public Affairs Specialist brought his colleagues to understand first hand how our NGO implements the projects on the ground. They visited different projects in the area of education, community development, social enterprise, WASH, and the mobile library. 

CCDO is proud to partner with the US embassy of Phnom Penh in order to continue to improve the quality of life of Cambodian people, especially children in the countryside. The US embassy will continue their support and involvement and is planning to help CCDO by sending the external education specialist to evaluate the impact of programs in Cambodia. 

Steve Swartz of Rotary Club of Phnom Penh Metro, brought a group of Rotarians on a productive visit to the Safe Homes WASH project, financed by a Rotary grant. 

In 2020, we were fortunate to receive 2 Global Grants from the Rotary International, spearheaded by our fabulous Rotary Club Sentosa, Singapore in partnership with Rotary Club Phnom Penh Metro. Steve led his executive team joined by Elsie Gung (Immediate Past President of RC-Hong Kong) to evaluate the quality of work progress of the global grants. It was a wonderful opportunity for CCDO to take them around to also learn about our other projects and meet with some school principals to discuss the needs of school children.

Staff News
CCDO believes in education and we have for years supported our staff who would like to further their own dreams. Recently we have approved scholarships for four staff members who have made a commitment to studying in the evenings and weekends to attain their degrees.

Leangseng Hoy, Executive Director: PhD in educational Administration and Leadership.
Sophorn Touch, Executive Assistant: Masters in Management
Chan Tour, English teacher: Bachelors in English
Uon Bou, Social Enterprise: Masters in Rural Development

Hindsight Is 20/20 official book launch 
Author and President of CCDO, Jenni Lipa officially launched her book of life wisdom at Nikki Beach Hotel on Koh Samui, Thailand. She structured this event as a fundraiser and invited friends for afternoon high tea of scones, cucumber sandwiches, and bowls of cherries to promote the book and raise awareness and funds for CCDO.

Copies are available on Amazon and for every paperback, please email Jenni@theccdo.org and she will send you a signed dedication.
Remember
Ordinary people can do extraordinary things
to change lives, one child at a time.