Latest visit to Cambodia - November 2023
Linda visited Phnom Penh and Chumkiri with some friends including Julie and her son. While in Phnom Penh they were able to meet with most of the past and present Scholarship students and have dinner together. In previous years, through the Rotary Club, Julie had been involved in sponsoring Set Raksa, an AKUN graduate, so it was great that they could meet again and catch up. Having met Sam Vicheka last year, Julie and her friend who visited with her last year Debi, decided to sponsor Vicheka for her final 2 years at university. Now in her final year, Vicheka was able to meet up again with Julie and meet her son. Linda discussed new potential projects with Fr. Giovanni, the parish priest in Chumkiri. As Fr. Giovanni is taking up a new role, there will be a new priest for the parish later in 2023. We look forward to working alongside him on projects in the future. Linda was also able to meet students who may apply for scholarships in the future. The Women's Group in Chumkiri has really grown, the women provide support to one another and their sewing skills enable them to earn an income, making school uniforms etc. Linda was able to meet up with them and hear how the group is progressing.
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Maria Saenz
Volunteer
Tera Schaumann
Secretary
Pam Meredith
Scholarship Program
Chair
All the members of our team are volunteers. We currently use more than 97% of your donations just for projects (we are charged 2.7% when you pay with Paypal). If you would like to join our team, contact us!
Our trips to Cambodia
Christine and Linda first visited Cambodia on behalf of AKUN in February 2015
Linda went again in February 2016 with a new volunteer Natalia. During both trips, they went to the Lindalva Center where they met with the staff and students. They also went to the countryside of Chumkiri in Kampot Province to identify families in need of housing improvements. There, they also met with the youth group, the women's group and the men's group to discuss skills training. They discussed with the women's group how to make the garlands, ornaments and pouches.
Our team has several years of experience in humanitarian projects, especially in South East Asia.
Barbara and Linda, met while living on Borneo in 2004-2010 and have supported the Lindalva Center in Phnom Penh, since 2008 through the generosity of the people they knew in Brunei. So far, they have made a dozen visits to Cambodia between them. While in Brunei, they also helped support the group 'Helping Hands Penan' by selling handmade local products from the Penan tribes of Borneo. When Barbara moved to Malaysia, she continued her support to the Penan project. Linda, who moved to China, lent a hand to 'Hopeful Hearts' in Chengdu and raised funds for several local projects.
When Barbara and Linda were both living in USA they wanted to continue their support in Asia and the rest of the world through AKUN.
How the idea of AKUN began
OUR TEAM
We, at AKUN, want to be very transparent, so if you want to know more about our organization itself, click here!
Christine Shaw
Treasurer and Co-Founder
Linda Franks
Vice President, Founder & SFP Chair
Barbara Sanders
President, Communications Chair and Co-Founder