Meet our amazing staff
At Flame we believe that it is not just what we are doing but who does it that is important. Many of our staff have already travelled the same journey that our clients are on. Who better to lead the way?
INTRODUCING: Chanthon Proueng
WHAT IS YOUR JOB WITH FLAME?
My name is Chanthon Proueng, and I am the Home Advisor for the university students supported by Flame. The students call me ‘Mak’, which means mother.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED FOR FLAME?
Four years, since Flame began.
WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB?
When I think of the reasons why I love Flame, it is because God comes first in Flame. Flame supports the young adults in their individual journeys. I am so happy to work with Flame and want to see the young adults grow. Finally, I love the Christian values and how Flame supports so many kids and families here in Cambodia.
WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND/HOW DID YOU END UP WORKING FOR FLAME?
I got married in 1971. My husband was a hard worker, and often away in the province where his family lived. I would only see him when he was in Phnom Penh.
The war in 1971 forced me to leave my family*. Then in 1973 I gave birth to my son, Rithea. Soldiers took my husband, son and I to Takeo Province. From there my son and I were separated from my husband as he was taken to work far away. He was unable to visit us often.
We had no food. My son and I risked our lives searching for vegetables, crab and shellfish or anything edible. I worked hard to secretly find food, knowing the soldiers would kill me if they found out.
Sadly, in 1976, my son died (aged 3) after becoming sick from the lack of food. Only three months later my husband also passed away because we had no medicine. This was an extremely traumatic and difficult time and it greatly affected my mental health. I often would feel I could not keep living from this sadness, lack of food and sickness. However, thankfully I was not alone, as many other families had this happen to them too, so I found comfort in them.
I missed my family very much, so eventually asked the soldiers to let me work somewhere else. I was taken to do very hard jobs, such as digging the land to make roads and digging water holes – one was even to become a lake. We had to put big rocks on our backs and carry them to where the lake would be. We had to make a dam to stop the water – but one day it broke. The solders made us stop the water with our bodies. I would have to sleep in the water, stopping the water getting through with only our heads allowed out of the water. Soldiers threatened to kill me if I was unable to continue.
One soldier fell in love with me, but I did not love him. If I refused the soldier, he would kill me, so I decided to run away. I stayed in hiding for three months until the soldiers found me and took me back into their custody.
I was then transferred into a forest where they took people to be killed. I had to stay in a tent and do similar work as I had done previously. During this time I made a close friend, but one day the soldiers killed her. I kept thinking, “Why not me?”, but now I believe it was God’s plan to keep me alive.
Once the civil war began, I was taken with others somewhere to carry the wounded to a safe place. Whenever a soldier would whistle we would have to come out of our tent and help the person who had been shot. Once again if I did not do as I was told, I would be killed.
I would talk to the wounded, try encourage them and reduce their pain. I would comfort them by saying, “You’re still alive, we can save you.” During this same time I was brought young girls ages seven and eight to care for. This made me happy as the children had no parents or family to look after them.
Eventually the Vietnam soldiers attacked. Because I was working for the Khmer soldiers they shot at me and I once again had to run for my life.
Finally the Vietnamese won the war – resulting in my freedom.
Even though I had been freed, I was still without food so would hunt for it wherever I could. Sometimes I found rice left over in abandoned houses.
I decided to journey back to my family by foot. It took me a whole week. Finally when I arrived, I was relieved to see my mother and seven of my siblings all together. Sadly I also discovered that my younger brother had passed away and my father was lost. To this day I do not know what happened to him. We spend two days in that location and then decided with several other people to journey by foot, 40 days back to our home town. On the journey we sold necklaces for food. I felt such pity for the children who had lost their parents and had no family, and really wanted to help them.
Eventually we made it home, yet still did not have daily food to eat. We ate when we could and would sell whatever we could, including rubbish, and with some help, we managed to start a small business.
I became a Christian when my cousin who lived in Canada came to share the good news to Khmer people. At first I did not believe and then my cousin gave me a Bible and I read John 3:16 “For God so loved the world He gave His only son, so that whoever believes in him shall not die but have everlasting life.” Along with other verses that speaks about widows and orphans. It touched my heart and I spent a whole night reading. In the morning I asked my cousin to show me how to offer my heart to God.
From there I began study to become a children’s Bible teacher and soon had a choice between a job that offered $100.00 a month or working as a foster mum in a Christian Organisation (Hagar) for $35 a month. My cousin asked me, “Do you want to work for people or for God?”. So I chose to work for Hagar, and was with them from 1998 until 2014 as a foster mother.
Sue (Hanna) and I worked together in Hagar. When Sue started Flame for the young adults, I was asked to come and stay with them and care for them. Sue encouraged me to look to the future of the of the children I had raised in Hagar. I wanted to see them finish university, be successful and have a good life. I also wanted them to have a place to stay while they were studying.
So the young adults came to live with Flame, and Sue asked me to become the Home Advisor, and live in the girls home. I was very glad to be involved and help these people in this way. I make the food for events and look after the boys and girls house and teach the young adults in this role.
WHAT MESSAGE OR ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE?
My advice is to always look to the future - there is always something you can do!
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*The Khmer Rouge began a civil war to take over Cambodia from 1970. They took over control of the country from 1975 to 1979 until they were defeated by the Vietnamese Army.
Meet our amazing staff
At Flame we believe that it is not just what we are doing but who does it that is important. Many of our staff have already travelled the same journey that our clients are on. Who better to lead the way?
INTRODUCING: Kong Senghout
WHAT IS YOUR JOB WITH FLAME?
HR and Admin Officer
HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED FOR FLAME?
I’ve been with flame almost two years.
The Admin Team: Senghout, Ai and Narom
WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB?
I love helping our staff and doing my best to make sure our processes are excellent.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?
I enjoy playing volleyball and play with some of the other Flame staff.
WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND/HOW DID YOU END UP WORKING FOR FLAME?
I come from the province in a poor family. My mother is a Christian pastor. My father died last year, he used to support my mum so she could do her Christian work. I miss my dad still, he used to call me everyday at work. I have two brothers and three sisters, and we are all very close. My family valued education and I was able to go to school, and then university where I studied finance and banking. Two of my siblings are doctors.
In 2015 I got married to Sreynoch Em and we have one son, Sokreaksa, who is 10 months old. When my son was 3 months old my father passed away. He really liked my son.
Before Flame I applied for some companies and organisation but when I told my mum she asked if they were Christian? She encouraged me to find a Christian organisation where i can help people as I wanted to see children in Cambodia going to school and have a good live in the future. That was how I came to work for Flame.
When I got the job with Flame I came to Phnom Penh, and moved in with my grandmother-in-law. She has now gone to New Zealand to live with her children and grandchildren but she comes back to visit us regularly.
WHAT MESSAGE OR ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE?
This is a favourite bible verse of mine because love is the greatest thing we can do.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love
- 1 Corinthians 13:13
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Svay Rieng Football Club and Flame help families during Covid-19
This article was published by Phnom Penh Post on May 5th. You can read the article online here.
We are extremely grateful that we have such amazing partners to help our families. A beautiful reminder that we are not alone.
#wegotogether #teamflame
Stay Strong: A Message from St Paul's Collegiate
We are blown away by this message that the staff and pupils from St Paul’s Collegiate made during lockdown for Flame.
We love you too!
Thank you so much - we have the most amazing supporters
Meet our amazing staff
At Flame we believe that it is not just what we are doing but who does it that is important. Many of our staff have already traveled the same journey that our clients are on. Who better to lead the way?
INTRODUCING Brang Keziya
WHAT IS YOUR JOB WITH FLAME?
I’m Keziya and I teach part-time at the after-school program in Steung Meanchey (SMC) and help with the social work team.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED FOR FLAME?
For two years.
WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB?
I enjoy solving the children’s problems and like encouraging them.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?
I love to read, and play football once a week on a social team with men.
WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND/HOW DID YOU END UP WORKING FOR FLAME?
I was born in Siem Reap Province without knowing who my father was. I lived with my mother and three brothers until I was 11 years old and my mother tragically passed away. After this, I was taken to an orphanage called CFC with one of my brothers. Although my circumstances for coming there was bad, it became a blessing for my life. Previously I hated to study, but when I lived in CFC I began improving myself more and more by studying hard. I was receiving things there that my mother never would have been able to provide me, like the ability to attend a private school, but even still I missed her greatly and was often very afraid of dying.
In grade 11 the orphanage closed. I was 18. Desperately I prayed to God to provide for me someone who would love me and take care of me. Then I decided I must go back to my home province and find a job or finish my education. I meet some foreigners named Jill and Johnny in an office. They told me they wanted my brother and I to go and live with them, even if it was only for a few weeks. My brother and I decided we would, and we still live with them today.
It is through Jill and Johnny that I heard about Flame. They had gone away on holiday for a month and a half, so I stayed in the Flame Student Centre. I got to go out with some of the Flame staff to the different Centres and meet the children. Something in my heart felt I wanted to be involved. I could relate to how many of the children felt in their lives, as for my childhood I often felt lonely and like no one cared about me. I knew if I could be involved with these children, I would be able to show them love and care for them. While I was here, I told Houn Thy that I would really like to come and work for Flame. I began in the Sensok centre.
I worked in Sensok for one year until I changed to SMC. This fitted in better with my commute to university as I had begun my second year of English Communication already. I continued to work with Flame, having breaks now and again for when I needed to study hard for exams.
I continue to study English. When I was not studying for this I was working in SMC. Staff are very friendly and kind which makes me feel very happy to be there. At first it was not easy, the children did not always listen, and they were from very rough backgrounds, but over time they have grown and become better. I know they are always in my heart now, so I am very thankful to be with them.
The children who are in the SMC centre have very different lives largely due to the area they live in. Usually, families here struggle and mothers or fathers do not have a job. Often their fathers are drunk, and their families will be involved in drugs. I try not to ask the children about their families, as I don’t like to see them cry. Their situations can be very complicated, which is why it is so important for me to be able to show these children love and kindness.
When I was young, people would encourage me and take care of me. I wanted to learn and was extremely blessed to be helped when I had nothing. When I look at these children, I feel strongly that I want to give them the same kindness, care and opportunities that were given to me. My heart is for these children, I want to see them have a good life.
WHAT MESSAGE OR ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE?
I give this advice to myself: When you see the mountain you can’t see the way to climb it unless you go closer. Which means when you are faced with a problem don’t run away, go towards the problem.
Please support our staff and their great work by donating below
Impact of COVID19 in our communities
The Flame kids are all home but you would be aware that self isolating in their kind of environments would be near on impossible. Some of the families have gone back to their hometowns but many remain in Phnom Penh.
Kids on the streets of Phnom Penh
There are four main factors that Flame is considering:
Low immunity rates among malnourished communities
Flame clients are identified as being the poorest of the urban poor and usually are malnourished. Hunger in Cambodia is classified as a “serious” issue. This increases the susceptibility of our clients to contract the virus. Our staff are continuing to contact our clients by phone and only visiting when necessary.
Rate of mortality among the elderly and increases in domestic violence
The primary caregivers of 36 families in Flame are elderly. The risk for the children of these families is possibly highest in the longterm. We need to prepare for an influx of orphans. Increases in domestic violence with lockdown are common and we already have identified a number of families where domestic violence against both women and children is an issue. Our casework team are monitoring these families closely.
Daily wage earners are left with literally nothing
A great proportion of the families work on a daily wage basis with no savings whatsoever. There has been a huge reduction of city dwelling workers who buy from our sellers and closure of factories and industry has a huge impact on employees and the people one rung down who serve the employees. The scavenging (recycling) community appear to be currently continuing as usual, but I expect that there will be less rubbish on the streets as the urban population has dipped drastically with mass migration to rural areas. When families who have nothing are forced to diversify, it’s not a nice picture.
Increased Risk of Human Trafficking
In the wake of any natural disaster, the rates of human trafficking and exploitation statistically rise. We need to be prepared for this and especially in already at risk communities, the draw to a "new life” and bait of “employment” will be hard to resist. We will need to ramp up our monitoring of families who are particularly vulnerable and conduct some extra training about recognising and reporting human trafficking when we are able to meet again, but in the meantime, will try for an online platform on text platform to communicate the increased risk to our communities.
Re-opening
We are ramping up towards re-opening possibly earlier than other parts around the world as we have the “vaccine’ available already and very, very low rates of cases nationwide.
We will re-open and continue with our After-School Centres, Leadership Academy and Sports Programs as soon as is safe for both clients and staff.
a message from nicola
Please feel free to ask any questions. On behalf of the kids and families in Cambodia, I want to extend an extra thank you to you for making the work we do a possibly. You are making the world a better place.
Nicola and Team Flame
nicola@flamecambodia.org
Our Covid-19 Response - Stay Safe
This family was evicted by their landlord because they lost jobs due to COVID19
We have a clear chain of events in terms of our response at Flame, and what has been going on in our communities, and what we are planning for.
January 27
The first organisational warning about COVID19 went out on 27th Jan and that was followed up regularly and talked about in our staff meetings as the virus progressed in Wuhan. The thing is, although at that time, there were officially ZERO cases in Cambodia, we are fully aware of the amount of movement between China, even specifically Wuhan and Phnom Penh.
Nicola had been at the airport on numerous occasions waiting for people to come and have seen the numbers which did not decrease until airports around the world were closing from about mid March. There is a open doors policy to China as Cambodia wishes remain faithful to China. In January there were 4 foreign nationals we know of who had COVID19 symptoms and they went to a clinic that didn’t have the capacity to test. The local Hospital didn’t test them either.
February
Washing hands and hand sanitiser is implemented in all our centres. Education team staff stay on the lookout for any children with symptoms. Casework staff on the lookout for any family members with symptoms. None noted.
March 10
Temperature checks happening daily at in all centres. Reminders are sent out for staff to send home any children who were unwell.
March 13
1000kg of rice and multiple other basic necessities given to 20 families, identified as at risk by the casework team.
March 16
An student event, involving all our centres, that was planned with the Cambodian National Football team is CANCELLED.
All Flame After-School Centres and Flame activities halted. Education staff called to work on curriculum from the main office.
Provisions are made for Leadership Academy students to return home and those without options to move into Sue’s house.
March 18
New Zealand government called expats back home. Sue left on the 20th March and Nicola, with her kids, finally make it out on the 24th March, after many flight cancellations.
March 19
No police on the streets of Phnom Penh (this is not official, but Nicola was about the city and really noticed it)
Flame staff continuing to work but in the main office…but then it was decided that Education Team staff should head back home and hunker down. The national Khmer New Year holidays were announced to begin early and all schools were closed and citizens encouraged to head “home” and await further notice. At that time the government said that schools would be opened again on 20th April.
March 28
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Cambodia makes the announcement that boarders are closed to foreigners unless they had certification of having tested negative for COVID19, and a deposit of US$50,000.
March 30
Official news released from the Chinese Embassy in Phnom Penh that the vaccine for COVID19 had been released.
April
Skeleton staff continue to work at the main office. We are continuing to pay our staff salaries.
April 3
Food packages were given out to 20 families identified as at risk.
food parcels ready to be delivered by the casework team to clients in need
April 6
Three broken bones in her wrist! Thank goodness the team was able to get her to hospital to help it heal.
One of our clients had a motorbike accident a few weeks back and has not been seen by a doctor. She has 3 broken bones in her wrist and Flame did a home visit and gave the family some money to pay for the girl to get medical care.
April
We were able to build this new house for the displaced family who were living in a makeshift tent after their landlord evicted them (see the photo at the top).
The new house
it’s just a simple shed inside
It doesn’t look like much from western standards but it’s a roof over their head that is safe from flooding. The family are grateful to have somewhere safe to sleep.
April 14
The casework team are planing to deliver another round of food packages to at risk families. We would like to help ALL the families we have a relationship with, but currently this is not possible without more funding, so we continue to help the most vulnerable.
Meet our amazing staff
At Flame we believe that it is not just what we are doing but who does it that is important. Many of our staff have already travelled the same journey that our clients are on. Who better to lead the way?
Introducing: Khchao Socheat
WHAT IS YOUR JOB WITH FLAME?
I’m Socheat and I’m a teacher in the After School Centre teaching English. I heard of Flame and sometimes would go into the Activity Centre in Stung Meanchey to play with the kids. I admired how the Flame staff treated the children and how they taught them not just Khmer subjects and English, but also good morals. This made me want to be involved as I knew I had knowledge that I could pass onto the children that would help them.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED FOR FLAME?
I’ve worked with Flame since 2018.
WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB?
I am excited to see these children grow and become good people and be able to make good life decisions. Their parents have not cared for them well, and have wasted their money and resources, so it makes me so happy that now we can give those children hope, and enable them to have a bright future, and break the chain of poverty and sadness.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?
In my spare time I listen to music, read books, watch movies and play sport. I also like to go climbing (hiking) in the mountains as that makes me feel good.
But I especially love to go to my hometown to visit my parents and my brothers and sisters.
WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND/HOW DID YOU END UP WORKING FOR FLAME?
I grew up in a village outside of Phnom Penh. In Grade Six I was twelve years old and started to go to a children’s program that was run by the local church. It was here that I noticed how kind and loving the teachers were. It made me wonder why they had so much love inside them, I wanted to have it too. I struggled with anger as a child, and often would fall out with people. Seeing the kindness and forgiving attitudes of my teachers made me want to be able to be like them also, and no longer struggle with my anger. They set good examples for me to want to follow, and even when I would not listen to them, they never once got angry at me and explained that it was Jesus who helped them. Once I knew that it was Jesus, I wanted to know more and more, and so soon became a Christian myself, and not long after, my whole family also became believers.
I wasn’t very good a learning, even though I wanted to study and learn English, I easily got distracted. The church was patient in teaching me, but I didn’t improve very much over that time – I often pent more attention on the girls who were there and wanting to play games more than study.
When I made it to Grade 11 in 2010, I moved into the church and tried harder to learn English. While I was there I also learnt how to read music and taught myself how to play the guitar. Over this time at the church I really grew as an individual and learnt much from my pastor, who taught me much about Gods great love for us and how he gave his life to save us. He inspired me to want to share Gods love with the people surround me.
So I joined became a leader in the church’s children’s program – the one I first had heard about God. This was wonderful for me, as I had the opportunity to tell the children stories about Jesus and worship with them, playing my guitar. I loved this time. I stayed here until I finished school and then finished as a teacher in 2012 to move to Phnom Penh.
I joined the New Life church in Phnom Penh, and moved into their dormitory. It was difficult to come here as I came alone, but I was thankful to meet other people who had also recently moved to the city. Even though I met people early on, I found it difficult as I didn’t make immediate connections with these people, so still felt lonely.
I had English lessons at this church from 6am till 6pm each day, and this greatly improved my English speaking. I was able to practice with the other people in the church and also with foreigners who would visit the church from time to time. At this same time, I met my now wife through the new Life Church as she was also studying. After six months I felt my English was good enough that I could confidently apply for jobs to be a teacher.
I started my first job as teaching Khmer to foreigners for one and a half years. After this job, I began teacher English to Khmer children. I did this job for three years. During this job in 2015, I began studying English at university. I would do my job from early in the morning to mid-day, and then continue study from afternoon till night.
Over this time my relationship with my wife continued for five years, and then we got married in 2017 after been dating since 2012. I then began my third job which was similar to my second – teaching English to Khmer children through Transform Cambodia. In this job I never spoke Khmer, but rather spoke English at all times. I did this job for another one and a half years.
My wife and I welcomed our beautiful daughter in 2018, and named her Liza.
It made me feel very fulfilled that I could pass my English onto these children, and teach them other things that will help them have a better life in the future. When they learn English, it will open up many more job opportunities for them. I know it is God’s plan for me to work with Flame Cambodia, and I know it was God who put these children on my heart. I feel pity for them, as they have such bad backgrounds, but I feel joy that through Flame I can with God’s help turn that bad into good.
Previously to working in Flame it had been the SMC area that I had seen and first wanted to be a part of. I did not know but I was then assigned to work in the SNC area, and I knew that it was the right place for me to be.
WHAT MESSAGE OR ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE?
Sometimes when people have a problem, I try to encourage them to win by giving them advice and being with them.
When someone make a mistake I encourages them to change and fix it. I tell them no one is perfect. But the best thing is to try and fix our mistakes.
You can be a part of helping our clients fix their past mistakes:
Meet our amazing staff
At Flame we believe that it is not just what we are doing but who does it that is important. Many of our staff have already traveled the same journey that our clients are on. Who better to lead the way?
INTRODUCING: Rat Ranny
WHAT IS YOUR JOB WITH FLAME?
My name is Ranny and I work as an After-School Program teacher at Boeung Tompon center.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED FOR FLAME?
I’ve worked for Flame for three years, since 2017.
WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB?
I love teaching English and sharing my experiences with the children. The children also teach me, I learn a lot from them.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?
Often I in my spare time I research how I can improve my teaching and I also like reading. Sometimes I volunteer outside of work to help the children. At home, I enjoy spending time with my family and teaching younger sisters English.
WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND/HOW DID YOU END UP WORKING FOR FLAME?
I’m from a poor family in the province near the Thai border. My sister only went to Grade 5 and then was sent to work in Thailand. I have two sisters the other did only 7 years of school and then had to go to work too. My parents wanted me to stop my studies and to go to work too but my brother, who is a Christian, encouraged me to keep going. He tried to explain to my parents that it would be better for me to stay at school. When I got to grade 9 my mum wanted me to stop but my brother found me a place to stay where my study and food was paid for by a sponsor. This made the difference and I was able to study until Grade 12.
After I finished grade 12 I didn’t know what to do next but God answered my prayers. I was offered a place in a new dormitory in Phnom Penh with some friends to study a degree of a BA in Management for 4 years. While I studied I volunteered to work as a teacher with children in slums. I applied for the job with Flame as I wanted to work for a Christian NGO and I love to teach the children.
WHAT MESSAGE OR ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE?
When things get hard for me I pray. I also find encouragement in reading the bible. So that’s what I would advise others to do.
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thoughts from residents of the Leadership Academy
From one of the young women:
'Our family is the poorest in our village. No one in our village wanted to talk with us and even when they had a celebration they would not invite us to go. They said that if they walked where we walked, that we would make them poor. The neighbours say that they don’t even want to touch our boundary. Even our pets they beat.
The belief of Cambodian people is that poor are bad people. They think we cannot learn. But now I am studying at University'
Some of the students from the Leadership Academy
From a Lucky man:
'I was 7 years old and my younger brothers were 2 and 3 years old when my Mum died. My father died before my mum. My older brother stopped being a monk to care for us all but his behavior wasn't like a monk and he used to drink alcohol a lot. He found a family for us to live with. As we were traveling in the car, I wondered if they were selling me so I looked carefully out the window to try and remember the way we were going so that I could find my way back home. I stayed there for 7 years and after that I came to live in Phnom Penh with my sister when we were in Grade 11. My sister has finished her studies in midwifery and is married now. I like her husband. I am studying Pediatric medicine at International University.
I’m a very lucky man, I live in the Flame Leadership Academy and I have my 2 younger brothers with me now too. I am so excited to know that they also have a chance at a better future and I encourage them to take this opportunity. I can see my life getting better.'
Help us change the lives of our young adults by sponsoring the Leadership Academy
International womans day : what women need
International Women’s Day is an opportunity for Flame to celebrate our founder- Sue Hanna. Empowered women empower women. Happy International Women's Day!
Founder Sue Hanna speaking to one of our clients
“Cambodia got more and more under my skin every time I went, to the point that in 2004 I took some annual leave, went to Cambodia and decided I was going to find a Sue-shaped hole, because I knew there was something I could do there which was linked into those moments I had when I was travelling on my OE,” Sue said.
Sue’s passion has always been to stand alongside the poor and disadvantaged, who have been written off by their own communities, and to help them.
We are celebrating gender equality with a new initiative for at risk women in three of the Flame communities. We will create a safe space where women can support and encourage each other, learn about female and reproductive health and strategies on how to keep themselves and their children safe.
Please support us
Welcome our new partner The Condor Project
Today we are pleased to announce a new partnership with The Condor Project.
We just love their motto - together we can make the world a better place.
Today we are excited to announce our third partnership--FLAME Cambodia.
Flame runs after-school programs for at-risk children living near Phnom Penh. They operate four centers for primary-school age children, where they teach them basic language and math skills, and provide them with a safe space to spend time after school.
Last month Flame came to us with a dire need for help; two of the girls in one of their centers were being abused by their caretaker. We were truly impressed not only by their passion, but by the swiftness of their action. These are people who have dedicated themselves to making the world a better place for the most vulnerable people on earth. We are honored to be able to help them with their work.
Human trafficking is borne out of extreme poverty. With these programs, Flame is providing at-risk children an alternative to the slavery that is a reality for too many children in the poorest countries.
We've committed to raising $10,000 for Flame, to pay for a year of their after-school programs. If you'd like to support their work, you can do so by clicking here to make a tax-deductible contribution to The Condor Project today.
Thank you.
Justin Spees
Co-Founder
The Condor Project
Thanks for your support Condor Project, we look forward to working together for years to come!
Join in to make the world a better place
Exciting changes at Flame
The first week back in January, Flame staff attended a two-day strategic planning workshop with charities expert Nick Swain from Zorva Consulting, UK.
As a result of the workshop, one group won the chance and funding to run a pilot program teaching computer studies to high school children at Boung Tompom After School Centre.
Well done Wandy, Navy, Sokhhan and Mr Rith for coming up with a great proposal to meet the real and current needs of our young people.
Another change is that some of the initiatives now have new names. These are a better reflection of what we do. We hope you agree!
Activity Centres are now called After-School Programs
For most of our staff whenever they said to anyone that they worked at an ‘activity centre’ they would then have to explain that they were teaching classes. This new name makes what they do so much clearer.
For Cambodian children, school is only for half a day and some go in the morning and some in the afternoon. This means that in the second part of the day, the children are available to come to our centres for extra tuition. Now the name makes more sense, doesn’t it?
Read more about the after-school programs here
The Book Tuktuk now the Mobile Classroom and is permanently based at Bong Trabek.
In the early days before we had the concrete floor and shelter.
The Mobile Classroom began as a mobile library but has morphed into so much more as our staff have responded to the needs of the kids. Sok Sou is now teaching classes in Khmer (Cambodian language), maths and English right in the midst of the community. This initiative has been an amazing success and has grown far beyond what we imagined.
The teaching takes place in the shelter with a concrete floor and sunshades that was made possible by some kind donors.
A big thank you goes out to St Paul’s Collegiate Hamilton who have supported the Mobile Classroom from the beginning.
Let us know what you think of our new names
You can become a part of Bong Trabek community by supporting the Mobile Classroom
or consider supporting the After School Program which currently needs donor support
If you can help please donate below
Meet our amazing staff
Read the story of how Sokhann went from a child from poverty to headteacher/leader at the after school program in BTP, Phnom Penh.
Som Sokhann
After-school program leader BTP
What is your job with Flame?
My current role is as the After-School Program Leader at the Boeng Tumpum centre.
Orignally, I applied for the job on the Book Tuktuk (now called the Mobile Classroom) because I liked the idea of working in the community and not being in an office. I like the children, I used to be a child like that. I want to be the one to give people advice and they say ‘this guy, I can trust him’. I am happy and excited that people know my tuktuk and they trust it. People often don’t know how to do things or have ideas, that’s what I want to help with.
How long have you worked for Flame?
Three years
What is the best thing about your job?
I enjoy spending time with the children, playing with them as well as mentoring them. We teach life skills with the children, more like a brother or sister than as a teacher.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Football! A year ago I started a soccer ministry on Saturdays with two teams, children 5-10 years and 12-17 years. I used to do it alone but now I do it with two friends so that we can support each other. We teach them life skills, the bible and soccer.
On Sunday night I’m involved in my church’s Men’s Sport Ministry where we play … soccer!
What is your background/how did you come to work for Flame?
I grew up in the provinces, not in a rich family but not poor either. My family were farmers and grew rice, we grew the rice on the mountain without paddies. I walked to school every day for 40 minutes each way. I completed school until the end of secondary.
My family needed to get more money so we moved to Phnom Penh where my sister worked as a housemaid. I completed high school in Phnom Penh and wanted to go to work in the government but my mother said I had to know someone to get those jobs. I took a four-year break, worked in a restaurant and saved to go to University.
I obtained a Law Degree and went to work for a lawyer firm. I didn’t like the work so much and asked myself, ‘What is my talent?’ I wanted to work with poor families who couldn’t afford a lawyer and be someone they could trust. That’s when I heard of a job going at Flame.
What message or advice would you give someone?
I keep this always in my mind, especially when it is hard at work:-
Love your neigbour as yourself
Please support our staff and
their great work by donating below
Introducing Vandeth Nou: Our New Country Director
On the 10th Feb Vandeth was commissioned by Board Chairman Brian Trebilco as the Country Director for Flame.
Vandeth has been working in this role since the beginning of 2020 but was honoured with an official ceremony led by Flame’s Board Chair, Brian Trebilco, who flew in from New Zealand especially for the event, and the Founder, Sue Hanna, as well as Secretary & Treasurer Meredith Brocklebank, alongside another board member, Nicola Palairet. All Flame Cambodia’s staff were there to witness this memorable moment.
Flame is very lucky to have someone of Vandeth’s calibre on our staff. In every meeting, Vandeth brings new ideas and strengthens the work of Flame in the community. He takes over from Sue Hanna who will continue to focus on her role as Executive Founder.
Like many of Flame’s staff, Vandeth didn’t grow up rich. This is a piece of his story:
I was born in 1982. My father died when I was 6 years old. My mum, aunts and grandma were all widows; 13 of us lived in a little house. We were very poor; every day we looked for any work that would bring in some money but often we had no food to eat. We had no electricity or water – our neighbors gave us water from their pump.
My first experience of church was in 1996. A friend asked, “Do you want to eat chicken? Come to church!” I went to church for two months and heard about God’s love. I tried to talk to him. Then I had to go away to work for my uncle who had a truck. I slept in the street, or under the truck. I prayed with tears, “Lord please give me a job that gives me time to study.” Two weeks later a missionary told me of a job as a guard. The pay was $20 a month and I had time to attend school. I worked very hard and at the end of the month they paid me $40! I gave my mum $20, she was so happy. I realised there is a living God.
In 1999 I resigned from being a guard as I felt the need to develop my life into something better. I was asking myself and God “Why is life so painful?” My home was full of conflict, cursing and need. These made me cry to the Lord even more, and at times I really felt Him very close to me.
Ideas came to me – I believe from the Holy Spirit. I saw sorrow and pain everywhere; orphans, widows and so many others crying for help. Governments are corrupt, not caring for their people. Men and women beg for help, yet are so greedy, violent and immoral - exploiting and oppressing those weaker than themselves. I asked “What is the root cause of these problems?” It seemed the answer was poverty, which makes people loveless, thoughtless and selfish.
Then the answer came to me; “Holistic Transformational Development.” Now I knew my purpose in life, and I started praying to the Lord about how this could made into a reality.
I wanted to be able to lift the needy and destitute out of poverty by providing a way out through;
Education – to change the life and destiny of children.
Business enterprise – to enable parents to fund their children’s education up to Grade 12.
Discipleship – developing lives so that they reach their God’s given potential.
The board is very excited to see Vandeth’s plans unfold and for him to work his wisdom and experience. The board presented Vandeth with a greenstone carving from New Zealand, a Toki with a koru insert, to symbolise his leadership: Strength, determination and courage with growth through the full circle. The ceremony was an opportunity for the staff and friends of Flame to recognise Vandeth’s mana. (According to New Zealand Maori tradition a person with mana is spiritually powerful, influential and courageous, yet humble.)
Congratulations Vandeth
The Board
Meet our amazing staff
At Flame we believe that it is not just what we are doing but who does it that is important. Many of our staff have already travelled the same journey that our clients are on. Who better to lead the way?
INTRODUCING: Chhoun Kong Ai
WHAT IS YOUR JOB WITH FLAME?
You can call me Ai. I work as an assistant in the Flame office. I help with paying accounts, administration and help the staff with lots of other bits and pieces related to admin.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED FOR FLAME?
I have worked for Flame for one year.
WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB?
I love working with the administration team, they’re really great at coming alongside me, mentoring and training me. I love that Flame is helping children from poor communities- I am not personally face to face with the kids, but I know that I am a crucial part of the support team as I participate in the bigger picture.
The admin team: Senghout, Narom & Ai
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?
Listening to music, watching movies in English or Chinese, and reading are the main things I like to do in my spare time.
WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND/HOW DID YOU END UP WORKING FOR FLAME?
There are 5 members in my family and we are from Kampong Thom. My family didn’t own a house or land. We used to rent near the market until my father was beaten up and then an older relative gave us a very small piece of land to live on. My house was very, very small.
One day at school my teacher told us that we had to draw a picture of our house and everything inside the house. Other students could draw a lot of things and my teacher asked me why I didn’t draw… I really didn’t know what to draw because our house had nothing in it. When a friend asked where my house was, and I told them, they asked me, “How can your family live in that house? It’s too small for 5 people”. The place where I slept was so tiny that I couldn’t sit up in it without hitting my head. When it rained we couldn’t sleep in the house we had to put a tarpaulin over it to try and stay dry.
Two years ago, the relative who had let us live on their land forced us to leave because someone told them that my family would take the land as we had lived there for such a long time already. We didn’t have money to buy or rent a new piece of land but another older aunty lent us the money to buy some of her land. We pay the land off when we have any extra money. We also had to borrow more money to build a house. All of us kids helped to build the house because we didn’t have money to hire anyone to help. Our new house is stronger and better than before but it is still not finished but now we have some places inside the house that stay dry when it rains. We have now have a door but the windows can’t open.
My Dad is unwell and takes medicine daily. Back in the day, he was a mechanic, and was able to fix cars and motorbikes, but now he can only fix motorbikes and bicycles because he is so sick and weak, so he just isn’t able to earn much money. My Mum rides a bicycle and sells peanuts. When I see my mother, my heart goes out to her. My parents both work so hard for a tiny amount of money and I don’t want to take it from them to pay my school fees. My parents often argue about money, there is never enough. It’s really hard for them to provide for me to study.
When I was about 15 years old I heard about Jesus. I began to ask God to help us so that we would not have to live in our old house anymore. I asked God for our own land and our own house. Firstly it was only me but now my younger sister knows Jesus too.
I finished Grade 12 and I passed! I am smart, but very aware that I also have to work hard at school. My mother said I could come to Phnom Penh to study but my father said I couldn’t because he wanted me to work to help support the family. A pastor told me about a place where I could apply to come and live and study, but I didn’t know where to start and by the time I found out all the details, it was too late and I had missed out. I cried and felt utterly hopeless. I begged God to show me the way and then heard about Flame through Srey Meas who was living at the Leadership Academy already.
I applied to Flame and was accepted with a full scholarship with all my university costs covered including a computer, internet, power and my accomodation. Today I am studying Chinese and English at the University of Cambodia, as well as working full-time for Flame. The first thing I want to do after I finish my degree is to get a good job so that I can help my family. I want to pay back the loan they have on the land and to build them a better house.
My dream is to help children from the poorest areas to study, and I want to see my parents become Christians and believe in Jesus like me.
WHAT MESSAGE OR ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE?
But as for you, be strong; do not be discouraged, for your work will be rewarded. - 2 Chronicles 15:7
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Happy New Year
Thank You for 2019
This year you played an essential role in improving the lives of at risk kids.
Thank you.
Have you participated in team building activities involving balloons? As part of our staff care we did an interactive team building activity about stress management. Each team wrote their main stressors on balloons and then one member started to bounce one balloon, keeping it up in the air. So easy when it’s one balloon! But as balloons were added the juggle became harder until it was unmanageable… and then the rest of the team were allowed to join in and help keep all the balloons up. This is teamwork!
You are in our team and without you we couldn’t keep all the balloons in the air. Flame identifies communities where kids are not in school but desperately want to be. We do what it takes to get those kids into school and walk the walk to keep them in school, engaged and loving to learn, and then we launch them into leadership, within their families, communities and beyond. It’s not just what we do, but who does it; our staff who work in the poorest communities with these kids and young adults are people who have come from abject poverty themselves. Who better to understand and empathise with these at risk kids than those who know it first hand themselves? This is Flame. And without you, we could not do what we do.
Click on the images below to scroll through.
“ Education is critical to escape chronic poverty and to prevent the transmission of poverty between generations”
This wee lad sells bubble makers and balloons at the Riverside. We need your help to get more kids like him into school in 2020.
Stories from the Football Field
Flame’s Female Football Coach Chanthy
Chanthy, the Flame Head Coach shared some of her personal story with me as we attended the Tottenham Hotspur training together last month, led by @tottemhamhotspur development coaches @shawnharris and @antonblackwood.
Chanthy saw football being played years ago when she was working as a cleaner. She loved watching the kids have fun and could clearly see the benefits of football. When the coach resigned she couldn’t stand the thought of the kids missing out, so she put her hand up and became the new football coach. Since then, Chanthy has gained many football training qualifications and 15 years later, football is still her passion and joy. She is now the assistant coach to the Cambodian Women’s National Football team as well as working with the six Flame Football teams. She has seen the power of football and in particular, the impact that it has on the lives of girls.
She told me this story:
“One day, a girl showed up at one of our training sessions. She obviously really loved the challenge of being on the field with the boys who were physically bigger and stronger than her… but then her father arrived. He ran onto the field wielding two long pieces of bamboo and started chasing her. She ran for her life but he caught up with her and started thrashing the backs of her bare legs, the sharp sticks welting skin. He was yelling brutally, “You are a girl! Why are you here? All the players are boys! Get off the field!!!” Chanthy ran over and put herself in-between the irate father and the girl, and tried to explain to him that his daughter would be able to become strong, and learn critical skills for life that would take her far… The marks on the girls legs needed ice and some care and she was crying bitterly but this did not stop her from coming back to training. The next session, she brought a friend and now there are 15 girls playing football regularly here.”
This is the Sensok Football team training with Cambodian National Team and Svay Rieng player @pidorsamoeun - not the one from Chanthy’s story - Please count the girls.
You turned around Sopha's life
Sopha is a hardworking boy of 16, packing nails into boxes in a factory each weekend, where he worked full time, from 8-12pm then 1-5pm, earning himself $1 per day. Real story. Before you started helping him, in addition to the factory work, he was picking and selling flowers to pay his way through school. He would wake at 4am and pick flowers on the side of the road and sell them, making a pitiful 50-75 cents. Because he was up so early each day, he struggled to stay awake in the stuffy classroom and wasn’t doing well in school.
Sopha’s mum works as a cleaner, but after paying the rent and getting food, her payslip just couldn’t cover the extra few dollars to keep Sopha in school. Now you are supporting Sopha’s studies, he attends classes at the Flame Activity Centre. He no longer needs to wake up hours before dawn, he has time to work on his homework assignments on the weekend, and concentrates on his studies. He is so happy that he has this new freedom that allows him to do well at school. He is no longer exhausted and is able to stay awake in class and maximize his learning years. You have made it possible for him to take extra classes and he loves it. He devours everything and is so willing to learn! He and his mother and siblings want to express their thanks for making this life change possible.
Spare Time
What do you normally do in your spare time?
I was really challenged last week when i heard about Sok Sua and what he has been doing over the weekend. You might remember that he’s the guy who runs the Book Tuktuk, the Flame Mobile Classroom. He is remarkably tall for a Khmer guy, and has a huge smile. The kids adore him. He wears nice trousers, slim fitting and professional looking, he looks like he works in an office! And there he is, leading a wee crew of kiddies right in the heart of the local community, teaching them to read and write. He honours them by wearing nice clothes, dressing up for his job, he takes his role seriously. He knows the impact that he has, not just in terms of literacy, but in the value that he imparts to the kids by showing up day after day and caring for them.
So, what does a guy like this do on the weekend? I heard that he was in a particularly low income area and randomly came across some kids. He stopped and bent down, and asked if they were in school. They weren’t lucky enough to attend school and were intrigued by this tall, friendly guy even noticing them. He paused and decided to spend a bit of time with the kids and do some ad hoc lessons with them, going over the alphabet and some basic number games… and they were delighted. He said later, that it’s not just the Monday to Friday that he’s interested in. These are his people. This is his country and these kids deserve an education. When he said goodbye to the kids, he gave them a little spending money, so they could buy a drink to share. What a heart this guy has.
