Annual Report 2013
Table of Contents Letters from our Leadership Who we are and what we do Where we do it Why we do it How we do it The PEPY Team
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All about us
Creative Learning Classes & Clubs 10 English Classes 11 Dream Classes 12 Learning Center Program 14-15 Scholarships 16 Transitions in 2013 17-18
Our Programs
Students’ Corner Lessons Learned Spreading our message Managing our finances Thinking about the future
Transparency
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PEPY ANNUAL REPORT 2013
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PEPY ANNUAL REPORT 2013 - WWW.PEPYCAMBODIA.ORG
Letters from our Leadership
Dear friends and PEPY supporters, 2013 was another big exciting year for PEPY. We would like to start by saying a deep thank you to all of you who helped us to make so much progress. We all know that education is the key to sustainable change, and is our core operating principle in all of our programs. We want all young people to be able to access the educational opportunities that they deserve in Cambodia. This is why we focus on empowering youth, so they have a chance to fulfill their potential. For over eight years, we have been working with Chanleas Dai Commune and we have seen achievements of students and teachers through our work, but we are also very aware of the many challenges that still remain with education in Cambodia. These include high dropout rates, migration to Thailand, lack of confidence, gaps in employability skills, and accessibility of further education scholarships for rural students.
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To address these issues, we focused on evolving to provide our efforts after high school. We expanded our Scholarship Program, increased connections between students and other scholarship opportunities, motivated young people through inspiring speakers, and enhanced our support for internships and employment. In addition, we have supported young people to become equipped with ICT and language skills, and connected them to university and vocational training, in order to gain qualities to secure a skilled job. In 2013, 20 graduates from Kralanh have received scholarships from PEPY to go to university or vocational training college. We are thrilled to see more and more families supporting their children, of both genders, to continue to further education. One scholar’s parent, gave an excited speech in our parents meeting event: “When I heard that my child was selected, my child and I were very happy and couldn’t sleep because of the excitement. Because I did not study to a high level, and earning money for university fees is very difficult, that’s why I want my child to find a good job so that she does not face difficulty like me. Thank you very much to PEPY”. This story inspired me a lot about the power of education, and we strive to
continually expand our presence in the community we work with. This led to some exciting developments in PEPY, including a new strategic direction over the next full five years. Our goal is “to increase the percentage of Kralanh graduates accessing skilled employment”. As a result, our Learning Center opened in Siem Reap, accommodating both our main office operational base and two classrooms for university students. As PEPY continues to evolve, we are also happy to learn and receive any feedback from all of our stakeholders to help us improve. We invite you to read all about PEPY’s key activities from 2013 in this Annual Report. Without you, none of this would have been possible. The PEPY team wants to share our deepest gratitude for your partnership, and for helping us give Cambodian young people the much needed and deserved opportunities to reach their potential through the power of education.
- Executive Director: Kimline Nuch
PEPY ANNUAL REPORT 2013 - WWW.PEPYCAMBODIA.ORG
Dear friends and supporters, 2013 has been a dichotomy of a year: PEPY has done some solidifying and some transitioning. The PEPY team in Cambodia has been able to solidify a number of goals that our organization had been working towards for a few years. Our search for a local Executive Director started many years ago, and it turns out our answer was in our team all along. This was our first full year with Kimline Nuch as our Executive Director, and she has worked extremely hard to fulfill the big goals she and her team set for the year. One of the programs which now has a solid foundation within our offerings is the Scholarship Program. For the previous few years, the program was being tested and designed, with only a few students receiving scholarships, but in 2013 the program finally came to life with 20 new students receiving scholarships this year.
We’ve also had some transitions. The team in Cambodia made the decision to move PEPY’s main office to Kralanh in 2012, with all of the best intentions: to be closer to the communities they were serving, and have more time for the program and administrative teams to work together. In the trial year, it became clear that a number of factors were making the move less than ideal, from the increased cost of electricity in the more rural area and inability to meet with other organizations and partners without increased travel, to program focus shift with the growth of the Scholarship Program taking place back in Siem Reap. In 2013, the team decided to move back into the city, and to set up a space that was part office and part Learning Center for scholarship students. Another big transition in 2013 was the completion of the Child to Child Program. Having started in 2008, the program was a cornerstone of PEPY’s work, and arguably one of our most successful programs. The model we adopted was always intended to have a finite time period given the nature of the program, and in fact, we kept it going longer than we had originally intended. From the board perspective, we knew that the decision of when or how to wrap up the Child to Child Program
was going to be difficult for the Cambodian team, and we worked hard to support PEPY’s leadership team through the transition. We recognize that a transition into a solid Cambodian leadership team highlights that, as a board, we are long overdue for a transition of our own. As we look into 2014, we’re working with Kimline and her team to look at further localization plans to create new paths forward that bring PEPY’s leadership local advisors and mentors, and create a path for PEPY’s continued positive impact in the future. Thank you for supporting our work – we’re grateful for your continued support, advice, connections, ideas, and inspiration.
- PEPY Co-Board Chairs: Andrea Messmer & Daniela Papi
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PEPY ANNUAL REPORT 2013 - WWW.PEPYCAMBODIA.ORG
Who we are and what we do PEPY (Promoting Education, emPowering Youth) is an international non-governmental organization (INGO) working in rural Cambodia. Our education and youth leadership programs are based in Kralanh District, a rural area around 65
PEPY is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit in the USA (number 204739485) and holds MOUs with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Cambodia.
VISION
MISSION
GOAL
All young Cambodians empowered to achieve their
To invest time and resources in young people in Cambodia, working with them to connect them to the skills, systems, and inspiration necessary to achieve their goals, raise standards of living, and improve the quality of education in their communities.
Increase the percentage of Kralanh graduates accessing skilled employment.
dreams.
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kilometers from Siem Reap. We work directly with young people to support the development of quality education and improve access to skilled employment. Dedicated local leaders and private donations enable us to deliver a range of projects to support our vision and mission as an organization.
PEPY ANNUAL REPORT 2013 - WWW.PEPYCAMBODIA.ORG
Where we do it Our focus area PEPY works with students from Kralanh District. This area encompasses Kralanh town and Chanleas Dai commune; we are currently working in both of these locations. Our decision to focus our work in this area is based on the findings of needs assessments conducted by ourselves and by partner organizations, as well as the commitment of the community, the local desire to improve education, and the leadership potential of the young people we work with.
Kralanh District (Kralanh town)
Siem Reap
CAMBODIA
PEPY has worked with the community of Chanleas Dai for the past eight years. In 2012, PEPY began working with Kralanh District High School. WeGOAL expanded our focus area to include Kralanh District to increase our impact working with students from across the district. PEPY’s headquarters are based in Siem Reap, where we work closely with scholarship students who are from Kralanh. We remain committed to working with young people from Kralanh. We have several staff based permanently at our satellite office in Chanleas Dai.
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PEPY ANNUAL REPORT 2013 - WWW.PEPYCAMBODIA.ORG
Why we do it PEPY is inspired by the belief that education is the key to sustainable change. Young people in Cambodia face significant challenges in obtaining a quality education and gaining the skills and experience they need to
improve their standards of living, and the standards of living in their communities. We believe that with the right connections, resources, and inspiration they will be able to make the changes that they wish to see in their lives.
Cambodian statistics... • • • • • • • • • •
Population: 14.9 million Median age of the population is 23 years old 31% of the population live below the poverty line Public spending on education is 1.6% of GDP Ranked 170th in the world for education 29:1 teacher student ratio in secondary education 56% of children enroll into junior high school 23% of children enroll into high school 8% of young people enroll into university 87% of employers believe that graduates do not meet the needs of the job market
Sources: • CIA World Fact Book: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cb.html • International Labor Organization: Youth & Employment – Bridging the Gap: http://www.ilo.org/public/english/ dialogue/actemp/downloads/projects/youth/cambodia_surveyleaflet_en.pdf • UNICEF: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/cambodia_statistics.html#90
“When I heard that my child was selected for scholarship, I was very happy and couldn’t sleep because of the excitement. Because I did not study to a high level, and earning money for university fees is very difficult, that’s why I want my child to find a good job so that she does not face difficulty like me”
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- Malis Chhee, parent of a PEPY scholarship student
PEPY ANNUAL REPORT 2013 - WWW.PEPYCAMBODIA.ORG
How we do it We focus on ‘how’ We know that in the development sector there can be a lot of emphasis on ‘why’ we do things, i.e. the issues communities face that provide the reasons behind our work. We feel that while this ‘why?’ question is important, it is just as important, to ask ‘how?’ we do things. How are we spending money, working with beneficiaries, designing programs? Unless we stop to examine our ‘how’, we won’t ensure that our work is being done to the best possible ethical standards, with the best possible impact.
Empowering local leadership In 2013 we transitioned out of several programs (see page 17) and handed over the management to invested local leaders. We believe that ownership of PEPY programs should lie in the hands of the communities and young people we work with. We continue to invest in our team and are proud of our successful transition to local leadership.
Responding to community needs After consulting students, their families and teachers, we discovered that securing jobs for young people is their real dream. We therefore reassessed our programing to help make that dream a reality. We now offer more scholarships and career mentorship for students, to help them build the brighter futures they envision for themselves.
Capacity building of our staff This year PEPY team members have attended the following training (just to name a few): management training, legal aid, communications and internal conflicts, project cycle management, gender equality, and monitoring and evaluation. Furthermore, in 2013 11 members of our staff took advantage of our benefits scheme, and PEPY helped cover finances of their undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.
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PEPY ANNUAL REPORT 2013 - WWW.PEPYCAMBODIA.ORG
The PEPY Team Dream Class facilitator. PEPY had first met Kimsru when we supported the recruitment for Asia University for Women in Bangladesh. PEPY welcomed new recruits Amy McLoughlin as Communications and Fundraising Manager, Soben Sorn to deliver English Classes for scholarship students, and Krisna Hong as cleaner. Amongst some team members we were sad to say goodbye to, we were so happy when two of our colleagues, Noun and Saly passed their grade 12 exam. Both had worked on PEPY Community Development projects for five years, and had originally been unable to complete school due to challenges in their personal life. Back row, L-R: Lida Loem, Jenna Ke, Yang Sreytho, Duth Kimsru, Amy McLoughlin, Chhem Pov Front row, L-R: Try Seakngoy, Soben Sorn, Rith Sarakk, Kimline Nuch, Manin Oem Due to many exciting expansion areas at PEPY, and the transition of a few programs, the PEPY team underwent some changes during 2013.
Oem who took a new role as ICT Officer, and Lida Loem’s new position managing the Scholarship Program and Youth Empowerment.
Moving forward with a locally empowered team has long been a vision of PEPY, and this year we actualized this with the first full year with Kimline Nuch as our Executive Director.
Konnitha Sien and Try Seakngoy took charge of our operations and finance department. Whilst Yang Sreytho, Chim Seng, and Chhem Pov continued to support our junior high school programs full time.
Rith Sarakk continued to lead program teams, including Manin
After her graduation, we welcomed back Duth Kimsru, as our new
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PEPY would love to acknowledge the following staff members who have now transitioned out of the organization, but were essential in supporting our work in 2013: An Em, Anna McKeon, Caok Sreymao, Chhoem Rithy, Hanty Ung, Hem Saly, Kdat Heat, Riem Noun, Soeung Simat, Thoeun Thoeut, Toek Phalloek, and Yeng Malen. Special thanks also go to the many volunteers who also supported us throughout 2013.
ALL ABOUT US – WWW.PEPYCAMBODIA.ORG
Our Programs
PEPY ANNUAL REPORT 2013 - WWW.PEPYCAMBODIA.ORG
Creative Learning Classes & Clubs •
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• STATISTICS SNAPSHOT Target age: When: Working with: No. of students: Average attendance:
Grades 7– 9 (approximate age 11–15) Regular classes scheduled in free periods during the school day and additional workshops during the school holidays Chanleas Dai Junior High School 160 92.5%
Challenging activities are more than just games; they teach students how to solve a problem, how to think outside the box, how to work in a team, how to be amazed by nature, science, chemistry, physics, and your ability to understand them. We encourage students to unleash their creativity, through XO laptops, LEGO robotics, ‘smart games’, art, and drama.
2013 Highlights •
Students love working in groups; they always show their ideas and work well when
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they participate in group discussions. They are confident to raise their hands and answer questions, something which has improved a lot since implementation. Presentation skills have improved this year. The majority of the class have been able to deliver very good presentations. They were evaluated on the information they gave, how they conducted the presentation, and how they worked as a team.
Almost all students have demonstrated an ability to use XO computers and could access the internet to seek information. During the August school break, we ran a 10 day Green City LEGO Workshop. 12 students joined. Most students built cars, which they named the Landcruiser and Oscar. Some children also enjoyed building a wind turbine and they even built a model hydraulic dam for the Tonle Sap! In April, we presented our program methodology at a national NGO Education Partnership conference in Phnom Penh. More than 60 Cambodian NGOs attended.
2013 Challenges •
Although PEPY has conducted trainings for government school teachers to prepare them to deliver Creative Learning Classes, teachers continue to express concern about their abilities to take on these classes without on-going support from PEPY. Consequently, PEPY is reevaluating its original plan to handover this program to the school.
PEPY ANNUAL REPORT 2013 - WWW.PEPYCAMBODIA.ORG
English Classes The skill of a second language is invaluable when it comes to further education, scholarships, and employment. An improved knowledge of English gives the students we work with a competitive advantage when pursuing their professional dreams for the future. Learning a language should also be about exploring new countries and cultures and new ways of understanding. Our English classes are not merely about language proficiency, but also about introducing ideas of global citizenship. They are fun as well, as PEPY teachers facilitate lessons using student-led, participatory learning techniques. STATISTICS SNAPSHOT Target age: When: Working with: No. of students: Average attendance:
2013 Highlights •
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In October 2013 we introduced a letter exchange program with a partner school (DPETNS) in Ireland. Students have loved learning about another culture through their new friends, and practicing their English writing and reading skills. Monthly test results have shown there has been an improvement in the students’ writing skills. English class attendance rates consistently improved from 2012, even while local government schools faced
Grades 7–9 (approximate age 11–15 years old) Regular classes scheduled in free periods during the school day Chanleas Dai Junior High School 119 82%
challenges keeping students in school.
2013 Challenges •
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Our annual meeting with all the students’ guardians was postponed due to flooding. When the eventual meeting took place it had very poor attendance, due to many people being busy with farming duties. We lost this opportunity to reinforce the message of the importance of education with the students’ families. When government school teachers fail to attend class, students go home and do not attend PEPY class. Students enter the English class at very different levels but are placed in the same class making it very difficult for the instructor to teach or develop a specific student’s skills.
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PEPY ANNUAL REPORT 2013 - WWW.PEPYCAMBODIA.ORG
Dream Classes
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students. It has encouraged them to see the world in multiple perspectives, and build their courage to consider a future built on their dreams. We hosted our first Skills Fair. It was attended by 700 students. The objective was to connect students to further education opportunities, and showcase future possible careers and employers.
2013 Challenges •
We want young people to dream big! Through our Dream Classes, we aim to nurture those big ambitions for the future, and give students the resources and connections to take the necessary steps to realizing that future. Young people are provided a forum to identify and discuss their ambitions for the future, and any challenges they may need to overcome. The classes provide career resources, one-on-one mentorship, and group workshops. Successful Cambodian professionals present to our students giving them exposure to different ideas and aspirations.
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2013 Highlights •
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Students feel that learning new topics every week has expanded their knowledge about society and the world. Meeting and listening to different people through our inspirational speaker program, and talking about their challenges and accomplishments, is an eye-opening experience for STATISTICS SNAPSHOT Target age: When: Working with: No. of students enrolled: Average attendance:
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Working with government schools can cause scheduling challenges, especially for special events. Due to existing schedules, one of our classes begins at 7am, and many students come late. Low attendance is an issue we face. Families often pressure students to stay at home to help out with domestic tasks. Also, an increasing number of young people are getting married, which leads to their drop-out from school.
15-18 years 4 classes take place per week in free periods Grade 9 and Grade 12 90 75%
PEPY ANNUAL REPORT 2013 - WWW.PEPYCAMBODIA.ORG
Learning Center Program the wonders of the World Wide Web, presentation tools, and the variety of computer programs now available. Students learn how to communicate through technology, a practical skill needed to help secure a job in the future. Students discover how to improve critical thinking skills through the creative use of IT and access never-ending information at their fingertips.
Youth Empowerment Project
STATISTICS SNAPSHOT Target age: When: Working with: No. of students: Average attendance:
University level (approximate age 18-22 years old) Daily classes scheduled in free periods during the school day and additional workshops during the school holidays and weekends PEPY Scholarship students, and other scholars from Kralanh District English: 27; ICT: 30; Youth Empowerment: 21 93.5%
English Class Communication is a crucial skill needed for getting a job. Therefore, our English Classes use engaging teaching techniques to help students build confidence in their communication skills. English language is an incredibly desirable asset to potential employers, especially in the booming tourist town of Siem Reap and business
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careers around the world. Having the ability to read, write, and listen to English also helps students cross cultural barriers and access universal information online.
Information & Communication Technology (ICT) Class As the world becomes more connected through technology, we help students understand
We believe in young people. With the right skills we believe they can achieve their dreams. We provide soft skill training to encourage students to increase their confidence, improve communication skills, become leaders, and understand how to solve problems. Inspirational speakers and forums with employers raise awareness of the job market. Students get ready for life after university through career mentorship classes; we provide rĂŠsumĂŠ, cover letter writing, and interview technique workshops. By connecting students to internships, they will enhance their work experience and take steps towards their future career.
2013 Highlights •
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When the Learning Center commenced at the end of 2013, students’ levels and confidence of English was low. Within just a couple of months, students became confident and more able to respond to requests in English in the classroom. Students enjoy learning through group activities, or in pairs. Prior to ICT classes at the Center, some students had never connected to the internet before. They have really enjoyed learning how to access information online, and have now all established their own email accounts for communicating with friends, school, and in the future, places of work. With many students dreaming of a job in tourism, the Employee Forum on Hotels we coordinated was a popular and practical event. We invited 2 speakers from hotels in the area to share experiences on how to pursue a job in this industry. Students discovered the key to ‘success in learning’ through a guest speaker event, and came away committed to their studies and working towards their goals.
2013 Challenges •
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Students have entered English class at various abilities, which proves challenging for the teacher to both nurture advanced students, and support beginners. It quickly became apparent that students needed extended access to our computer facilities beyond Learning Center opening hours. Students do not have computers at home, which they need for university homework assignments. In 2014, we will be exploring ways to extend our opening hours to allow students to
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use the ICT classroom in the mornings, evenings, and possibly weekends. As part of Youth Empowerment class, it has been challenging to identify suitable student mentors due to time constraints of both the students and the possible mentors. So far, we have secured several excellent mentors, and are working towards finding more in time for the students’ second academic year.
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PEPY ANNUAL REPORT 2013 - WWW.PEPYCAMBODIA.ORG
Scholarships
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skills and practicing their ICT skills. You can read their entries at: pepystudents2013. edublogs.org Transparency International invited students to join a training day on good governance, and praised PEPY scholars for their exceptional teamwork abilities.
2013 Challenges •
STATISTICS SNAPSHOT Target age: When: Working with: No. of students enrolled: Faculties attending:
University level (approximate age 18-22 years old) Students study full time in mornings and evenings Kralanh High School graduates studing at university level in Siem Reap 22 Build Bright University; Vocational Training Center Siem Reap
After the success of piloting the enrollment of two university students in 2012, and to meet the needs to the community where we work, we extended our Scholarship Program in 2013. We changed our model which enables us to take on more students, and increase the impact through a structure centered on developing role models, and giving back to
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the students’ communities. In November 2013, 20 new students from Kralanh arrived in Siem Reap to begin university level education or vocational training.
2013 Highlights •
Students have now set up their own blog, sharing their improving English language
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It was very time consuming to finalize a suitable contract for the scholarship agreements with students. We needed to consider so many aspects. What would happen if they got married and had a baby? Will we make them pay back the fees if they drop out of school? Thanks to many meetings with other NGOs running similar programs, we adopted many lessons learned, but we are aware that unforeseeable challenges may occur. Finding accommodation for students was challenging. Several potential landlords did not trust their property with a group of young people. During the ‘social investigation’ stage of recruitment, Kralanh was hit by flooding, delaying our process. In 2014, we will plan ahead for possible delays to give plenty of time for administration.
Transitions in 2013 Why transition? At PEPY, one of our philosophies is to “be strategic in our choices, and thoughtful in our plans”. From time to time, our strategic choice results in a transition out of projects for a range of reasons, and when this happens, the sustainable future of those programs is taken seriously.
Transition training
In 2013 we held stakeholder events to prepare the new leaders of these programs…
Child-to-Child Program PEPY’s Child Clubs work to help students make a difference in their own community. The goal of this program is for children to identify, share, and communicate solutions to their own problems. Subjects studied include prevention and treatment of Dengue Fever and Malaria, personal hygiene, and road safety. After five years of project delivery, many children in Chanleas Dai have participated in the clubs. They are familiar with the process of identifying issues within their community and working together to solve them. Some of the young people participating in the Young Leader Project are very motivated to run clubs for young people themselves; we’re delighted and think this proves the success
of this initiative. To ensure the success of this transition, PEPY spent several weeks shadowing the youths leading this project for themselves.
“If we stay here forever doing Child Clubs, we can’t see the change. If we don’t go away, we can’t see impact. We want to provide ownership to young people so they can solve their own problems without the clubs” – Sarakk, Program Manager
Sakhakum Aphiwat Sala (SAS) Sakhakum Aphiwat Sala (SAS) means ‘Communities Developing Schools’. This project works with School Support Committees (similar to Parent/ Teacher Associations) fulfilling their responsibilities as per the Government’s Education Policy, and also developing their school in the way they feel is right for the needs of their community. The SAS model is time bound in design and normally runs in 3-5 year cycles, therefore after three years providing support we felt this was a good time to end this work. In 2013 we transitioned out of Run Primary School, following the transition out of Chanleas Dai and Prasat Khanar Primary School in 2012. PEPY will continue to support the School Support Committees twice in the first year after transition to support any capacity building challenges.
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PEPY ANNUAL REPORT 2013 - WWW.PEPYCAMBODIA.ORG
Traveling Teachers Support (TTS) TTS project offers training and support for Cambodian Government school teachers in English language learning, and teaching of English. Fifth and six grade government teachers have access to training for two hours per week. At these support sessions PEPY’s teacher trainer encourages teachers to share the challenges and successes they’ve encountered in their lessons. Advice is given on participatory teaching techniques and lesson planning, and English language lessons are provided to the teachers. TTS was designed to run as a 3-4 year project, which has now come to its end. We also believe that our strength lies in working with young people. Like SAS, while we value that TTS indirectly supports the development of students, we foresee a bigger change if we work more directly with these young people. PEPY will continue to support teachers twice a year for one year following transition to build capacity.
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Young Leader Project In Young Leader Clubs, students are given the opportunity to learn and talk about subjects they may not learn, or hear about, in any other environments. Some of the topics include financial management, time management, interpersonal relationships, and reproductive health. Many young people of this age (over 15) are migrating to Thailand for work, and cannot attend the clubs. For those who are not migrating to Thailand and are involved in club activities, the young people are so actively engaged that the clubs are almost now running themselves. We feel that a more responsive approach would be to support the development of these independent initiatives, and try to ensure they become role models for other communities, rather than to continue having a direct involvement. Like Child Clubs, to ensure the success of this transition, PEPY has spent several weeks providing a handover period with opportunities to overcome any challenges of the young people taking this forward, through training.
Transparency
Students’ Corner We believe we should always “work with, not for”. Therefore, an essential part of our philosophy is to listen to those we work with.
We talk regularly with students we work with from Kralanh District. We ask them about their dreams, goals for their future, and how
PEPY programs could help them make these a reality. Here are some quotes from the students we work with.
I am very happy that I can pass PEPY’s I passed scholarship from PEPY. I feel great for myself that I can pass many steps
of scholarship process until success. In the future, I want to be person who has the
agriculture skill for developing our country, because now this
scholarship. In the future, I want to be an educator because I want to develop my community and situation in Cambodia is better. One more, I want to study at abroad like Thailand or other country. - Savoeng, PEPY Scholarship student
country depends too much on agriculture for import and export. Finally, I would like
to acknowledge PEPY and donors that always support me. Specially, I can continue at university. - Konhing, PEPY Scholarship student
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We really en joy in buildin g robots. This activity really helps u s a lot such as, imp roving my co n struction skills and cr itical thinkin g skills. Sometimes I found it diffi cult but I want to ch allenge mys elf. LEGO also helps m e to use my time more effectively b ecause if ther e were no LEGO in the junior h igh school, I might use my time to d o less educational things. I thin k people nowadays u se a lot of te chnology, it very usefu l for me to st art learning abo ut it. In the fu ture I want to be th e engineer w ho can help people to do their jo b s better and faster. - Bunchea an d Vanchea, C reative Lear Class, Chanle ning as Dai Junio r High Scho ol
PEPY ANNUAL REPORT 2013 - WWW.PEPYCAMBODIA.ORG
Lessons Learned One of PEPY’s core values is to “be humble in success, transparent in failure, and share the lessons we learn”. Here are some insights into areas we have identified we want to improve in the future.
Valuing education We continue to find it difficult to convince families to value education. Many people in the community continue to illegally migrate to Thailand to earn quick fix cash to afford a larger house, or other material posessions. Families will often pressure their child to migrate, as they see less value if their child remains in school. Despite these challenges, we strive to showcase the long term economic gain of quality education. Continuous engagement with students’ families is crucial.
Team spirit Saying goodbye to valued team members is always difficult, and in a year of many transitions our team has found it challenging at times to maintain staff morale. In order to boost motivation, commitment, and job satisfaction, we realize more work in the future should be done to providing exciting new opportunities and engaging training, for both within and beyond their employment with the PEPY family.
Collaboration with government Bureaucracy in government expectations of communications is very important. We have learned that we need to understand how provincial and district officers of education, and government teachers, work. In order to improve education in Kralanh District, reaffirming relationships from the top down is crucial for better collaboration. At times, their demands are for tangible benefits, and we continue to promote the positive impact of holistic education and the importance of investing time in people. In 2014, we want to continue to improve our relationships with government officials.
Work and play For many years PEPY’s quirky personality was embodied by our team living and working in the same building. In 2013 we needed to separate the two for practical reasons. Initially, it took some team members time to adapt to the difference with the new work culture, but over time, we feel this development has matured our approach to work, and makes us value our free time more.
Handing over projects Local ownership is one of our biggest priorities. But, we have learned that if a community is not yet ready to take on the management of programs, project managers need to consider carefully if it is best to continue running on their behalf, or close the program entirely.
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PEPY ANNUAL REPORT 2013 - WWW.PEPYCAMBODIA.ORG
Spreading our message
Social Media
2011
Facebook Fans
2,989 3,451 3,805
Twitter Followers Video Views on YouTube # of Videos on YouTube
2012
2013
1,258 1,726 2,076 99,111 106,315 110,608 72
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Total # of newsletter subscribers
5,922
6,143
5,824
Events
through rates were very low, and ‘unsubscribe’ rates increased. To ensure we were providing our supporters with quality information, the ‘right’ number of times during the year, we switched to quarterly newsletters. Statistics reveal much more engagement with our quarterly newsletters.
PEPY presented our approach at the International Seminar on Leadership, coordinated by World Education, in Phnom Penh in March 2013. In November 2013, PEPY presented at Asia’s biggest B2B travel trade show, ITB Asia in Singapore, our core funding structure through our sister social enterprise, PEPY Tours.
Newsletters In the middle of 2013 we decided to reduce our monthly newsletters. Open rates, and particularly click
In the press In March 2013, UK publication The Guardian’s Global Development Professionals Network published an article on PEPY’s “new ways to change attitudes in rural communities” by establishing peer mentors.
Global South Development Magazine also shared an article, in December 2013, on our partnership and fundraising strategy through PEPY Tours, entitled “Tourism for Change”.
News Our PEPY News page on our website is a very active blog, with between 1-4 articles posted each month. We love sharing activities from our programs, updates on trainings and field trips, our thoughts on development, and our challenges and lessons learned. Visit: pepycambodia.org/category/ pepy-news
T WIT TER
www.facebook.com/ pepycambodia.org
@pepycambodia
www.linkedin.com/groups/ PEPY-96841
YOUTUBE
WEBSITE
SAY HELLO
www.youtube.com/user/ pepyride
www.pepycambodia.org
contact@pepycambodia.org
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PEPY ANNUAL REPORT 2013 - WWW.PEPYCAMBODIA.ORG
Managing our finances Donations
2011 2012 2013
Individual Donors Median Donation Amount
Income (US$)
306
605
99
25
35
35
2011 2012 2013
Donations
366,601 241,730 120,587
Product Sales
1,381
461
262
Other *
2,096
7,370
9,031
370,078
248,639
129,880
Total Income
Expenditures (US$)
2011
2012 2013
Capacity Building
15,778
2,220
3,325
Creative Learning Classes, Clubs, Space
21,481
25,078
20,535
-
3,078
13,362
13,951
14,547
11,791
Dream Classes English Classes (JHS) Scholarships Learning Center Program
4,083 8,058 17,893 -
-
19,513
Past Programs (various)
144,993
94,911
32,402 **
Management & General
39,358
26,881
24,393
Communications
26,305 20,218 17,967
Total Expenditures
265,949
194,991
161,181
* Other refers to interest income and sale of fixed assets. ** Child-to-Child, Exam Preparation, SAS, TTS, Young Leader Project.
Where did 2013 funding come from? 17% Other
1 64% 2
4 major donors 19% PEPY Tours
3
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PEPY ANNUAL REPORT 2013 - WWW.PEPYCAMBODIA.ORG
Thinking about the future 2013 has been a year of implementing strategic direction, with many areas of expansion to take us towards achieving our goal. 2014 lies ahead of us, full of even more exciting developments! The PEPY team, with support of our Board of Directors, are incredibly excited about what 2014 has in store for us. We’d like to share with you some of our plans for the future, many of which are already underway as we go to print. •
We will be registering as a new local NGO in Cambodia which increases local ownership, expands fundraising
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opportunities, and enhances local governance. We look forward to introducing a new Board of Directors, who will bring valuable local expertise to the LNGO. We hope to take on more scholarship students, increasing opportunities for young people in Kralanh to pursue their dreams and gain a university degree. We will continue to improve our programs by working in partnership with partners, learning from other organizations, and education experts. To focus on our strategic direction and goals, Creative
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Learning and English Classes at junior high school will be transitioning in 2014. We want to develop Dream Classes so that they cater for the needs of young people, and offer to different age groups at high school. We are seeking alternative income sources, such as grant funding and new corporate partnerships, to ensure our fundraising efforts are sustainable. In 2014, we look forward to a major program reflection and strategy review, to keep ourselves on track with our goal.
Thank you so much! PEPY would love to firstly thank our fabulous supporters and donors, without whom, none of this work could be possible. Special thanks go to our team, volunteers, partners, and advisors. And of course, “awkun” to the passionate and hardworking students, who encourage us to improve ourselves every day. Thank you everyone for a great 2013. We are so excited to be working with you again in 2014.
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PEPY Cambodia
Postal address
Visit us
Tel: +855 (0) 63 690 5465 E-mail: contact@pepycambodia.org Website: www.pepycambodia.org
PO Box 93220 GPO Siem Reap Angkor Cambodia
No 28, St. Neak Poan, Borey Proem Prey, Trapang Ses Commune, Kok Chok District, Siem Reap Cambodia