Our Future is a young organization. It was created by a group of friends to address conservation and education issues in rural Cambodia and specifically Preah Vihear. Conservation, because the nature in this world is worth saving, and all life depends on a healthy nature. And education, and more specifically children’s education, because they are the future. We are working to save nature for these kids and we must prepare these kids to best look after what has been handed on to them and also to live up to their full potential.
So, who is Our Future?
Chris and John, based in Australia, have been working with the school in Rikreay since 2013. As Let’s Build a School in Australia, they have organized all the fundraising for the program and with yearly trips provide direction and energy to the staff on the ground. The program at this primary school works with three teachers who run a comprehensive English and computer program, mentoring initiatives, a hygiene program, sponsoring some disadvantaged kids, as well as anything else that comes up throughout the year (like doing runs to the hospital for surgery, helping to fit hearing aids, things like that!).
Rikreay, is where they met Ben and Sharyn who, way back in 2013 were living right near Rikreay working for an NGO on a community development project. Ben and Sharyn, in 2014 moved west; about 50km west, to the middle of the forest. A lot of work later, that forest became Phnom Tnout Phnom Pok Wildlife Sanctuary and Ben and Sharyn have been working with the Ministry of Environment and local community to protect this forest, setting up an ecotourism business BeTreed Adventures that aims to support the conservation work in the Wildlife Sanctuary.
A need was identified for these activities to be organized under an umbrella local NGO for various reasons. And so, with the help of some good Cambodian friends, Our Future Organization was established.
Pich Piseth has been visiting BeTreed Adventures since 2016. He has come so many times it is now his second home. He has a heart for conservation and has been a huge support of the work at Phnom Tnout over the years.
Kheng Maly is another nature lover, and another huge supporter of the work at Phnom Tnout as well as a skilled administrator who has been invaluable working out the intricacies of registering an NGO in Cambodia!
And finally Soeur Sodany, who has been Chris’ main support person all the years Chris has been working in Cambodia. Sodany has a long history with education and is one of those people who know how to get things done. A very important part of the team.
Our Future Organization has thus been established. Primarily to support both education and the conservation goals. Hopefully in the future, the portfolios can cross where funding permits, to provide more education activities in the Phnom Tnout area and more conservation education and initiatives in Rik Reay.
Our Future Organization was registered with the Ministry of Interior, Cambodia on 21 November 2019 as a Local Non-governmental Organization.