The Team

Or Channy - Executive Director

As a founder of CRDT, I have filled the organisational development and management roles since the inception of the organisation from being a Team Leader to Executive Director since 2005, after officially being registered as a local NGO. In my position I have to perform the leadership roles. Since the management restructure my main tasks focus more on strategy, partnerships and donor relationship, fundraising and management support. Coming from a rural background and experiencing poor living conditions in my childhood, inspired me to commit my life to alleviate my community from poverty. The opportunity arose when I met with my peers in University, from similar backgrounds and having the same dreams and hopes for Cambodia. We discussed how we had the potential to help the poor who do not have the opportunity to receive university education, and contribute to rebuild our country. We were able to put together our ideas, innovations and theoretical knowledge into real practices, to address the real problems Cambodians are currently facing. Poverty and environment is the critical inter-related issues that Cambodia is challenging. Sustainable development is what CRDT is all about, with its core values and ethos all looking to value the team members as well as the beneficiaries and the environment. I am extremely motivated to work with my enthusiastic team, and both national and international colleagues, who see the world without borders. We put together all our resources and endeavours to achieve the common goal of sustainable development, where we wish to see our society welcome prosperity and a beautiful environment.

Sun Mao - Technical Operations Manager

I am from a simple farming family in a remote village of Takeo Province. I am one of the Cambodian Rural Development Team (CRDT) founding members, in 2001 when I was just completing my BSc in Agricultural Engineering, specializing in Rural Development. My personal interests lie in technical skills for rural development. The background knowledge from my time at University enables me to work as the Technical Operations Manager for CRDT. I really enjoy working with poor rural communities, assisting them with the appropriate agricultural technologies to improve their living standards. It is my hope to be part of the foundation of sustainable development activities in Cambodia, while supporting environmental conservation efforts.

Hean Pheap - Program Manager 

I am the Program Manager at CRDT and one of the founding members. I have worked with CRDT since 2001 when I was a volunteer. In that time, I have been involved in all aspects of te creation of the organisations vision and the writing of proposals in Khmer. From 2003-2004, I was working part time as volunteer. From 2004-2005, I was a Technical Officer In Stung Treng on the Lao/Cambodia border. From 2006- 2007, I was the Project Coordinator based in Mondulkiri and after the management restructure in 2008, I became the Project Manager in Mondulkiri. Now, I am the Program Manager that means I facilitate and oversee all the projects of CRDT. The Cambodian Rural Development Team is one Local Non-Governmental Organisation established from university student initiatives to undertake development projects which improve the living standards of subsistence communities in rural Cambodia. The team all have a rural background helping to understand what these people need. The teams projects generate environmentally positive sustainable development outcomes, when resources and appropriate agricultural technologies are skilfully combined in partnership with the beneficiaries. This is what interests me most really, sustainable development supporting conservation and renewable energy and climate change.

Hang Vong - Consultant

Currently, I am a consultant with CRDT, a Management Committee Member and a founder member also. This position means I have to take major leadership responsibilities in organisational development, human resource management and publicity management. During the decades of civil war I lived with my family as refugee on the Cambodia/Thai border (1980-1992). Growing up during war and poverty with my family made me understand the hardship that the rural communities face today. So my dream became working to rebuild my country after such terrible times. Fortunately, I met a team at university with the same willingness to help poor people. Based on the skill of Rural Development and experiences learning as a volunteer from other NGOs, I have been involved in project implementation and management as a technical officer, senior technical officer, field coordinator, project manager based in target areas and then after the management restructure I became human resource manager before becoming a consultant to continue my studies. CRDT has motivated me, it is a local NGO with a clear vision and mission to alleviate poverty through sustainable livelihood intervention while supporting environmental conservation, moreover its values creates a close working environment among staff, communities, donors as well as volunteers.

Sann Soprey - Finance Manager

I am the Finance and Administration Manager in CRDT head office in Kratie. I started working with CRDT in December 2008. CRDT want to generate income, food security, develop agriculture skills and progress the community market network, water and sanitation by constructing open well and rain water collectors. In order to support conservation and environmental issues CRDT also try to enable communities to value their environment by establishing the environmental education team, waste management and recycling team. I am working as a management committee member, under the supervision of the Executive Director and work closely with the Technical Operations Manager, Program Manager and Human Resource Manager. I am also supported by an Organisational Development Advisor (expatriate volunteer). My main responsibilities are assisting the Executive Director in creating budget plans and forecasts, writing project financial reports, developing the financial and administration policies, collaborating with financial partners and stakeholders as well as many other things. And hope I will really be able to contribute to the development of CRDTs finance section with over six years experience from two differences international NGOs.

Claire Bennett - Organisational Development Advisor

I came to CRDT through the volunteering organisation VSO in November 2008. I am the ‘Organisational Development Advisor’, which means that I am involved in all aspects of the organisation – whichever part needs developing! I work with the team to advise on management and strategy, and build capacity of the team through sharing and training. When I found out about the vision and history of the team, I decided I wanted to be a part. I was also a university student that wanted to change the world, and the inspiring success story of CRDT, as well as the hugely ambitious and motivated staff team, makes me want to support them. Also, when I see the work out in the field – livelihood support, renewable energy and community empowerment – I feel positive about the future of Cambodia. The CRDT approach of linking development and environment is the only way to look at complex global issues. Everything is interconnected, and it is impossible to tackle one problem without looking at the broader context. For example, Climate Change is an environmental problem that will have massive human impacts, and its roots lie in the over-exploitation of natural resources and unequal development. CRDT are great at looking at the whole picture.

The Team!

Chairman, Board of Directors

Savin was born to a large peasant family in a rural village of Prey Veng province. Savin managed to obtain further education at universities to realise his commitment to make a difference. Among the founding members, Savins professional background is completely different. He has brought to the team financial management and administration skills, since he graduated a Bachelor Degree in Business Management, majoring in Accounting from Maharishi Vedic University. Savin is pursuing an accountancy career with the Association of Charted Certified Accountants (ACCA) and also a Master of Business, with the Charles Stuart University.  He was appointed to the Board of Directors in 2008 and recently selected to chair the Board of Directors. Savin has a strong personal interest in taking business approaches to development. In 2006, Savin co-founded Conversations With Foreigners, an independent English training institution established to provide opportunities for foreign volunteers to teach Cambodian youths and contribute to the development of Cambodia, creating a sustainable source of funds for the Cambodian Rural Development Team. Besides his involvement with CRDT, Savin is currently is a consultant at Emerging Markets Consulting. He works with both private sector clients, including microfinance institutions and SMEs, and private sector development programs, including project and program designs, value chain analysis and export promotion.

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