The BSDA Family

Recently new ID cards have been made up for the staff at BSDA, so I thought I would introduce you to all the people I work with in the office here at BSDA. We also have another 70 volunteers out in the field, which I haven't listed.

Sin Sophea is the Field Support Officer for the IBEC Project in Kampong Cham.

Som Somalen is our new Community Livelihood Officer.

Chheoun Sreyya is the Smile Restaurant Supervisor, she use to be one of the trainees last year and then applied for the job as supervisor when she finished her training.

Chun Sros, is a another BSDA success story - she first came to BSDA to learn dancing and then received a scholarship to help her attend school. She has then volunteered in many positions here at BSDA over the past few years so we are pleased that she has finally been successful in getting a full-time position with us as a Community Support Officer for the Health Program in The Sustainable Action against HIV and AIDS in Community - SAHACOM Project.

Srorrs Ratha is the cleaner at the office - she started in January and does an amazing job of looking after us all. She is actually one of our beneficiaries from the SAHACOM project as she is living with HIV.

Hoeng Sodavin is our new Health Project Coordinator, she started in January 2012.

Sorn Narong, is the chef at the Smile Restaurant, she has been with BSDA for 3 years.

The new Smile Kids Village Manager, Phok Nary, has been with us since the start of the year.

Pin Sokhom is the Dance Teacher at the Aspara Dance Center, in the past he has been both a student and teacher at the Royal College of Arts in Phnom Penh.

Sien Pheakdey, is the Cooking Teacher at Smile Kids Village, she also use to be a trainee at the village and impressed the staff so much that she then became the teacher.

Venerable Chham Pholla is the NAMSA Facilitator. NAMSA (Network of Affiliated Monks for Social Accountability) is one of the new projects that we have just received funding for this year.

Keng Sinon is the Sewing Teacher at Smile Kids Village.

Say Sokhoeun is one of the founding members of BSDA, he used to be a Monk at that time. He is now the Project Coordinator for BSDA's largest project - MKK - Mekong Kampuchea Kids Project.

Venerable Prom Dy, is another of the founding members of BSDA, he works part-time now as Project Coordinator for the IBEC - Improve Basic Education for Cambodia Project.

Oung Ngunheng, is a Community Support Officer in the SAHACOM Project and is a joy to have around the office, always smiling.

Yim Yekhorn is a new edition to the Finance Department where she holds the position of Finance Volunteer.

I think you all know this one, who holds the position of Technical Advisor.

Vath Virak is the Field Support Staff for the IBEC Project in Kratie Province, he has the most infectious laugh in the whole office.

Solita is the cleaners daughter and has a habit of finding lot of creepy crawlies and presenting them to the international volunteers.

Venerable Sok Vannra use to work in the IBEC Project but has just moved to be the Project Coordinator for the NAMSA project.

Simon Madgwick, is another Technical Advisor and he is helping out in the Finance Department and at the Smile Restaurant, as he used to be a chef before moving into finance. His baking skills have become very popular among the expats in KC!

Aun Kimseng is the Community Support Officer for the HAPHRODA - HIV/AIDS Prevention and Harm Reduction of Drug Abuse - Project.

Chok Piseth is the Project Assistant for the MKK Project.

Sorn Koemva, is a new edition to the team, he has been a Monk until recently in which time he volunteered with us and then he applied for the position of Community Support Officer in the SAHACOM Project and at this time he left the monkhood.

Here is the main man himself our Executive Director, Venerable Thorn Vandong. Vandong is the founding member and inspiration of BSDA.

Thay Sophea is our new Weaving teacher at Smile Kids Village. She started at the beginning of the year and is a success with the trainees.

Srun Sopheara is the nurse up at the Smile Kids Village.

Chhourng Socheata teaches English to the trainees and aspara dance students and translates for the international volunteers - she does a brilliant job.

Srun Somavatey use to be the Finance Volunteer here at BSDA and then in January she applied for the position of MKK Finance Assistant and we were so impressed with her that she was successful in the application.

Nem Chhnay, our Finance Director. Chhnay was also one of the founding members of BSDA and at that time he was also a Monk, but since has left the monkhood and got married and now has a new baby daughter.

Khim Sojohn is BSDA's new Human Resource Manager.

Kim Sreyrath is BSDA's Finance Assistant, she recently got married and is expecting her first child.

Second in command here at BSDA, is the lovely Chhourng Sovanna, or Panha as we all call him. I work the most with Panha and he is an absolute pleasure to work with, he works so hard and hardly has anytime to himself - his knowledge of all the projects and aspects of BSDA is infinite.

Rin Borey is our driver and security guard up at the Smile Kids Village.

Lunchtime recipe

At the mo moment it is very hot out here and so when it comes to lunchtimes, soups and curries just don't hit the mark, so my latest favourite for lunch is Plia Saik Koa, a refreshing Cambodian Beef Salad in a spicy lime dressing.....

 

Here's the recipe - so simply but delicious....

Serves 2

 

250g steak

100g Beans Sprouts, 

100g French Beans cut in two, 

100g white cabbage shredded, 

Cup of basil and mint leaves, 

50g of roasted chopped peanuts (pine or cashew nuts would work as well).

Dressing: 

4 tbsp fish sauce,

juice of 1 lime,

2 garlic cloves,

2 shallots, finely sliced

3 diced small chilli

1 tbsp of sugar

To prepare the dressing mix the fish sauce, lime juice and sugar in a bowl until the sugar has dissolved.  Stir in the garlic, chillies and shallots.

·       Preheat a griddle or non-stick frying pan.

·       Griddle or fry the steak, it should be rare, but cook to your taste.

·       Leave the steak to rest.

·       Mix all the salad ingredients together and place in a dish.

·       Slice the steak thinly and place on the salad along with any juices from the steak.

·       Then pour over the dressing and serve.

The great thing about this dish is that you can vary the salad contents depending on your taste – other suggestions are finely shredded green mango, green or red peppers, etc..

Solita & the Cricket

Solita is the daughter of our office cleaner, so every morning and lunchtime she is in the office. She is a determined little girl and manages to surprise us most days - today she disappeared for a while and then came back with this poor, but very large, cricket!!

Anyone for Pizza...

Under the guidance of Simon, who is volunteering with us for a year and who use to be a chef, the Smile trainees learnt how to make Pizzas earlier in the week.
Of course we were around to taste and give our verdict - delicious.... We are all looking forward to these appearing on the menu at Smile soon.