The KF is being managed by a balanced mix of national and international Board of Directors, who are all very active volunteers and do not receive any stipends or income of any sorts. All are experienced and committed professionals that have been working for reputable international organizations and have given their time on a pro bono basis and share the common purpose to achieve the KF vision.
Mr. Arjen Luxwolda, Chairman
Originally from the Netherlands, Mr. Arjen Luxwolda has been involved with the KF since 1999, at the time being sent to Cambodia through an international volunteer organization. As an engineer by education and training, initially working for Nestlé group in the Netherlands, he responded voluntarily to a KF demand asking for help building a solar fridge for the homes. This eventually led to solarizing both homes completely and in 2006 setting up the solar company Kamworks that operates in Cambodia, of which he is the current Managing Director. He is passionate about Cambodia, its culture, its history and he speaks Khmer fluently, with a Dutch accent sometimes!
Following the transformation from least developed to developing countries, Arjen’s vision is to respond to the quality education needs, as education quality in Cambodian public schools is still very low, and he envisions that the KF can move more toward a boarding school type of organization. In the future, Arjen would be very interested to take the lead and develop a science education component, where the children could be educated anddiscover how science can be a practical, fun and rich discipline. Arjen has played a very important role in the KF, since his arrival in Cambodia, supporting us from a technical, managerial and communication aspect that strongly contributed to sound development of KF activities.
Mr. Natharoun NGO
Mr. Natharoun NGO returned to Cambodia in 2005. Educated in France, he holds an MBA and worked in Europe as a project manager for Ernst and Young and Cap Gemini, in charge of management and organizational development for 5 years. Taking the decision and commitment to lend his skills and competencies to the benefit of humanitarian and development organizations in Cambodia, in early 2005, Natharoun joined “Doctors without border” as their Country Administrator supporting a national program providing access to health and HIV services to the most vulnerable Cambodians. He then joined the United Nations in 2007 and is currently working in a senior executive position, supporting a variety of complex developmental issues. Natharoun’s involvement with the KF is very personal – it means everything to him. Strongly inspired by his grandfather Samdech SON Sann’s character and achievements, Natharoun, alongside others, wants to sustain the legacy of his grandfather who wanted to provide the best possible future for the most vulnerable Cambodian children. He is a very active and involved member, dedicating most of his free time to support strengthening and developing the KF strategy and operations.
Natharoun’s vision is simple: each child should have equal access to and opportunities to good health and quality education, regardless of his background and social origins. The poorer they are the better access they should have. Therefore KF needs to offer a quality environment in which children can all have an equal chance to develop their full potential and grow to become responsible citizens
Mr. Chat Sophiep
Mr. Chat Sophiep is a development consultant and leadership trainer who has worked in the NGO development sector for 15 years. He has been responsible for managing local and international NGO programs. Among other,Sophiep held senior executive positions with Child Fund, American Jewish World Service and was a former Planning Advisor with UNDP – Partnership for Local Governance. Sophiep works as consultant, trainer and leadership coach for numerous NGOs and businesses. Sophiep’s vision is that it is the duty of adults to provide care for kids and to give them the opportunity to grow physically, intellectually and spiritually. Being one of the Board Members for the Khmer Foundation, he wants to see all children from the Homes to be grown up in their full potential. And in order to realize this vision, he will provide his support so that KF strives to meet all quality standards in order to receive necessary and vital support from both individuals and organizations.
Ms. Prum Mary
Mary is a Khmer-Canadian citizen now living in Phnom Penh since late 2006. In 1980, her family was sponsored at the end of the Khmer civil war by a Canadian family from Maniwaki town, in Quebec province, Canada. Back then, she was only 5 years old on her way to discover a whole new world where she learned the best of both French and English languages and cultures. At home, her parents and family kept her grounded inher Khmer heritage and not to forget where she came from. In 1997, Mary embarked on an adventure to rediscover her Khmer roots, as she traveled back to her home country for the first time. Since then, she pursued her personnel and professional career paths in view of contributing to the development and betterment of Cambodian people.
Back in Canada, Mary acquired academic background in industrial relations, specialized in human resources management and interventions in multicultural settings. For more than 12 years, she has gained an array of knowledge, experience and skills in program management, including financial and human resources, strategic planning, fundraising, M&E, and capacity development by working with high management levelin the Canadian government and as Country Manager with international non-profit organizations, such as Oxfam-Quebec and PATH based in Phnom Penh City, Cambodia.
In her management capacity, she led a mixed team of national staff and international consultants and volunteers that provides financial and technical support to local partner organizations in strengthening their capacity to deliver effective development initiatives, ranging from promoting gender equalities at the family level to protecting migrant rights across borders. To the best of her abilities, Maryhopesto contribute to the goals of Khmer Foundation, especially in fulfilling its mandate to provide Cambodian children with the hope, dream and opportunity of a better life. Her motto: “Where you end up, it’s up to you.”