This is an email interview I did with Asad Rahman founder of Project Enlighten. I would like to thank Asad for taking his time to answer the questions in between fighting forest fires and saving lives. I stumbled upon Project Enlighten's website and read his story. I wanted to help spread the word, and doing an interview for Soksabai members and visitors to read is currently the only way I know how.

I would also like to apologize to Asad for the long delay in posting his interview up.

Please visit Project Enlighten for more information on Asad and Project Enlighten.

Enjoy! 

Questions and Answers:

Q. What made you take your initial trip to Cambodia?

A. My initial trip to Cambodia was spawned by the Temple of Angkor. I'm a wild firefighter and had two great firefighting buddies in Reed Costelio and Brian Pontes. We had traveled a lot together in the past and Cambodia was high on our list of countries to visit. We were not disappointed. What became apparent was the countless smiles and warmth that was reciprocated by the people of Cambodia.

Q. What do you enjoy most about Cambodia and what makes Cambodia different from the other countries you've visited?

A. For me it is the warmth of the people and the beauty of the culture that separated Cambodia from other countries. That is not meant to be a discredit to other countries, but truly shows the warmth and compassion of the Khmer people. Not only is the landscape and temples the obvious highlight, but for me it was the constant smiles and waving of the children. How warmly we were treated by families with whom we had never met before. For me the hook was set deep!

Q. Can you explain that special connection you've had with Chet, the teen artist, that inspired you to form The Landmine College Fund, which has now been expanded to and is called Project Enlighten?

A. Well I will try not to bore your readers, as this is a really long story, for the full story please go to
http://www.projectenlighten.org/beginning.html

Assuming you have now read the tale, it was obvious to me that a certain element of "fate" was involved. I strongly and truly feel there was a reason that I met this young boy on the streets of Phnom Penh. Maybe that in and of it self is not remarkable, but the fact the Olivia and I went back to find him and low and behold he is at the
Landmine Museum that we are visiting on a whim still blows me away. I mean really, what are the chances!
I connected with Chet with regards to how I saw many of the children in Cambodia. So very energetic and bright, with a mounting hunger for education and knowledge. I felt if we could just present the
opportunity for continued education that would be enough of a
catalyst. We just provided 3 scholarships 2008 for University at Build Bright. Those 3 students (1 male, 2 female) constantly amaze us. Their idea's and drive to succeed are humbling. We are in the reviewing stage of
providing 5 more scholarships for 2009. What is inspiring is to see the vision they lay out for themselves and their community. For just a few hundred dollars a year we were able to provide the means to realizing their dreams. Truly remarkable!

Q. What has been your proudest or most rewarding moment with Project Enlighten?

A. Wow really tough question here Justin. Honestly in happened on our last trip Dec 2008. As you know we have helped fund raise for the Voluntary Development Children's School in Siem Reap. http://www.projectenlighten.org/projects.html This school is run by an amazing young man named Mr Togh. We had raised monies to build a new school of brick and concrete for his enrollment had ballooned to over 600 impoverished students. The new school was completed in early 2008. Looking forward we had discussed building a computer room for the children to further develop their IT skills. Our Project Enlighten team fund raised locally in the States and on Facebook and accumulated $2500 for computers and desks. Mr Togh and I shopped around Siem Reap looking for desks, most were poorly made particle board desks manufactured in some other country. I asked Togh, how he felt about building desks locally in a rural village. He said sure, do you know anyone? I said let me ask our Khmer Team member Mr Sim Sao who has been my right hand man and tuk tuk driver since my initial trip. Sao said "Of course, we can build in my village', draw up a basic plan and I will take it to my village (Pongro Village, about 30 minutes outside Siem Reap). Fast forward. On the day that the prototype was finished we had Mr Togh, myself and Olivia there. We had a volunteer named Roy from the States at the village. Sim Sao called Naret, one of our scholarship recipients come to get her opinion and Saeng who mentors Naret and operates a Micro Finance business in the community. To see all these different Team members from our various projects come together in Sao's village to help with the computer desk's was truly one of my proudest moments. They all wanted the project to succeed, we try to teach teamwork and cooperation, to see it manifest itself is truly inspiring!

Q. How has Project Enlighten changed your life or outlook on life?

A. You know Justin, I have been a wildland firefighter for over 20 years, I never thought in a million years that I would be operating a small Non Profit to empower those in need. But meeting so many amazing people in the Khmer community, Ronnie Yimsut Chanly Bob, Chann Noun, Loung Ung, Killong Ung, they have shared their lives and passion for helping those in need, unselfishly to donate time and money to empower the children of Cambodia. This sparked me into action, seeing how so little can change so much for the positive in this region. My life has changed dramatically, my whole focus now is how to empower, how to level the playing field and provide opportunities for these amazing children to shine. It is a lot of extra hours after my normal job, but the rewards of their smiles and accomplishments far out weigh my sacrifice!

Q. What can one do to get involve and go to learn more about Project Enlighten and The Landmine Museum? Specifically, to help or donate to activities or projects in Cambodia?

A. Great question Justin, We are really honored to be able to have such a professional and compassionate Team. Everyone one on our Team is a volunteer, there are no salaries, no first class flights. We all pay our own way over and volunteer our time. I share that because I feel it is very important for people to know, 100% of monies raisedgoes to where it is needed most!

Obviously our Website and Blog are great tools to find out about our projects. We are always looking for people willing to help and donate. We have people who want to volunteer and help teach in the schools, this is great, but we also have those that can't fly over and want to help here at home. So we are always looking for folks with creative and empowering idea's that will help the children. There are so many easy way's to help, fundraising is our biggest need. Having a Silent Auction in your community, running a race and getting pledges for miles. Sky is the limit! As always we are more than happy to answer questions and or get feedback. Our email is:
projectenlighten@gmail.com

Q. Readers can visit Projectenlighten.com to read about the organization and a little bit about you and your wife. Can you tell us more about yourself and your wife or those involved in the organization?

A. Certainly, Olivia and I have been inseparable for almost 5 years now. Olivia and has kindness and compassion for humanity that just pulled me in. I had seen her on the fire lines before but it wasn't until I was teaching at the National Fire Academy that I garnered the nerve to give her a piece of my birthday cake as I was celebrating my birthday with friends! The short of it is I asked her out to dinner and we went to a Thai restaurant across the street and the rest has been pure bliss! I think with both of us being in this line of work, it was a natural progression to start our work in Cambodia. Serving the community here and overseas is very rewarding on so many fronts! As far as those in our Organization, we are really fortunate to be working with a fantastic, diverse group of people. I'm so humbled to be able to have this support. One of my mentors and Program Directors is Mr. Ronnie Yimsut. He is the driving force behind our Bakong Technical College. He simply amazes me in every capacity. I would invite your readers to Goggle his name and see his body of work. Everybody on the Project Enlighten Team volunteers their efforts,expertize and time.  There is no money being spent to fly over or fancy hotels. everybody pay's their own way. We are very proud of this fact! 100% of all monies raised goes to work!

Q. How well can you speak Khmer?

A. bon-dtek!!

Q. Any plans for a book about your experiences?

A. Fun you ask that question Justin, when we were in PP about a month
ago we got to visit with Author and Activist Loung Ung, we had a real
nice chat, but Loung brought forth that idea. Since then, it has been
in the back of my head, but no immediate plans.

Q. Any last message?

A. I would just like to invite everyone to visit our web page and see our wonderful project's. We are a small organization, but I like that. We can better develop relationship's with our communities and Scholarship recipients! A real win /win in my opinion. We always look forward to hearing from our donors and truly listen to their input! Again Justin I truly appreciate the ability to be able to talk about such a wonderful culture and people, Cambodia has a special place in our heart!

Asad Rahman & Olivia Lorge

www.projectenlighten.org

http://www.cambodialandminemuseum.org

http://projectenlighten.blogspot.com/

Project Enlighten, Cambodian non profit

Last updated 223 days ago by Justin