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Posts Tagged ‘Cambodia’

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PTPI Supports Landmine Eradication

Tuesday, June 26th, 2012
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Recent high school graduate Zachary Yost has musical talent. He also takes the initiative to do something when he hears about a problem.

A display created by Zach, to inform others about the need to remove landmines in Cambodia

Zach first learned about the global landmine crisis through a book he was reading. He thought that raising awareness of the issue would be a good way to meet the requirement for his senior project at Eden Christian Academy in Pennsylvania, USA. Researching the topic, he learned about PTPI’s efforts to eradicate landmines.

In late 2011, Zach contacted PTPI about hosting a fundraiser in support of the Global Landmine Initiative. His efforts were divided into two parts: a dance in January and a talent show in April. PTPI shared landmine statistics, photos, and brochures with Zach, so that he could in turn share them with his peers. Both fundraisers allowed the community to gain a better understanding of the realities of life near landmines, contribute to the cause, and also have a great time.

A participant in the talent show fundraiser, organized by Zach to raise funds for PTPI's Global Landmine Initiative

Thanks to Zach and other generous donors to the Global Landmine Initiative, PTPI will be making a $4,000 contribution to The HALO Trust, continuing our sponsorship of a demining team in Cambodia.

To learn more about People to People International, visit www.ptpi.org or check out our Facebook Page

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Your Next Step Makes Their Next Step Possible

Monday, December 20th, 2010
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Due to a limited budget for next year, a PTPI grant for The HALO Trust in 2011 will only be possible through your generous donations.  We mustn’t stop now.

Across Cambodia, there has been a slight increase in the number of mine and explosive remnants of war (ERW) victims between January and June 2010 as compared to the corresponding period in 2009.  As the photograph illustrates, mines are such a fact of life in parts of the country that children living in or near minefields sometimes use them as toys.  (It should be noted that thankfully, the mines in this photo do not contain explosives.)

Cambodian Child Playing with Landmine

Since 2004, generous donors to PTPI’s Global Landmine Initiative have raised more than $366,000 toward eradication efforts in Sri Lanka and Cambodia.  Through its partnership with The HALO Trust, PTPI-sponsored demining teams transform lives through land clearance that is then used for agriculture, irrigation systems and opening roads to support basic infrastructure.  Thousands of people have benefited from our joint efforts:

- In the first six months of 2010: 170 people were directly supported; 433 families and 1,772 individuals were indirectly supported.

- In 2009: PTPI became the first U.S. nongovernmental organization to support an HSTAMIDS (“Smart Detector”) team working toward humanitarian mine clearance.

-In 2010: Thanks to a $51,000 matching grant from the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Weapons Removal &Abatement, PTPI was able to contribute a total of $102,000 to sponsor an HSTAMIDS team.

Donations may be directed to the Global Landmine Initiative and can be made online at PTPI’s website.  If you would like further information about PTPI’s Global Landmine Initiative and how you can help, please contact Cindy Spake at cindyspake@ptpi.org.

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Uniting Globally in Response to Tragedy in Cambodia

Monday, December 13th, 2010
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On November 22, 2010, on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, thousands of people came together to celebrate the annual Water Festival.  When participants were struck by panic, a stampede ensued resulting in the deaths of 351 people and injuries to another 750 victims, turning the most joyful events into tragedy.

The current population of Cambodians in the City of Long Beach, California is the largest outside of Phnom Penh.  It is known that many relatives of Long Beach residents attended the Water Festival.  The final report of the injuries sustained is pending.

The Water Festival in Cambodia takes place each year in November during the full moon, and is considered the most extravagant and exuberant festival on the Khmer calendar.  The tragedy occurred around 10:00 PM on the third and final day of the Water Festival, which is estimated to attract a third of the country’s population of 14 million.

In response, PTPI’s Long Beach, California Chapter has established relief efforts to assist.  Thanks to their efforts, the City of Long Beach, Mayor and Members of the City Council unanimously passed a motion to encourage residents of Long Beach to help.  You can help as well. Contributions may be directed to PTPI’s International Friendship Fund through the end of December, 2010.  When making a donation, please note that it is for “Cambodia Disaster Relief.”

Chapter member Ms. Thary Ung will lead a delegation to Cambodia in mid-January 2011 to distribute the funds.   Working with the Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia, H.E, Mrs. Mem Sam An, the Royal Government will provide a list of victims. The group will visit the victims and distribute the funds to those with a verifiable form of ID.  The group will document the work so that it may be shared with the City of Long Beach and fellow members of PTPI.

For more information, contact the following members of PTPI’s Long Beach Chapter:

Ms. Thary Ung, Coordinator, 626.383.7559 (cell) or email at Thary_ung@yahoo.com
Mr. Anthony Kim, Assistant Coordinator, 626.261.0765 (cell) or email anthonyimex1@aol.com


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