June 2016

In March, Executive Director Persephone James was notified CWEF was selected to participate in the Asian Charity Services (ACS) strategic planning workshop. Along with six current and former CWEF board members, Ms. James attended the three ACS strategic planning workshop sessions. During the sessions, the five ACS volunteers guided the CWEF team through mission and vision discussions and goal setting activities.

Ms. James said, “I have been really pleased with the support provided by ACS during the strategic planning workshops. The sessions are very organised and the homework and required preparation is clear. I appreciate the thoughtful questions from the ACS volunteer staff. They are really challenging us to strengthen the alignment between our core values and programs. I look forward to the completion of our plan and the work we are able to accomplish when we are more focused.”

Over the next few months, the CWEF team will be working with the rest of the board members and the staff to continue to develop and implement an updated strategic plan.The Asian Charity Services team will check in with the CWEF team in 60 days and again at one year to see how the updated plan is working.

On April 30, 2016, CWEF staff traveled to Samdan District to meet with Pastor Chanbol and six others who were interested in being a founding member of the Animal Gift Committee. The CWEF staff and committee members discussed the goals, mandates, roles and responsibilities of the committee and most importantly, how to have a successful and transparent handover of the animal gift program from CWEF to the Animal Gift Committee.

The CWEF staff and committee members delayed the fifth cycle of gifts due to the unsuitable hot weather for raising animals. The fifth cycle is scheduled to begin in mid-June and the newly formed animal gift committee will begin the selection process for ten new recipients and two additional pastors to be part of the program.

The CWEF Animal Gift Program in Samdan District began in 2011. The vision of the program is to reach widows and impoverished families at all 11 churches in the district to improve their economic capacity. After the first four cycles, the program has been a success and all of the recipients were able to repay the animal gift loans and even make a profit. All of the fourth cycle recipients reported they were able to sell their pigs twice during the cycle. Ms. Tok Bo shared that she was able to make a net profit of $95, which she used to buy a solar panel for her home.