Notes from KCF Meeting – Thursday 15^th February 2007

Meeting held at Blissful Guesthouse

Present: Hans (Kampot VSO), Roeun (Kampot VSO), Tim (visiting volunteer working at Chumkriel School), Jos (Kampot Dar-laing), Neil (Chumkriel Language School), Sim (Kampot VSO).

Apologies: Kate, Kimhong, Ali, At.

Agenda:

1. Reading minutes of meeting dated 30^th January 2007
2. Agree on second draft of Charter and Regulations
3. Discuss election of KFC board and allocation of special tasks and responsibilities to the board and the members
4. Discuss further ideas to sell the postcards
5. Discuss further ideas about purchase items for sale
6. Discuss further ideas of how KFC could link in with other local initiatives, how to support such initiatives

Agenda Item	Discussion / Points Raised	Action Required / Result
1.	Hans opened the meeting and introduces Tim. The minutes from the previous meeting were read and reviewed. Comments included: a) Neil said when he goes back to the UK he can’t be thinking about Cambodia ie he won’t be able to set up the website. b) Neil said he can’t guarantee the extent of his brother, Sandy’s commitment. c) Welshman Steve (moved to Kampot form Sihanouk Ville) also has some good fundraising ideas such as quiz nights and a raft race event. d) Jos said the next issue of the Kampot Dar-laing newsletter is due for printing early March, sales rounds to businesses with the postcards will have results for next meeting. e) The cardboard postcard holders and the sign, translated (thanks Sim) and attached look great together. f) Hans also handed out a copy of the contract for consignment of postcards, needs to be dated but looks good.	Ask Steve to come to the next meeting to discuss ideas
2 & 3.	Everyone was given a copy of the second draft of the Draft Charter and Regulations of KCF which has been divided into chapters and tweaked by Hans. The document draft was discussed chapter by chapter and comments noted as follows: a) Introduction: summary is short and succinct. b) Aims of the Fund: comprehensive. c) Fund Regulations: divided into 7 chapters I. Procedures to recommend a child Points 1-2: there was a query about difficulties of decision making between recommendations, but this is covered later in chapter IV (points 12-15) II. Who are members Points 3-6: Tim queried how to keep short-term volunteers informed – suggestions included through the future shop of Neil and the VSO office. : how to cater for remote members who want to stay informed could be done by emailing the minutes of the meetings to keep them up to date. Two groups of members - 1. people who want to be kept informed; and 2. people who are part of the decision-making process (whom should be a resident of Kampot) : minor adjustment to point 5 to include ‘current and former residents of Kampot’. III. Meetings of the members Points 7-11: OK IV. Procedure funding a child Points 12-15: concerns from chapter I alleviated with the majority vote of point 13 at the discretion of the committee members. : the other concern that if there is a matter of urgency to help a child, then a KCF meeting can be organized earlier to accommodate. V. Finance Points 16-23: Is $100 a too small amount? At this stage it will have to suffice as funds are limited, also secondary donations may be possible after reviewing a child’s case if deemed necessary. VI. Changes of the regulations Point 24 is clear. VII. The executive board / committee Points 25-34: definition of ‘stakeholder’ is all people involved (not just the members) : everyone was in agreement to use the term ‘committee’ as it is less formal (the term ‘board’ may more intimidating) : The commission of two members to review and report on committee activities (points 33 & 34) need to be outside the three executives. It was also noted that the executive 3 must be present at committee meetings. Elections for these three executive positions were scheduled for the next meeting. It was unanimously agreed that this draft of the Charter and Regulations with minor adjustments mentioned will be fine. Well done and thanks Hans for fine tuning and adding committee stipulations. Tim is continuing his volunteer work in Kampot for another month and expressed his willingness to help out in the afternoons with any jobs. Help with postcard deliveries and following up would be great – to keep in touch with Jos. Thanks Tim.	Elections for committee positions at next meeting Hans to make final adjustments to complete the Charter and Regulations.
4.	Postcard holders have been drafted up from copy paper boxes – they are easy to make and effective. Need scissors and stapler to make 2 displays from 1 box. Paperclip the nice sign to the inside, insert postcards and ready for display. If it is unstable a rock can be utilized to weigh it down! Copies of the notice are to be made so that the information can be displayed above the postcards sitting in the holder. Availability: as there is not one central travel place that is frequented, postcards will be offered for distribution at the following places in Kampot: Tourist Office, VSO office, Neil’s future shop, Epic Arts, guesthouses, restaurants and bars, Heng Dy. Roeun also to ask Cambodia Trust in Sihanouk Ville the next time he meets with them. Possibility of locations in Kep, Chouk and Kampong Trach were also mentioned – VSO to discuss as provincial visits may determine the suitability of other such locations for selling postcards. Only viable if volunteers were making the journey anyway. Other than this, it was agreed that Kampot should be the primary focus for sales. Neil re-iterated that the idea of the postcards was two-fold: to raise funds and to raise awareness of KCF to lead to donations and further support. The latter will be more effective if information is more readily available. This information needs to be on hand for reference: to include the introduction information and a short summary of types of child needs and assistance to be considered. Suggestions: Jos can do an A5 flyer with the same information as this that she want to use in the next Kampot Dar-laing. Jos to drop in to VSO office for approval on this draft on Tuesday, also to make more holders and pick up postcards for delivery. Make a website to describe the purpose of the fund. Maybe a volunteer can make it with existing pictures and information quite easily – if people can access details it may encourage them to give more money than they initially thought. A domain name is about $10 and anyone with a bit of knowledge could make the website easily and quickly. Provide account details for donations. Secondary pictures: to look at options when we see how well this postcard sells.	Postcard holders and contracts are ready. Notice can be adjusted slightly, then ready. Roeun to talk to Cambodia Trust Jos to report on sales progress at next meeting. Jos to create supplementary information flyer Inquire about a volunteer to start on the website
5.	Other ideas for purchase items to sell: Pepper mill – someone at Little Garden Bar says there are small coffee grinders in the market that could be sold as pepper mills (pepper grinders are very difficult to find) Hans visited a center for street families in Battambang that train people for a year to make and sell unique handicrafts to support themselves. Similar handicraft items could be sold here – to look around for possible items to be sold as ‘Kampot handicrafts’ as there isn’t much we have seen so far. Clay items from the ox cart guy may be options PTC may be able to make stuffed animals, key rings etc or teach a group how to make so they can be re-sold (Bokor wildlife toys are an idea) Children’s paintings or street kid art may be salable.
6.	Links to other local initiatives Neil’s future shop – Neil handed out the proposal for discussion. Neil commented that the shop may not be self sustaining without expat support. Expenses to cover per month include: $100 rent, $60 internet (which can be cut), water and electricity, yearly business license and staff if paid. There is potential to rent `the back part of the shop to someone to use as office space; or let to another foreigner to look after the shop in lieu of rent. Staffing is a difficult issue – suggestion to open at particular times only or volunteers could do one day a week looking after the shop morning or afternoon. - Hans suggested a service charge (commission style) for hooking volunteers up with projects of their choice to help cover costs. Neil said that he wanted to keep an ethos of ‘we do everything we can to help you’ and perhaps this would encourage positive word of mouth, donations, and purchases at the shop. A sense of trust may be more beneficial. The concept of ‘volunteer business’ to make profits would not be aligned with the aims of the shop. Interactive activities that will be paid for would include attending weddings, pagodas, karaoke, apsara dancing lessons, etc and funds from these events can be used in administration. Financing of the shop needs to be very clear – ie are donations and profits from particular purchases being used for admin or going to particular projects. A regular income is required to be sustainable. Need people in Kampot who support the idea to help plan and make sustainable, maybe businesses can ‘sponsor’ the shop with $10 a month and in return the shop can list and promote them. Neil asked if it would be appropriate to link with the school most directly – the school is likely not to survive without money and without a foreign advisor. Peace Corps volunteers (who teach English) arrive soon, a Kampong Bay one in March and two others in April / May. One may be volunteer as a supplementary advisor. Hans has met with the Kampong Bay one before and will meet again soon to share ideas on inclusive allocation, child friendly methods etc and also talk about the futures of the shop and Chumkriel School. Shop interaction regarding KCF: - postcard sales - provision of further information - meeting info, ask for volunteers - activities can be held at the shop Link with Kampot Dar-laing – promote KCF with informative article every issue, promote the future shop and forward any profits from advertising to the running of the shop, NGO’s can also contribute articles, an article on VSO work in the area would be excellent, promote any fundraising events and ideas. Other comments: Neil handed out information about concerns for the future of the Chumkriel School. He said there is a chance it will disappear when his financial support ends in another two months. He will inform others of the pending fate of the school in the hope that other volunteers will get involved helping to advise and support the school in his absence and hopefully on a more long term basis. Spread the word that help is needed.	Need feedback from other expats on financial or manpower support for the shop. Neil to meet with Hans to discuss potential Peace Corps support.
7.	Next meeting scheduled for 3pm, 15^th March 2007 at Blissful Guesthouse. Nominations and elections for committee positions will be held then. Nominations need to be made at the latest 15 minutes before the start of the meeting. Written notice to all stakeholders and people interested needs to be issued 2 weeks in advance – on 1^st March. Meeting closed.	Next meeting: 3pm, Thursday 15^th March at Blissful Guesthouse. Written notice two weeks earlier on 1^st .March

Notes recorded by Jos.