LEAD is a group that focuses on community service projects like teaching people to read. Members have been teaching in their local communities. The group discusses service projects and decides to focus on teaching reading. They help family and neighbors both locally and abroad. The newsletter provides updates on the educational progress and support of several LEAD members.

1. Lead Special Activities:
 Gratitude is Everything
 Teach Someone to Read
 Community Service
 Culture Diversity
Donors 1
Community Service 2
LEAD Team 3
Tam Sop Family & Friends 4
National University of Management 5
Electrical Engineering & Pharmaceutical 6
Partnership 8
Inside this issue:
SolutionforChange
LEAD
Volume 1, Issue 1
October 2014

2. LEAD has met on a few occasions to discuss what kind of works we can do to give
back to the community. We have decided to make a difference in some people’s lives by
teaching them how to read. We are helping our own family members, neighbors local and
abroad. Many team members such as Saren, Tam, Ramorn, Lumang, and Channaro have
already been teaching in their community. Left. I met this sweet young lady at the school
that I volunteer. Dany, 24 years old, a mother of two who works as a custodian at the
local high school. She was sitting alone looking bored, so I asked if she wanted to read so
that she can improve her skills . I was so surprised that she had a phone and recommended
that she should read instead. She was delighted to learn about the book, I proceeded to
invite to my office to choose the book of her own choice to read. She took the short nov-
els about Buddha.
I believe in education and passing it forward. If each of us would take the lead to teach
one person to read, this world would be a more educated place.
Cambodia is launching a new habits in reading. They used to think that reading has put
them to sleep.
Saren, Vansoneath, Lumang and friends col-
lected food and clothes items to donate to the
poor in Kandal Province. Left: a group of
high school and college students from around
the country joined hand in hand to work as a
team toward a great cause. This group has
also educating on how to save the environ-
ment about health and sex, and how to pro-
vide support and help to the community hos-
pitals and schools. Below: They are educat-
ing the next generation on how to save our
environment and how planting trees has vari-
ous benefit.

3. Saturday Nov. 9th was Cambodia Independence Day; everybody
had the day off except for LEAD. We went to Takhmao province
to educate forty children. LEAD collected school supplies to do-
nate to those children. LEAD also used their day off to educate
kids on health and how to maintain good hygiene with fun games
and activities. The children were made aware on how to look for
symptoms of certain illnesses. Kids were awarded with books and
pencils when given good feedback on the exercises we taught.
LEAD was happy spending this quality time to make a difference.
We enjoyed every minute spent.
Page 3
LEAD TEAM: Educating Neighborhood Children
NEWSLETTER TITLE

4. After my few months in the US
we were very excited to reunite
and talk about our plan to give
back to the community. We will
be teaching and encouraging oth-
ers to read, as well as doing other
service in the community.
Meetings scheduled bimonthly to
organize humanitarian events.
Vechhay, Vansoneath, Tam, Ramdoul,
Kakrona and Saren are going to col-
lege. Na, Ramorn, Lumang and Sok-
neth education is being delay because
of their schools departments. They are
expected to return to college soon.
Page 4
LEAD TEAM MEMBERS
SOLUTION FOR CHANGE

5. Thanks to Maria and A.T. for their generous support to
Tam and his family. Tam has packed his clothes and
moved to college. The school is about 120 kilometers
from his current resident apartment but he will be staying
in a dorm at KIT. Tam was very excited about school
and already talking about returning home visiting his
family on a monthly basis. KIT guarantees employment
after Tam accomplishes his four years there.
Below: His siblings are learning how to read English.
Page 5
Tam Family & Friends
Tam Sop, Software Engineering, Kirirom Institute of Technology
“To catch the reader's attention, place an interesting sentence or quote from the
story here.”
NEWSLETTER TITLE

6. VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1
I had the pleasure of working with Rebecca Flores this past summer. She is the founder of The Natasha Love Foundation as well as a poet,
artist and a singer. This year Natasha, her daughter, would have been 25 years old, but tragically was killed through teen violence at the age
of 18 in 2007. Rebecca and her family had lost the most beautiful and talented family member. Natasha was Miss Teen RI and volunteered at
the local hospice reading poetry to the elderly patients along with her dog. She had just received her drivers’ license and was just hired by
Bank of America the day she was killed. It was very sad to listen to her mother retell her daughter’s story. I am also a mother and cannot
imagine what Rebecca has gone through. I am honored to be one of her colleagues. Rebecca and I spent many late night hours trying to figure
out ways to find funds. I had witnessed Rebecca’s artistic works. She works diligently with her art students and her board of directors to raise
money to support girls and to raise awareness about teen violence and bullying. Channaro and Vansoneath are the two lucky LEAD members
to be awarded with The Natasha Love Foundation Scholarship. These two students happen to be studying at the same school and working to-
wards the same major. This is the amazing work of the Universe! They also live across the river from each other. They are both very active in
their community helping kids learn English and doing other good deeds. Channaro is currently working at the Khmer People public radio
station and attending the National University of Management pursuing his business management degree and often volunteering at many other
humanitarian events throughout Cambodia. Channaro is also helping her brother teach English to their neighbors.
Left: a few LEAD
members joined a lead-
ership programs retreat
in Kirirom.
Right: Vansoneath and
sister were celebrating
their father’s 50th birth-
day.
Page 6
Vansoneath,
Business Management
Channaro Chamroeun, General Manager, National University of
Management
Sharing what you have
is the best gift ever!

7. Ramdoul is the top student of her
class. She has received the highest marks of
all 29 students. Thank you Grace Gonzalez and
Ammala Doungsovanh and the Neighborhood
Health Plan of Rhode Island (NHPRI) team for
supporting her. She is very grateful for the
special support for her education. Below:
Ramdoul’s school. Her brother has graduated
from the same school and has been offered
employment there. He is also an electrical
engineer. Her parents continue to work hard to
support their kids while they are in school.
Page 7
Lumang Chhoam, Pharmacist, University of Health Science
Ramdoul Sovan, Electrical Engineer,
National Polytechnic Institute of Cambodia
NEWSLETTER TITLE
John Kelly, President and CEO of The Meeting Street School, has sponsored Lumang’s education.
She has been out of high school since 2013 because she has no financial support. Thank you John
for giving her the opportunity. Lumang has been working in the factory earning $100/month to
save up for college. The whole family is forever grateful for John’s gift. Lumang was in tears
explaining her family’s hardships. We have shared video clips on Youtube. She will be in school
by January of 2015. In the meantime, she continues to work in the factory to save up for her addi-
tional tuition ($1350/year) . She is a wonderful young lady. She doesn’t pressure her parents
about her receiving an education but was hoping to make her own way. She knows her parents are
working very hard. The father has a side job as a taxi driver, transporting factory workers. They
are saving all their income to support their two kids. Lumang has a younger brother at home. She
is currently teaching him English in the evening and is also
teaching her co-workers at the factory.

8. VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1
Kakrona has left his family and his hometown to pursue a higher
education in Phnom Penh and has excelled to Norton University
majoring in Computer Science. He has been resourceful to his col-
leagues and the community. He was happy to receive the special
gift from Kevin McDevitt and Charles Newton. He is able to pay
full year tuition. Kakrona has special skills with technology. He
can repair computers, phones and make computer programs. He has
been living at the Pagoda since 2006. His father became blind in
2013 and his mother has been the only person that provides him
with support. He is very grateful for the opportunity to be able to
pay for college tuition this year. Kakrona continues to have hope in
finishing up college but knows he has to work very hard for it.
Saren, with positive attitude about life. Always ready to
help others. She spoke up for others. She is a great leader.
Currently teaching English to 20+ young students in
Takhmao community near her hometown from Monday
through Friday 5:30-6:30p.m. Right: Saren and mother who
has been working very hard to support her education.
Page 8
Kakrona Nak, Computer Scientist, Norton University
Saren Thorn, Business Administration, Pannasastra University
My friend Peov Mey and his
family donated a Macbook for
our computer expert.

9. VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1
Facebook Youth had collected funds from
friends and generous donors to buy food
to donate to flood victims in Preyveng,
Cambodia. Lumang and I had the pleas-
ure participating in the process to help the
120 families who lost their home. We
were very happy to do it.
LEAD is a very active team, we are involving a few different groups to help make a difference in
Cambodia community. We are committed to share our resources in educating others the basic skills
to survive. A colleague that I had the pleasure working with for the past two years founded Cambo-
dian Children English for Action (Cam.CEA). Dan Ven has high hopes for kids in his village. He
has moved out of his hometown (60 KM from the Cambodia Capital) a few years ago to reside in the
Pagoda in Phnom Penh. He is very poor himself but want to share with others what he can. He is
struggling to find support for the school and I was lucky enough to be able to help built the school
from the primary stage. The teacher salary at Cam.CEA is based on the number of the students in
the class ($2/student). I have been supporting the cost and the solar installation ($500). There are 40
students in the classroom underneath Dan’s parents house. The students are fast learners and most
importantly, they are eager to speak English. There are more information available on Facebook,
Dan and I can also be contacted on Facebook. The living wage in Cambodia would be $350-
$500/month, but the reality is not. I could spend 3-5 times more in helping others and buy food.
Lunch would cost $9 and dinner would cost $11-16 at Tonle Basak Buffet Restaurant but I haven’t
been in there. I always eat and prepare food at home and it would cost about $3-5 per meal.
Model Teens have been planting trees
throughout Cambodia. College students
created this group a couple of years ago,
they had envisioned educating and en-
couraging others to plant trees for its
many benefits. Thus far, they have
planted 10,000 trees. I have had the pleas-
ure of participating in their great work.
Page 9
Partnering with Facebook Youth, Model Teens & Cam.CEA

10. VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1
Right: Local residents Sitha Derng, 33 years old has four children ages
ranged from 1– 13 years old. She is trying to make ends meet by selling
donuts as a snack after breakfast and after lunch times. She makes two
trips a day (around 8 a.m. & 2 p.m.) to our center trying to make some
money. I often buy her goods to treat the staff and the people at the center.
The goods normally cost a quarter to 50 cents. I have seen her struggle
and often trying to give emotional support and encouraging gestures. She
loves to chat but is often on the run. She normally brings one of her kids
along with her. She makes about $2.50 a day and husband works as a
steel worker in the neighborhood making $100/month. She is also car-
ing for her elderly mother and her baby brother. Right pictures: Profes-
sor Don and students enjoying the donuts. Don is also supporting Sitha
by buying her snacks to treat others.
Sreyneth would love to go to school;
unfortunately she does not have the
financial support to proceed in her edu-
cation. Sreyneth’s father was a fisher-
man and was washed away and
drowned working, leaving her and her
family without any support. She is a
very bright young girl and often talks
about going to school. It was sad to
hear her story. I was able to help pay
half of her monthly tuition and hope to
be able to send her for the full year in
2015. Her mother is struggling to sup-
port her two kids while working end-
less hours as a construction worker
earning $100/month.
are no scholarships available here in
Cambodia. The truth is that the gov-
ernment doesn’t care about education
or it’s own people. This new genera-
tion has showed much interest in pursu-
ing higher education than their parents
generation despite the struggle. Youth
are crying for support of their educa-
tion but no government official seems
to care. They are on their owns.
Tam has politely approached me to
help Bunthon with his college tuition. I
am able to help with half of his tuition.
Saren is helping him with the applica-
tion process to Pannasastra University.
His family can’t afford to send him to
college at the moment. He is trying to
find different sources but it is very hard
for Cambodian students. There are no
financial aids to help students and there
LEAD mem-
bers are the
luckiest group
of youth who
has your sup-
port. Thank
you again for
your invest-
ment in their
education.
Page 10
Support Seekers

11. Vechhay is 24 had just started college at the Royal
University of Agriculture because of a generous
sponsor like Sokha Sorn. She was so delighted to
help Vechhay. She met him during her trip in July.
Vechhay’s father had a tragic traffic accident and
was killed instantly when Vechhay was young. Cur-
rently, Vechhay is caring for his elderly mother and
his siblings. There are 11 people under his care. He
was kept out of school because of his family situa-
tion. He is the only person who had a source of in-
come to support his big family. His high school Prin-
cipal Meng Sor knew Vechhay’s situation and felt
the need to help. He then offered a job to Vechhay.
For about three years he has been a gatekeeper at his
previous high school making $100/month.
For more info please visit our Facebook page.
Left: Oyster Mushroom busi-
ness was introduced to
Vechhay by one of his teach-
ers. This business has been
supporting the family of 11
people. It’s very cheap here
(50 cents/lbs.) Just enough to
feed the family.
Page 11
Vechhay Nem, Royal University of Agriculture
NEWSLETTER TITLE

12. VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1 Page 12
LEAD’s Diverse Cultures/Religion

13. 1005 North Main Street , Suit 2016
Pawtucket, RI 02860
BUSINESS NAME
mollybsoum@gmail.com
Mission: Sharing knowledge to give
the light of life.
Vision: To fill in the missing puzzle and to
educate others in basic living skills for a better
self sufficient and for the BIG picture.
Leaders Empowered to
Advance Development