Rural Assistance Program Prey Veng (RAP), Cambodia

Currently, there is not a lot that we can write about to  update  our Rural Assistance Program.

Our reports in April and August detailed how the COVID 19 virus created severe travel restrictions making it impossible  to run this program without the assurances and safeguards  of our  personal  supervision and  close staff support.  This type of monitoring  has always  been a critical element of our program and we feel that it has been key to our success in our ability to achieve so many of our goals over the past 20 years. Unlike our programs in  Phnom Penh , we do not have locally placed staff in the countryside  that are of the caliber needed  to oversee the operations of the entire program. Although this has always been a  challenge,Mark’s frequent  on-site visits to review  our projects were essential to monitor and maintain  efficient use of our limited  resources.

Cambodia still has very strict travel restrictions.   At the end of April Cambodia was  closed to entry by Americans and Europeans. Although now it may be  possible to visit, a combination of testing,and required  14 day quarantine continue to make a visit unfeasible.  Consequently, for the time being, we reluctantly  continue  the current operation of our Rural Assistance Program. Now ,based on recent developments with COVID 19, it is our assumption that this  suspension may last  through mid year 2021. 

Our decisions  have been based on the following factors:

1) Donor funds could not then, nor now,  provide funding adequate to maintain the program at its necessary  levels. 

2) In the US and Japan ,where most of our donor base lives, the  economic impact of the coronavirus crisis  had  combined with weather extremes - ranging from typhoons, hurricanes and most recently , wildfires  in California to  create   urgently competing needs  for donor funds. Now renewed shut down of businesses due to surging COVID cases in the US and the continued impact of COVID in Japan, this further impacts our fundraising abilities.

In light of these conditions,  we feel that we  must  continue  the suspension of our program’s operations as we wait to see how things develop. We are disappointed that this is where we find ourselves, but we feel that  we have no  choice, We will keep you posted on any updates as they occur.

We are deeply grateful to you,  our donors , for your  generous and long time support of this program. It is our sincere hope that we  will be able to move forward  at some point in 2021.

With heartfelt thanks for your understanding,  

Barbara & Mark Rosasco