Saturday, 21 June 2008

In California, Cambodian Reconciliation

By Nuch Sarita, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
20 June 2008

Khmer audio aired 19 June (1.25 MB) - Download (MP3)
Khmer audio aired 19 June (1.25 MB) - Listen (MP3)

Sopheaktra Nou, executive director and founder of the Cambodian Reconciliation Committee, said that he and a group of dedicated young and old Cambodian citizens established the CRC in 1999. Members of the group volunteered to help put this organization together for the Cambodian community in Fresno County.

Not only did the members want to help reunite the community, but to help those in the Cambodian community that cannot solve their own issues due to the lack of knowledge in English, Sopheaktra Nou told VOA Khmer in a recent interview.

"CRC is centered on building cohesion among Cambodian people and is dedicated to help serve the community of both elderly and young Khmer Americans," Sopheaktra Nou said.

The Cambodian population in Fresno is the smallest community nationwide, he said. For this reason, CRC thinks it is an optimal time to group Cambodian people together once again.

In 2001, US state and federal governments granted CRC non-profit status. CRC also focuses on education. The committee organizes a Cambodian High School Commencement every year to teach Cambodian graduates the importance of higher education.

"Our mission is to help Cambodian people in the Fresno Community to live in a better life and to become productive citizens. We have talented staff of professionals in areas of counseling, child abuse prevention, spouse abuse prevetion, kids run away prevention, domestic violence prevention, and social service assistance," Sopheaktra Nou said.

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