Mango Spring 2026

“Giraffes in Cambodia? You’re having a laugh!!”  

You’re right – there are no giraffes in Cambodia……but the giraffe has long been an adopted image for the Apostolic Prefecture of Battambang [similar to a diocese] and as our main partner, Support Cambodia shares the attributes behind this powerful symbol. The Giraffe has:

• Big Heart ….to care for and include everyone, irrespective of status, creed or colour
• Great Stamina …to persevere, to keep going back, even when things don’t go well
• Long Neck…..to have vision, to see beyond the immediate  
• Feet on the Ground……to be firmly rooted in the realities of life
• Eats only vegetation….to be gentle, peace loving and non-aggressive

Over the last 10 years, the vast majority of Support Cambodia’s projects have been funded and achieved independently but without the invaluable co-operation of the Prefecture, most of them just wouldn’t have happened. Leading the Prefecture during that time [and for 15 years before that] has been Kike Figaredo S.J, known to all as ‘Bishop Kike’ [pronounced ‘keykay’]. Support Cambodia are enormously grateful to him for the opportunity to contribute in a very small way to the work of the Prefecture. 

So, ‘thank you’, Bishop Kike and the many partners, lay and religious, permanent and volunteer, local and from overseas with whom Support Cambodia is privileged to share the ‘Inspiration of the Giraffe’. During the recent Trustee Visit, as a recognition of our continuing partnership, Chair of Trustees, Katie Maidment presented Bishop Kike with a special Support Cambodia kroma [scarf], only worn by officials of the charity.

THE TRUSTEE VISIT 2026

Chair of Trustees, Katie Maidment writes: The Trustee Visit is always extremely rewarding but very busy, very concentrated, and always far too short! And 2026 [my 17^th visit to Cambodia] was no exception. This year I was accompanied by my good friend and SUPPORTER Rosemary Downing, for whom this was her first time in Asia. And what a ‘first time’!

One of the highlights of two very intense weeks was an invaluable hour-long meeting with Bishop Kike [see cover story above] and being introduced to Buddhist monk Venerable Vy Sovichea, well known in the Battambang area for his community involvement and co-operative friendship with the Bishop.

Visits to Support Cambodia projects in Rohal, Tampoung, Ta Hen, Battambang, Sneung, Pailin, Siem Reap, Piaksnaeng and Kompong Kleang were combined with meeting our many contacts without whose help, delivering these projects would not be possible.   

Additionally, there were some unique opportunities: visiting an evacuee camp near Svay Sisophon, attending the opening of a Mother of Peace Special Needs School in Battambang and a tour of Don Bosco Technical Agricultural School. 

Currently Support Cambodia are supporting the studies of 10 students, 8 of whom we were able to meet in person and all of whom are now in regular touch with the charity. They are: Seng Hoan, Channy and Sammadi [Electricity], Vansak [Mechanics], Sry An [Catering] and extra-curricular English classes for Pisey, Samouel, Brathna, Nakry and Nich.

Rosemary also made time for a sunrise tour of Angkor Wat and a visit to an Elephant Sanctuary while I completed the craft shopping [scroll down for Rosemary’s personal impressions of the trip].

Most days were 7am [take-away] breakfast before the first visit of the day at 8 and then up to seven separate locations, lots and lots of talking, endless photos [“I take one more”!] and always the wonderful smiles and generous hospitality everywhere we went. Exhausting, overwhelming, surprising, so rewarding. As many have said before: the main beneficiaries of a visit to Cambodia are always the visitors, not the hosts.

Thank you Cambodia, thank you to all we met, all who facilitated our visit in any way, especially the inspirational Dr Nhor Chamrom who gave us so much of her precious time… and thank you Rosemary for being brave enough to come, for taking the notes and photos I didn’t take and above all, for being a brilliant travelling companion.

It was wonderful that so many of you followed the journey with us via the daily reports published on Facebook, WhatsApp and the website. Many have said “I really felt I was there with you”.…that was the idea! That’s why I won’t repeat the detail of what we did and who we saw. Whether you’ve read the daily reports already or not…they’re worth reading again, particularly in the context of our Cover story. You can find them here. 

Also worth reading on our website are the following short articles, expanding on some of the themes of the Trustee Visit:

And for a very personal view…. 

ROSEMARY’S CAMBODIA

“Stepping off the Bangkok Airways propellor powered plane on to the tarmac at Siem Reap Airport I was immediately hit by a wall of very hot evening air. Off came the first layer of my “zip off leg” trousers. Off came the compression socks, essential for a journey of more than 24 hours. On went the insect repellent. And off we went on our two week long journey around the rural villages of Northwest Cambodia….” 

To read the rest of Rosemary’s adventure, just click here

NEWS IN BRIEF

Goodbye, Father Carlos!

After nine years, Father Carlos Eduardo Alfaro has completed his time in Cambodia and returned to Colombia for a well-deserved vacation and year-long sabbatical. In that time he has worked in Siem Reap, served as parish priest in Pailin, Sneung and Battambang, taken responsibility for Tep Im Student Hostel and generally brought his limitless energy to a multitude of tasks. Support Cambodia have collaborated closely with Father Carlos  for five of those nine years and he has helped us deliver some of our biggest projects in recent years, principally the borewell and filter at Sneung, the establishment of the Vocational Training Scheme [via the Bob Maidment Educational Support Fund] and was a huge support to Support Cambodia projects for our good friend Sister Vangie Dunton [see Mango Spring 2025] during her time in Pailin. He is already much missed in Battambang and we too will miss his friendship, wholehearted support and complete commitment to the youth of Cambodia. Enjoy your rest, Father Carlos – adios amigo, y gracias from us all.

Thank you, Aylsham Rotary

FROM THE TRUSTEES

Two important changes being proposed by the Trustees:

• The introduction of ‘Associates’ to work alongside the legally appointed Trustees using their specific skills [e.g. media, communications etc.] to support the essential day-to-day running of the charity.  The position will be by invitation only and details circulated to all SUPPORTERS ahead of the AGM in April at which it will be put to a vote.
• ‘Shrinking’ the charity – in line with proposals made at 2025 AGM. At that meeting, it was proposed: 
  • to ‘shrink’ the charity in terms of areas covered in Cambodia
  • to concentrate on legacy projects e.g. Vocational Training as opposed to infrastructure
  • to begin to reduce the range of projects covered to just ONE fund –  the Bob Maidment Education Fund which would ONLY fund education-related projects. We do realise this will significantly reduce the annual income in line with projects we support.
  • make maximum use of digital technology and social media to facilitate communication and outreach both with Cambodia and with oursupporters.
  • implementing all this would probably enable Katie to run the charity with minimal assistance for as long as she is able/willing.
  • these proposals to take effect by April 2028.

The Trustees have agreed these proposals. All our Cambodian contacts have had the proposals explained to them face-to-face and what they will mean for future funding. This will be discussed again at this year’s AGM on Thursday 23^rd April at 11.00am [see separate box below for details].

Collection Tins:

For various reasons, including the cost of living and declining use of cash, the Trustees have decided to reduce the number of our collecting tins and/or relocate them differently. Grateful thanks to Aldborough Village Shop, Eclipse Hair Studio & Bon Bon’s [Aylsham] and The Cutting Room [Brundall] for hosting our tins and to all who have contributed. We still have tins at: The Fat Cat Pub [Norwich], The Tech Geeks [North Walsham], Peggy Little’s Products [Swaffham & Docking Markets], Semperart Glass [Ely Cathedral].

Our website and Facebook page now have a PayPal button which we hope will encourage donations directly to our bank account in one click….. without the need to visit our website…[though we’d much prefer if you did take a look!]. The option to cover the costs of the donation is available. Unless otherwise stated, all donations will go to General Fund. 

Stocks of Support Cambodia jam are building nicely: blackcurrant, plum, fig, gooseberry, several varieties of marmalade and two sorts of chutney will all be on sale in The Hutch and at our events during the summer, priced just £3.00. Grateful thanks to all our jam makers especially Chris Winfield, Maria Brown, Carol Shippey and Pauline Copperwheat.

DIARY DATES 2026

Table Top Sales [Aylsham] on 6^th June and 1^st August: offers to run either of these stalls would be much appreciated. Contact Katie Maidment if you can help. As yet no other events are planned. Anyone who’d like to organise a small fundraiser in aid of Support Cambodia please get in touch to see how we can help you.

And for a little light relief….

Our intrepid mascot, Karuna, was on his 18^th trip to Cambodia, helping to check up on previous Bears [who are all well and continuing to represent the charity in rural Cambodia].