Sunday, October 26, 2014

Lesson Learned from Conference on National Social Enterprise of Cambodia 2014 at CKCC

Success and Failure with The Reflection for Improved Future



On October 25th, 2014 there is a conference on National Social Enterprise 2014 at Cambodia-Korea Cooperation Center (CKCC) in Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP). The conference is supported by Royal University of Phnom Penh, University of Western Sydney, FRIENDS International and ICS Creating Change.

Starting at 8:00AM, the registration was done smoothly for the incoming attendee listing or holding conference ticket registered online through http://evenbrite.com. The introduction began at 9:00AM by Dr. Nguon Chanrith, Dean Faculty of Development Studies RUPP was to focus on his faculty regarding business planning and management, field trip to different enterprises and community and drawing the attention of the audience on past failure and success of social enterprise within this conference.

Next, CEO of ACLEDA Bank Plc, Dr. In Channy, was the key honored guest speaker to mention about his experience and the process of transforming ACLEDA from NGOs to be the first rank bank in Cambodia having branches in Laos and Myanmar and playing model role as the social enterprise. Anyway, the most important point in his speech in Khmer is the challenges and commitment in the process of transformation. Those challenges is the staff itself dividing to two groups during the discussion for transformation. Only 2% decided not to joined while the left still doubted about process as they said about the ownership of NGOs to contribute to the social work. However, Dr. In Channy convinced them logically only that the private enterprises could be sustainable and financially supportive with ownership to help society while NGOs is funded for short period of time not last longer, especially the Law on Financing in 1997 not allowed NGOs to lending and must register as the private enterprise if want to. The other main challenges is the Non-performing loan (NPL) really high 5.6% and the low trust of Cambodian towards the domestic products and services. In respond to this challenges, Dr. IN Channy and his colleagues committed to excellence by ruling the staffs not to get too close personally in any form rewards from customers even water for especially credit officer and to respect each other as the teacher sharing, learning and growing together including customers due the excellent service and the respect for all status without discrimination is the key to win the trust from domestic customers. "Do not blame customer even paying loan late, speak politely!", He said. Stressing on the key joint venture, the bank needs to be transparent (Say NO to corruption!) for investment partner to trust you including DFI (Development Finncial Investment) like IFC and other larger commercial banks like SMBC (Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation), Bank Populaire from France, etc.

Later, there is a debate between different actors from sector on the topic "Are NGOs right to run a business? NGOs Vs. Social Enterprise!" The conclusion from both Pros group is that NGOs fund is limited or sometimes no fund at all that requires it to run a business to get the fund as well as to be the training center like the restaurants of Friends International. The transformation to social enterprises is the future prospects. If funding and running by third party or running as the separated entity will be really risky. Risky refers to the loss (Where is the fund to support the loss?) or the ignorance from third party to stop supporting NGOs. On the other hand, the Cons group concluds that NGOs should transfrom to social enterprise if it wants to run the business for funding. NGOs is to help people in term of ethics and not to use those people without salary. Social enterprise is also could help people with corporate social responsibility. If NGOs run a business, it violates the ethics for non-profit and help people. At last, both groups have their own reasons towards this topic. No one is right or wrong and it may depend which situation you're in.

Other activities including coffee break, buffet lunch time, speed networking (make new connecttion with others interested in Solcent in a fun way), social enterprise fair, small parallel sessions including presentations regarding matters  and innovation in social enterprise from Cambodia, Thailand and South Korea and movie screening ("Who cares": it doesn't matter if you work in education, finance, human right, health, environmental affair, or another field altogether; it doesn't matter if you work in private and public or social sector. If you see problems as opportunities, you have what it takes to be a change makers, a social entrepreneur.  To learn more about this fascinating path, which is as much as career as it is a vacation, as much about giving a sense of purpose to your life as it is about having a positive impact on society!).

Special quotes for youth, " You want to be the part of problem or the part of solution?"

By: Pok Panhavuth














La Ang Spean in Battambang, The Oldest Prehistoric Site in Cambodia

  Pre-history in Cambodia is really important to tell about the past of Cambodia (Kamboja / Kambuja / Kanbawza). Cambodia locates in the mai...