Increase in Federal Grant to $100,000

Well, what can we say....

The State Department has increased our federal grant from 6 months to 12 months, and doubled the amount of money of the grant to $100,000.

This grant is not a replacement for the continuing support we all have given Aki Ra and CSHD.

This grant is seed money for Aki Ra and Cambodian Self Help Demining. The intention of the grant is to assist all of us in increasing the reach and scope of the work we do. The USDS was impressed enough with the objectives we presented and the unique qualifications and motivation Aki Ra and his team has demonstrated over the years, to fund us quickly and at the full amount requested.

This grant comes with qualifications. $10,000 can be used to buy a new truck (you have no idea how badly we need one). We need to raise the balance, $10,000 more.

The grant helps us hire a teacher who will work with the deminers, teaching them English and helping them improve their basic skills. We have to maintain the program.

The grant gives us the money to install a Rapid Response Team, who can respond to ERW (explosive remnants of war) threats outside the identified mine field in which we are working. We often have villagers come to our work site and tell us of mines they have found in nearby villages. We now have a way of quickly responding to those calls for help. We need to maintain the team.

This grant gives us some breathing room.

If we meet the many objectives we set for ourselves, we stand a good chance of receiving continuing grants from Department of State. But that will only happen if supporters like us continue to help CSHD with contributions.

And please, don't think for a minute that any contribution is too small. If everyone who gave $20 stopped donating, we'd have to close our doors.

Become a continuing donor. Go to wwww.Landmine-Relief-Fund.com and click on the PayPal button.