The staff of the NGO Forum on Cambodia organized five days for Mid-Year reflection on May 30 until June 03, 2018 at Angkor Holiday Hotel, Siem Reap Province. The objective of this reflection aim for increase awareness on NGOF’s Policy, to strengthen staff capacity on outcome harvesting and preparation for finalizing six months report (January –June 2018), to develop key priority areas of NGOF’s revised operational plan and budget and to maintain good working environment and team building.
On Thursday 31 May, 2018, the program was started by welcome and opening remark of NGO Forum leadership. Dr. TEK Vannara, Executive Director of the NGO Forum on Cambodia provides a warm welcome to NGO Forum colleagues attending NGO Forum Mid-Year Reflection. He was very impressed with the remarkable achievements of the organization for the first semester of 2018. He added that without their great contribution, efforts and commitment, we would not achieve these key achievements including environmental code, policy related to natural resource management. In the last two months there were national NGOs interested to register as membership of NGO Forum. He said that NGO Forum works still continue and he encouraged NGO Forum staff to continue to implement the program work more effectively with good quality.
Mr. Ek Chamroen, member of NGO Forum Management Committee welcome NGO Forum staff during the mid- year reflection. He said that he would like to learn about the work of NGO Forum. From the first day program, he has noticed that NGO Forum has good solidarity and respectful among staff. It was very good facilitation on the trip to Siem Reap province. He appreciated team solidarity including the photos style in front of Angkor temple. He noted that there was good movement of the NGO Forum because of the good team work made by NGO Forum staff. NGO Forum has good coordination with all networks. He recommended NGO Forum staff to continue to keep good solidarity, do no harm advocacy work including closely engaged with relevant government agencies, be neutral, role model to all NGOs in Cambodia and build good reputation. He wishes mid-year reflection of the NGO Forum success with fruitful results.
Mr. Ouk Vannara, Deputy Executive Director of NGO Forum presented on how to track the key achievements and challenges in the first six months, especially more focused on the Outcome Indicator and identify significant changes, variance explanation, and the means of verification of all programmes and project works within five months from January to June, 2018 and following to the Six-month Track Monitoring Report template. Practicing on outcome harvesting were started with staff were encouraged to verify change vs planned with checking through website, Facebook, articles of the relevant government agencies to collect references data by using Excel Tracking Tool. eg. CSO recommendations on draft 10 of the environmental code submitted to Ministry of Environment, H.E Chea Sophara officially announced that the government decided to provide land tiling to 375 families of land affected community in Koh Kong province in January, 2018. Practicing on outcome harvesting, the Outcome Titles were drafted by all programs and one outcome title of each project was presented to all staff for comment.
Friday 01 June, 2018 was the agenda focused on planning for next six-month, to develop key priority area of NGO Forum’s revised operational plan and budget. DED recapped the key result of day two including collected data for outcome harvesting report preparation. Finalized outcome harvesting report using annex:
– 1. To collect key achievement and use annex
– 2. To draft outcome title, description, relevant and contribution. Roadmap to complete narrative report. For narrative report of Jan-June 2018, DED suggested all staff to follow the following deadline.
Mr. Ouk Vannara, presented the format of revised 6 months action plan. Guide to revised AoP and budget from July to December, 2018. Staff should understand key terms of outcome indicators for formulating outcome harvesting. They should identify key actors to be engaged for influencing national policy and strategy. They should identify social actor taking action to change the way to do things. NGO Forum defines engagement as systematic efforts to change including policies, laws and regulations, practice and agenda. The behavior and action in such a way to ensure Cambodian people live in and enjoy equitable, sustainable and inclusive development. Which key actor do you need to engage with to change policies, practices, agenda and or behavior and action?
The revising key actions for July to December, 2018 refer to direction of ED on global and national trend. Refer to coordination plan presented by HRM. Use annex 2 to revise action plan 2018.To make it clear to all NGO Forum staff, DPM and EAPM explain the key actor for influencing government policy. They should look at outcome indicator and identify key term.
Mr. Chettana, FM presented the format, the requirements, format, and information for producing revised budget plan from July to December 2018. He recommended that Network Coordinator should estimate budget in detail based on number of participant who join the training including refreshment, lunch, training materials. Funding support from donors in 2018, Budget versus expenditure. The total expense about 23% in the last four months. Budget template for revision the next eight months was shared to all NGO Forum staff. Funding balance in section C should be allocated based on funding support from all donors. We should closely monitor donor funding to make sure that funding support spending on time based on donor requirement.
On Saturday 02 June, we traveled to Kulen National Park is the objectives of collaborated child rights and tree planting is to provide opportunity to NGO Forum staff to learn and understand the management of Kulen National Park and tree planting which contributing to sustainable environment and land and to restore the natural forest and keep the water reservoir sources for protecting all ancient temples in Siem Reap province. On the way to Kulen National Park NGO Forum distribute school stationary to school children in Koktrach school in Koktrach village, Bakong commune, Prasat Bakong district, Siem Reap province.
Tree planting with MoE including NGO Forum staff, MoE official, Rangers, school children and Australian Alumni. Total land on the Kulen mountain about 7,500 hectares. Total 400 planting land which forest clearance and occupied by powerful people. Total 10 hectares of land were taken from the community based on the protected law. Ministry of Environment that implement climate change adaptation project funded by UNEP provided alternative livelihood development approaches such as animal raising so that the community who agreed to return their planting land have better improve their livelihood.
Closing the reflection
At the closing of the reflection, Mr. Tek Vannara well appreciated the successful mid- year reflection. He added that all staff understood NGO Forum policies, procedure and completely done the draft of outcome harvesting, six month narrative report and next six month action plan and budget plan reviewing. He added that if any staff not yet fully understand, please contact Mr. Ouk Vannara, Deputy Executive Director for further clarification. He wished all staff to have safe way back home.