Budhism For Development (BFD)

Contact Details

Mr. Heng Monychenda

Director

Mobile phone : (855) 12 817 915

Office Phone : N/A

Email address : bfdkhmer@bfdkhmer.org

Address: Wat Anlong Vil, Anlong Vil Commune, SangKer District, Battambang

Background

BUDDHISM FOR DEVELOPMENT (BFD) is a non–government organization founded in 1990 by a

group of monks from Site 2 Refugee Camp on the Thai-Khmer border, led by Indapanno Bhikkhu

Heng Monychenda who saw the value of Buddhism as a tool for peace restoration, economic and

social development, human rights recovery and democracy building with the aim of sustaining the

balance of individual, society and nature. Buddhism for Development envisions an educated,

democratic society, free from poverty and preventable illnesses, law abiding, and respectful of human

rights and the environment and a moral society with respect for Buddhism and Cambodian culture

and traditions whilst being aware of the threats and opportunities presented by globalization.

BFD provides awareness raising on HIV and AIDS including radio broadcasts that reach remote

areas featuring ‘talk-back’ style programs. BFD’s Integrated Care and Prevention (ICP) program

providing Home Based Care is implemented in the three provinces of Battambang, Siem Reap, and

Kampong Thom covering 16 health centers in 5 Operational Health Districts (Sangkae, Moung

Russey, Siem Reap, Angkor Chum, and Baray-Santuk), 18 communes, and 166 villages. BFD

promotes a holistic approach to its work with PLHIV including assistance to children to receive an

education. Nuns (daunh chi) have a central role in care and counselling in the community. They

undertake hospital visits to PLHIV, work with the many orphanages in communities assisting

children with personal and spiritual development, and provide the community with welfare and

counselling support. In addition pagodas have donation boxes to collect contributions for needy

families. A further feature of BFD programmes has been ‘summer camps’ providing Pagoda

Retreats for youth aged 15 – 25.

Vision

Buddhism For Development envisions an educated, democratic society, free from poverty and

preventable illnesses, law abiding, and respectful of human rights and the environment and a moral

society with respect for Buddhism and Cambodian culture and traditions whilst being aware of the

threats and opportunities presented by globalization.

Mission Statement

Buddhism For Development encourages, advises and trains Cambodians to participate in the

sustainable socio-economic development of their own communities. BFD participatory projects are

designed to meet the needs of target groups, and with the Dharma as a guide, strive to achieve

harmony between the individual, society, and the environment. Projects focus on the economic,

social, spiritual, and intellectual development, of target groups and aim to guide them, step by step,

towards self-reliance and empowerment.

11 BFD 2008

Human Resources

180 people: 122 full-time staff, 12 part-time paid staff, 16 full-time volunteer staff. The Home Based

Care has 20 full- time staff and four part-time staff supported by USAID and GF through KHANA. It

has 16 Health Centre staff and 117 Community Assistants and Village Health Volunteers who help

in this program.

Sources of Funding

• USAID and GF through KHANA

• WFP through KHANA

• Other sources such as EDM, TDH, DANIDA , ACEF, KAF, Pact Cambodia and GDRV

Program

Projects Funded through KHANA:

• Home Based Care (Integrated Care and Prevention) provides Care and Support for PLHIV

and OVC, and prevention for teenagers and married couples, implemented in BTB, SR, and

KTM provinces.

• Food support to PLHIV and OVC

Other projects:

• Include Human Right, Decentralization & De-concentration

• Local Administration and Reform Community Information Center (CIC) Arboriculture, Monk

Education , Mother Karuna

• Scholarships for students and a kindergarten, school construction, Buddhism and Khmer

society and co-operatives & credit.