Cambodian Arts & Scholarship Foundation - Founding members of the Cambodian Arts & Scholarship Foundation

About CASF

Amara (translated clever girl) dreams of being a doctor. Now in grade 10, CASF supports her education and has donated a computer to her family.

The Cambodian Arts and Scholarship Foundation (CASF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that was founded in 2001 by Frederick Lipp, author of The Caged Birds of Phnom Penh. CASF is committed to improving the lives of children in Cambodia through education; a particular focus is on work with poor, at-risk girls who are, for a number of reasons, often denied equal access to schooling.

CASF collaborates with local communities to identify potential students, provides financial, emotional and medical support to these students and their families, and sustains this support for as long as the student wants to learn. CASF has offices located in Portland,Maine USA and Phnom Penh, Cambodia and was granted Cambodian non-governmental organization (NGO) status in July, 2004.

The NGO is overseen by a small all-volunteer Board of Directors in Portland, Maine USA that fundraises and assists with logistics as well as visiting the programs regularly. CASF currently provides scholarships and emotional/medical support to approximately 150 Cambodian students who live in five Cambodian provinces and attend 25 different schools. Sodary Chap, CASF Director in Phnom Penh, manages each Provincial Program in Mondulkiri, Kandal, Svay Rieng, Kampong Cham, and in Phnom Penh. The Director works closely with Educational Coordinators who live near the students and who meet with each student several times a month. The foundation also supports 33 University students and two women studying for a Masters Degree.The CASF staff, generous volunteers, and hands-on board members are deeply committed individuals who give faithfully of their time and expertise, so that over 87% of the funds go directly to support the students. We pay no salaries in the United States.