To serve this purpose, a funeral association was set up in January 2008 for Beng Popoul village, Ampil Pram Doeum Commune, Bavel District, Battambang province. Mr Nhem Chharm, 63 years old, was elected by the villagers as Director of Funeral Association. His task is to collect contribution from villagers to assist any poor and vulnerable families who are facing food shortages, requiring urgent medical treatment or building new houses because their old houses were accidentally burned. For example, Mr Lav Vat’s family and Toeung Sarom’s family has received 71,000 Riel and 20,000 Riel respectively because their houses were burned. The association has paid 50,000 Riel for funeral ceremony of elderly Sorn, building a village road, one Sala Chhortean for villagers to stay and pray religiously.

Funeral association in Beng Popoul village has five committee members (2 women) and 144 families as members. Each family contributes 1,000 Riel per month. To date, the association has received 550,000 Riel as contribution from its members.

ADOVIR has supported Mr Chharm and two other persons to visit funeral association in target villages of CFEDA and DYMB in Banteay Meanchey province: Thmenh Trei and Domrey Leu.

In addition, this funeral association has received material support from ADOVIR such as cooking pots, plates, soup bowls, spoons, kettles, water buckets and water dragged carts. ADOVIR has also provided coaching and training to Funeral Association in Beng Popoul village on facilitation and leadership skills, guidelines and structure reviews.

Finally, Mr Chharm thanks ADOVIR and CWS for their continuing support and assistance to his funeral association that can respond to vulnerable people and families who are desperately in need.