Organisation to nurture female entrepreneurs

Women-owned businesses will soon get a boost in Cambodia, with the
founding of a new organisation set to nurture female entrepreneurs.

The Cambodia Women Entrepreneurs Association (CWEA) will officially
launch on March 17, just one week after the 101st International
Women's Rights Day, under the patronage of the Minister of Women's
Affairs at Raffles Hotel le Royal, Phnom Penh.

Seng Katakneary, managing director of Sentosa Silk and the newly
appointed president of CWEA, said that the group has been two years in
the making.

"Cambodia's investment conditions are not easy for any entrepreneur,
whether male or female, but it is even more difficult for women
because of their traditional role. Moreover, staying at home is also
requirement for women in Khmer society," she said.

The association will provide support to women business owners through
the provision of business services, networking, and representing
women's common interests to relevant stakeholders, she said.

Saturday's inaugaral Gala Dinner will also serve as a fundraiser for
the new organisation. Over 200 invitations have been sent, and among
those invited are representatives of various government ministries,
foreign embassies, and international non-government organisations,
according to Katakneary.

Tickets to the event are available to the public for US$45 per person.
The organisation is also seeking large-scale sponsors who can
contribute between $1000 to $3000.

Katakneary said the event is open to all women entrepreneurs operating
in Cambodia who are interested in learning more about CWEA's services,
and will include food and a products exhibition, as well as a
performance by Cambodian Soprano Bosba Pahn and opera singer Khuon
Sethisak.

Panh Meng Heang, Bosba Panh's father, said that for the occasion, the
soprano will be performing several Cambodian and foreign songs with
her teacher, Khuon Sethisak.

"There will also be a song which describes the poor living standard of
fishermen in Bak Prea village in Battambang," said Panh Meng Heang,
adding that his daughter has been involved in other charitable
endeavours such as raising money to support clean water supply and the
purchase of mosquito nets for 300 families in Bak Prea village.

Panh Meng Heang noted that Bosba's performance at the CWEA launch
event will serve to highlight the diversity of Cambodian women, and
encourage girls to participate in social activities.

CWEA's Gala Dinner will take place this Saturday, March 17th at 6pm in
the ballroom of the Raffles Hotel le Royal in Phnom Penh.

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2012031455009/Lifestyle/gala-dinner-honours-women-entrepreneurs.html
Post Staff
Wednesday, 14 March 2012

Japanese entrepreneurs in Cambodia

A group of 25 young Japanese entrepreneurs are in Cambodia to explore
business opportunities.

The entrepreneurs are involved in businesses in the fields of
education, consultancy, real-estate, telecommunication, banking and
finance.

The group led by Hideo Okubo, Chairman and CEO of Forval Corporation,
met with Cambodian officials led by the minister of commerce Cham
Prasidh on Thursday.

Hideo Okubo said it was the first time the delegation came to Cambodia
to seek business opportunities after they were aware that the country
is politically stable and has a lot of potential for investment.

Cham Prasidh also said the country enjoys political stability,
macro-economic stability and preferential law and regulations for
investors.

Moreover, he said, this Southeast Asian nation has a lot of potential
in the sectors of industry, agriculture, tourism, mining, oil and gas,
energy, transportation and telecommunication.

"Except land ownership, foreign investors can invest up to 100 percent
of their stake in Cambodia -- they have no need to partner with local
investors," he said.

"Investing here, you can get duty free on the exports of your products
to European countries, the United States, China, India and even
Japan," he said.

Japan is one of Cambodia's key donors, however, the country's
investment in Cambodia is still relatively insignificant. According to
the figure of the Council for the Development of Cambodia, from 1994
to the end of 2011, Cambodia received only 154 million U.S. dollars
investment from Japan.

Japanese entrepreneurs eye investment in Cambodia
March 02, 2012
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90777/7745672.html

Free Film Camp in Cambodia - March 24

In another sign of the domestic film industry's gradual resurgence,
the Canadia Tower will soon host the country's first Film Camp event.

The small Tonle Bassac-based outfit Kon Khmer Koun Khmer – or
Cambodian Films, Cambodian Generations – has been preparing for the
introduction of the Film Camp concept in Cambodia after its successful
reception in Laos and Singapore.

Participants in the March 24 event will be given a one-day crash
course in screenwriting, operating a 16mm camera, sound recording and
editing, along with the opportunity to meet and work with other
potential aspiring filmmakers. Chan Soratha, a member of 4K and Film
Camp Cambodia's project manager, said the free and multilingual event
hoped to attract a diverse set of applicants.

"Film Camp is targeted towards everyone who loves film. So we are open
to everyone: they can be high school or university students or from
another place in life."

Chan Soratha said the event was ideal for people showing an interest
in film who have no budget or ability to produce something of their
own accord. Chan Soratha is hoping that the amount of work 4K have
done establishing Film Camp will be met with a strong interest from
Phnom Penh's potential auteurs.

"We started organising Film Camp in October of last year, which meant
contact with universities, contact with potential sponsors, and
finding people to help with its organisation," he said.

"It is something new for this country, so just to organise this
one-day event, we needed to speak to many different people, to find
sponsors, and to organise audience participation. The film industry in
Cambodia is not very strong at the moment, so for us, it has been
quite challenging to attract the audience and bring people together."

4K is devoting the next month to appearances at schools and
universities to find Film Camp recruits. To tempt participants, the
group has organised some impressive guest speakers, including renowned
actress Dy Saveth, a star of Khmer cinema's golden age in the 1960s
and '70s who has returned to the silver screen in recent years.

Recruiting Dy Saveth was quite the coup, with the actress taking time
off her busy schedule between an appearance at the Berlin Film
Festival and acting duties. 4K were fortunate to benefit from a long
history of collaboration with the star.

"We have been working with her for a long time," says Chan Soratha of
the collaboration. "Since 2008 in fact. We organised an exhibition
that collected Cambodian films from the 1960s and '70s, which we
showcased alongside promotional posters and stars of the films."

Film Camp will also feature guest lectures from German filmmakers Ingo
Hoffmann, who will demonstrate the use of Steadicam equipment, and
Peter Ristau, who will instruct participants in the use of editing and
production software.

Film Camp Cambodia will take place on Friday, March 24th at the
Canadia Tower in Phnom Penh.

The event is free but advance registration is required at the Film
Camp website:
www.filmcampkh.org

Sean Gleeson
Thursday, 01 March 2012
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2012030154785/Lifestyle/film-camp-seeks-to-spark-renaissance.html