Read the highlights from two more of the Teachers Mutual Bank group from the March Cambodian Study tour. On this trip, the group met some of Cufa’s Village Entrepreneurs, participated in a Children’s Financial Literacy class and the unique history and culture of this incredible country.
Here is what they had to say!
Name: Danielle Albany, Learning and Development Manager at TMB
What were your expectations prior to the trip? I expected to visit some schools and see how Teachers Mutual Bank supported the programs and assisted with the Children’s Financial Literacy Program.
How was the trip different from your expectations? The impact these visits had on me was unexpected. It was amazing to see the difference that can be made to people’s lives through sustainable investment and education. The strong emotional impact of learning about the sad history of Cambodia was also unexpected. I knew a little but being there took the emotion to an entirely new level.
Which Cufa project did you find most interesting? Impossible question to answer to be honest. I saw them all working in harmony to set up the future of the Cambodian people. One thing that I took away from the tour is that many people think the way to fix a problem is to throw money at it. Cufa actually invest the money to ensure every dollar contributed is making a difference to the long term sustainable future of the participants of the program.
Name: Steve McGhee, Sales Distribution Manager at TMB
What were your expectations prior to the trip? I was looking forward to visiting schools and seeing some of the remote regions of Cambodia where Cufa provides life changing work. In addition to the official agenda I was really keen to experience Cambodian culture and learn about the history of the country.
How was the trip different from your expectations? I felt way more welcome than I had expected. This was not only by the fantastic Cufa staff but also all the children in the Children’s Financial Literacy Program and the Village Entrepreneurs were genuinely engaged and willing to share their stories and interact with us.
Who did you enjoy meeting on the trip? We met so many great people! I was, however, most impressed by Tola (Village Entrepreneur Coordinator) and the rapport that he had developed with all the Village Entrepreneurs that we visited. He had such a caring nature, nothing was ever too much trouble.
Thank you, Danielle and Steve from Teachers Mutual Bank for sharing your highlights!
