In the final installment of Sam McGoun's cross-Cambodian adventure, our hero -- whom over the past few weeks has had time to reflect on his epic adventure -- pens an open letter to his friends, family and supporters.

Dear friends,

It is with the deepest heartfelt gratitude that I thank each and every one of you for supporting me and the students of Sala Bai Hotel & Restaurant School over these past several months.  Your messages of encouragement gave me the strength to continue in my physical challenge, and both your time and financial contributions will power us forward well into the future.

As I reflect upon my journey across Cambodia to benefit the students of this special school, I am often overcome with emotion -- all very positive and all very powerful.

Today, as I will do for many days, weeks and months to come, I am attempting to process these emotions.  That is, I am attempting to draw out the deeper meaning -- a conclusion or revelation, perhaps even a philosophy -- that I can use to help guide me going forward.   As we all know, a profound life experience is often the best opportunity to learn and grow as an individual.

So what then, are the conclusions, revelations or philosophies that have resulted from my running, biking and swimming 670km across Cambodia to benefit the students of Sala Bai?  There are many; below I share two.

True happiness requires a purpose and passion in life

From my perspective, the only definition of success is true happiness.  And while true happiness eludes many of us, I am pleased to share that I’ve found it with the help of Sala Bai and its inspirational students.  My true happiness is knowing that I have both a purpose and a passion in this life much bigger and far more important than me.

My purpose is helping others -- giving more in this world than I could possibly ever take.  My passion is Sala Bai, and more specifically, giving young Cambodian women access to education and employment in the hospitality industry.

My true happiness, therefore, is the result of helping others, and in particular, the students of Sala Bai.

To be clear, there are other core ingredients required for true happiness -- ingredients that I am blessed to already have present in my own life: my health, my family and my friends.  And indeed, while everyone is different, I feel confident that true happiness will continue to elude us if we

don't have a purpose or a passion or if we do not make these about other people or other things that benefit humanity overall.  For me, this is eliminating poverty and fighting human trafficking by educating and employing the students of Sala Bai.  For you, it may be raising your children with a value system that enables them to be good (and happy) adult human beings.

Two things are for certain:  one’s purpose and one’s passion are individual choices, and these are two ingredients required for our own true happiness.

Smiles have no language barrier

Smiles are universal signs of welcome and respect.  I speak exactly three words of Khmer (Cambodian).  Most rural Cambodians speak about the same amount of English.  Our ability to speak each other’s language has absolutely no bearing on our ability to welcome one another or show a simple sign of respect. Throughout my 670km journey, I was the beneficiary of literally hundreds of smiles.  Little did I know that such a simple gesture could have such a profound and positive impact upon my own outlook.

Without a doubt, the smiles of Cambodian men, women and children gave me the motivation and strength to finish my days' physical commitments.

The reality is that most of the smiles I received during my journey came from people who earn less than USD$50 per month, who barely have enough food to survive, who work in harsh conditions more than 12 hours per day, who have little or no education and who have little or no access to even the most basic healthcare.  These kind people welcomed me into their communities and respected me in the process with genuine smiles.

Truthfully, most days I’m so “busy” getting from point A to point B that I walk around with a blank facial expression that is so unwelcoming you’d think I didn’t have facial muscles to form a smile.  What’s my excuse?  Clearly, there isn’t one.  Enough said.

It is time to smile.  It will welcome others within your immediate surroundings and show them a sign of respect.  And if you need another reason:  I promise it will make you much happier in the process.

My journey has just begun

While I have completed the physical journey of crossing Cambodia to benefit the students of Sala Bai, the emotional journey and my lifelong commitment to fighting human trafficking with education and employment in hospitality has only just begun.  You can follow and join this journey

by 'Liking' Touch Sala Bai on Facebook, by visiting the Touch Sala Bai website or by writing to me directly at smcgoun@touchsalabai.com.  We will ensure that you receive periodic updates from Touch Sala Bai about upcoming events, important developments on the fight against human trafficking and the progress of past, current and future Sala Bai students.

And while I have several more reflections that I look forward to sharing with you in the future, it's time to bring this chapter to a close.

I would like to thank the three people who have given a voice to this cross-Cambodia journey, and more importantly, the students of Sala Bai: Scott Woodward, Mike Rogers and Meghan Shea are the truly gifted professionals who lent their talents to giving voices to those individuals who do not have them. Through their still and moving images, they have told a story that connects not just our minds, but also our hearts, to something far more important than ourselves.  Without them, none of this would have been possible.  Scott, Mike and Meghan, thank you for following your own dreams -- you continue to inspire me, and others, to do the same.

And finally, on behalf of Jean-Paul and Emmanuelle

de Thomas, the students of Sala Bai and the members of Touch Sala Bai, I thank you all for making a difference.

- Sam

To help celebrate Sam’s journey and to support the fight against human trafficking, please donate to Touch Sala Bai today.  Donations to Sam's cross-Cambodian journey will close on Monday 7 May.

Did you miss our daily "Reports from the Road" during Sam's cross-Cambodian journey?  Catch-up on all of Sam's adventures and experiences here.

Kep to Sihanoukville

We spent last evening on the beach following a seafood barbeque, serenaded into dreamland by a local Cambodian wedding and a chorus of wild barking dogs.  Falling asleep after midnight did not keep Sam from setting out at sunrise on the final day of his cross-Cambodian odyssey.

Sam ran along the seaside in Kep, a sleepy coastal town once a glamorous resort destination founded as a French colonial retreat.  The town reached the height of it’s popularity in the 1960s, and today is dotted with the select few French-style villas which survived the Khmer Rouge regime.

Sam departed Kep with his sprits high, pounding the pavement and making great time as he arrived 16km later in Kampot, a small city renown in couture culinary circles for it’s pepper.

Stopping for our last lunchtime picnic just outside Kampot, Sam was fueled-up for the final stretch of his race by indulging in bologna, cheese and jelly sandwiches. Seriously.

Sam brought a deep reservoir of focus and strength to the final segment of this journey, which included 80km on his

mountain bike followed by a further 20km on foot. Somewhat ironically, the steepest terrain of Sam's entire journey was to be found in the final half of today’s trek.

Our crew expanded in the final hours with the welcome addition of Sam’s mother and father who traveled from the States to help watch Sam complete his race and support his venture.

We arrived in the coastal city of Sihanoukville just as the sun began to sink into the sea, casting the city in a triumphant golden hue.  Sam was single-minded in his focus to finish his journey at the exact beach that the Sala Bai Hotel & Restaurant School students visit during their annual graduation celebration.  To reach this beach, Sam conquered seemingly unending inclines and deftly navigated streets packed with tourists, motorcycles, and touting restaurateurs.

At the brink of total exhaustion, Sam arrived at the waters' edge and dove into the Gulf of Thailand, still wearing his running shoes, Sala Bai shirt and a newly-born feeling of exaltation.

For Sam, diving into the ocean completed his circle: he had followed the actual journey taken by one recent graduate,

Khatna, from her floating village in Mechrey on Tonle Sap Lake to the sandy beachfront of Sihanoukville.

It was an emotional few moments after Sam emerged from the water and embraced his parents on the beach, remarking with conviction, “Anything is possible. We can do anything we put our hearts to; all we need is a little support from our friends and family”.  Sam is a proof that a committed individual can accomplish anything.  After these brief and eloquent words, Sam hugged each of his parents and left the beach for a well-deserved hot shower and comfortable night's sleep.

Over the course of seven days, Sam cycled 503 kilometers, ran just over four marathons, swam in one lake, and crossed one river.  Sam has completed his journey.

To help celebrate Sam’s journey and to support the fight against human trafficking, please donate to Touch Sala Bai today.

Did you miss our previous posts?  Read the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh installments of Sam's adventure.

- Meghan Shea

Takeo to Kep

We fell asleep last night in a Takeo ricefield to the hums of the resident farmer tending to his fields perched atop his tractor (at 1am).  Joy.  Sunrise came quickly, and Sam took advantage of our auspicious location next to a pagoda by finding a moment to kneel, pray and reflect on his journey before setting out on day six of his cross-Cambodian adventure.  Following this brief spiritual reprieve, Sam bounded out of the campsite and into the town of Takeo. Scott and Mike were equally spry this morning and dove out of their tents to take full advantage of the beautiful golden hour sunlight.

After departing camp we explored Takeo, a lakeside city that was a stronghold for the Khmer Rouge Regime until 1996.  Sam’s route took him past the grounds of one of the most infamous residents of the city, former Khmer Rouge Commander Ta Mok.  Ta Mok served as the Khmer Rouge’s Chief of Staff in the 1960s and constructed a chilling Brutalist residence in Takeo surrounded by a moat and accessed only by a long, wooden footbridge.

Sam ran across the bridge and circled the property, now decaying and currently employed as a police training facility.  Behind Ta Mok's home we watched women

gracefully gliding across the property’s moat in their palm boats collecting lotus flowers; it was difficult to reconcile this serenity with the horrific atrocities committed by the home’s former resident.

Sam left Takeo, heading for the ocean village of Kep, biking in (literally) asphalt-melting conditions.  After nearly a week on the road, unrelenting heat, and countless kilometers, Sam has developed severe saddle sore on his backside.  It required immediate (and agonizing) attention at lunch to prevent infection.  We were in disbelief that, following a brief lunch break, Sam was ready to pedal for another 20km.

We took our question to the source, asking Sam where on earth his energy came from, to which he responded, “Honestly, I‘m not entirely sure where [it] is coming from.  It’s just kind like [I am] on a mission now; it’s uncomfortable but [I] just do it.”

We tipped our hats to Sam as he strode in Kep; six days down and one to go.

Our goal is help Sam raise USD$15,000 for Sala Bai Hotel & Restaurant School before his adventure is over.

As we write this, Sam has raised $10,245 with 24 more hours to go.  If you haven’t yet donated, please do so today.

Did you miss our previous posts?  Read the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth installments of Sam's adventure.

- Meghan Shea

Sa Ang to Takeo

We picked-up where left off last night, grateful to be hosted in a local (and active) pagoda in Sa Ang.  Upon our arrival late last evening, Sam explained to the pagoda’s head monk that he was running across Cambodia to expose the risks of human trafficking, after which the monk promised to accompany Sam to the river's edge when he embarked on his swim across the Mekong River this morning.

We awoke at dawn amidst the hum of monastic rituals; the night rain had purged the air and for a few splendid morning hours we were dust-free, and the countryside was bathed in ochre-colored light.  We set-out early to meet the river that was our current-laden foe mere hours earlier. It was a quite a team that stood on the shores of the muddy Mekong, ready to support Sam’s swim: a scruffy-looking documentary crew, seas of curious onlookers, vans and pick-up trucks waiting in the wings, and a lone monk cloaked in a glorious orange robe, offering his blessing to Sam's journey.  Sam dove in and crossed the Mekong, keeping pace with a rustic plank-style barge, emerging on the other side strong and prepared to begin running, biking, and sweating.

For the second part of day, the photography and video teams split from Sam and headed back into Phnom Penh to

learn first-hand about the realities of human trafficking from survivors themselves.  Thanks to our friends at the Cause Effect Agency, we were able to connect with some incredible women who are part of the Voices For Change program with the Somamly Mam Foundation and AEFSIP.

As explained on her website, the Somaly Man Foundation is “modeled after Somaly’s life example...[and] Voices For Change is designed to give survivors an opportunity to help themselves by helping others, to have their voices heard in the courts of law and public perception, and to have influence and impact on effectuating change...Each one of these women has lived through horrific conditions, and has emerged as young leaders, for Voices for Change.

“Co-founded by sexual slavery survivor, Somaly Mam, the foundation works to eradicate human trafficking, liberate its victims, and empower survivors so they can create and sustain lives of dignity."

We were honored to have the chance to interview such courageous and strong women.  They have lived through unimaginable atrocities and have survived to inform and educate others on the realities of trafficking.  These interviews will feature in the forthcoming documentary by Persistent Productions about Sam's cross-Cambodian

journey, articulating why this cause is important and why Sam wants your support to help prevent sex trafficking before it starts.

Donate to support Sam, Sala Bai Hotel & Restaurant School and the fight against human trafficking.

Did you miss our previous posts?  Read the first, second, third, fourth and fifth installments of Sam's adventure.

- Meghan Shea

Skun to Sa Ang

Sam began his journey early this morning by running through the small village of Phao Chum in An Lon Chey Commune.  Local residents were curious about the blonde man jogging through the center of their kampong, but no one more than the community children.  Sam collected a small entourage of 4, 5 and 6 year-olds who joined him for a mid-race stretching session, followed by a heated foot race.  Arriving at the Mekong River midday, the wide water vista was a prelude for this evening's face-off with river.

We rolled into Phnom Penh at lunch hour and Sam was quickly bobbing and weaving through the web of urban traffic, running past grand French colonial architecture, local markets, Independence Monument and The Royal Palace, all the while encircled by the buzz that is Cambodia's capital.  It seems that every new day usurps the traffic insanity of the previous ones: exhaust, haze, dust and smog abound, causing Sam to exclaim mid-run, “I think I’ve eaten an engine today.  At least a V8.  On second thought, make that a V12”.

Today Sam’s shirt reads “Stop Human Trafficking Before It Starts”.  He chose to wear this shirt while running through Phnom Penh as it is the destination for many

trafficked women.  Organizations like Sala Bai Hotel & Restaurant School aim to help prevent trafficking before it begins by giving young women and men the opportunity for an education and employment.  ECPAT Cambodia (End Child Prostitution, Abuse and Trafficking in Cambodia) reports that as many as one third of the trafficked victims in prostitution are children.  Learn more about the severity of human trafficking in Cambodia here and here.

The latter part of the day was spent battling the rain as Sam cycled out of Phnom Penh and headed for the river crossing where he planned to swim across the Mekong.  The showers were relentless, and soon it was thundering and the crosswinds were howling.  It was 7pm by the time Sam arrived at the river, and the mighty Mekong's currents were strong and the water was inky black.

Sam was determined to swim, but the risks were immense. Local boats refused to cross because of the strong currents, and the crew appealed to Sam to reconsider, expressing our concern for his well-being.  After a long and painful deliberation, Sam decided to postpone the swim.  The team will resume the river crossing tomorrow morning at dawn; this evening we are happy to report

that Sam is safe, and we’ll be counting our blessings as we make camp at a local pagoda in Sa Ang District.

Donate to support Sam, Sala Bai and the fight against human trafficking.

Did you miss our previous posts?  Read the first, second, third and fourth installments of Sam's adventure.

- Meghan Shea

Prei Kuk to Skun

We awoke by the river in Sambor Prei Kuk in northern Kampong Thom and spent the morning exploring 7th century pre-Ankorian temples before Sam hit the road.

He cycled through town, keeping a strong and steady pace, while the menagerie of traffic barreled past him.  Sam shared the road with apathetic cows, mobile farm equipment, scooters piled sky-high with bamboo and 8-seater vans carrying more than twenty people, including a half dozen travelers perched precariously on the roof.  In the midst of this controlled chaos was Sam’s bright orange shirt emblazoned with the words "Front Office", paying homage to the Sala Bai Hotel & Restaurant School student group he ran for today.

Following a brief respite at a local restaurant, Sam hit the pavement.  Steadfast in his commitment to the Sala Bai students that his running segment be at least 20km a day, he began his run at 7pm and was guided into camp by the beaming headlights of a motorcycle escort glowing softly through the dust.

After another long day on the road, Sam will curl-up under the stars, bedding down tonight in a rice field in Skun.

Donate to support Sam, Sala Bai and the fight against human trafficking.

Did you miss our previous posts?  Read the first, second and third installments of Sam's adventure.

- Meghan Shea

Kampong Kdey to Prei Kuk

Today day was filled with dusty roads, rural villages and a significant serving of determination.  We began the morning with breakfast overlooking the idyllic 12th century Kampong Kdey Bridge.  After dining in front of this ancient architectural structure, Sam set out on his bicycle.

Today’s ride took us past lively vignettes in the village of Khoum Damrey Slap: baths with water buffalos, rice farming, volleyball games and a most cinematic scene of village women and girls schnok-ing where they plunged fully clothed to the bottom of a muddy river, throwing down their nets and bamboo traps and, moments later, dredged-up their catch of trey phtok, a local freshwater fish.  This all-women group flowed rapidly down river and we found ourselves racing to keep up with this delightful cacophony of laughing, catching, and swimming.

Today’s physical journey was a testament to Sam’s will and resolve; a mid-morning routing faux pas had Sam riding an additional 30km in oppressive midday heat.  With temperatures high and a profound amount of dust on the road, Sam had to work hard for each kilometer.  Resolute in his commitment to physically power himself the entire way,

Sam pushed on until well after dark explaining, “What’s important is that I do the journey no matter what happens. Mistakes, incorrect [routes], it doesn’t matter.  Not everyone can just jump in a car and go.“

Sam was unwavering in his commitment to the students of Sala Bai Hotel & Restaurant School and is determined that this race help fundraise for their program.  He was on the road today for 140km over the course of 13 hours.  It was a powerful thing to behold.

Donate to support Sam, Sala Bai and the fight against human trafficking.

Did you miss our previous posts?  Read the first and second installments of Sam's adventure.

- Meghan Shea

Mechrey to Kampong Kdey

The team awoke this morning on a floating crocodile farm to the cock-a-doodle-doo's of the resident rooster; and from there, the day got increasingly colorful.

The reason for our aquatic overnight was because Sam began his race at Mechrey, a floating village on the Tonle Sap Lake, and the hometown of Khatna, one of Sala Bai's graduates.

After a ceremonial visit with Khatna and her parents, we said goodbye to her family, and Sam set out to take the first plunge of his cross-Cambodian challenge.

Sam bravely dove into the cloudy snake-filled waters of Tonle Sap and, as the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, he had the tall task of negotiating it's strong currents. Thankfully, there was only one casualty from our nautical morning: Mike’s Nikon AW 100 camera sadly plunged to the bottom of lake during a rogue inflatable kayak incident.

After conquering the swim, and following a quick change on the boat, Sam stepped foot on dry land and began his run for, and to, Sala Bai Hotel & Restaurant School, where more than 50 students lined the street and energetically cheered him on.  After greeting him, the students became a

bicycle entourage and joined Sam for the rest of his run, cycling by his side through the streets of Siem Reap. This lively entourage journeyed from Sala Bai to the Angkor Wat Temples, dotting the dusty roads with their bright orange shirts and even brighter smiles.  It was a striking and emotional scene: Sam running, students cycling, all against the backdrop of some of the world’s most spectacular ancient temples.

For most adventurers this would have been enough action for one day (month, year, etc), but not for Sam.  After the temples, Sam bid adieu to the students, hopped on his bicycle and, battling the sandy back roads of rural Cambodia, pedaled another 70km to Kampong Kdey. Nearly 17 hours after he began, Sam successfully completed the first day of his adventure.

Did you miss yesterday's post?  Read the first installment of Sam's adventure here.

Donate to support Sam, Sala Bai and the fight against human trafficking.

- Meghan Shea

About Sala Bai

For nearly ten years now, Sala Bai Hotel & Restaurant School has been offering tuition-free hospitality training to 100 impoverished young people annually.  Sala Bai's mission is to provide their students with the capabilities and experience necessary -- in one of four disciplines: restaurant service, cooking, front office and housekeeping -- to secure gainful employment in one of Siem Reap's numerous luxury hotels, guesthouses or restaurants. These skills, and the resulting economic independence, not only improves the students' quality of life, but those of their families as well.

About the Adventure

In the early morning hours of Saturday 31 March, Sam McGoun -- a Detroit-area native and current resident of Singapore -- will begin a seven day journey, swimming, running and cycling 625km across Cambodia in an effort to raise awareness for, and help fight against, human trafficking.  Inspired by the challenges overcome by the students of Sala Bai, Sam’s route will follow the actual journey traveled by one recent Sala Bai graduate, Khatna, as she gained an education at the school.  All funds raised by Sam will directly benefit Sala Bai, an organization that stops human trafficking before it starts.

The Adventure Begins: Singapore to Siem Reap

Sam and the team began our cross-Cambodian adventure early Thursday morning, departing from Singapore and bound for Cambodia laden with camera equipment, bicycles, energy bars and flush with excitement for our week ahead.

Soon after landing in Siem Reap, Sam dove headlong into his triathlete responsibilities, playing the role of bike mechanic as he assembled and prepped his rides after their flight.  Thanks to the ever-supportive staff at the Heritage Suites Hotel, Sam's bikes were roadworthy in no time.

Later in the day we touched base with our friends at Sala Bai.  Sam addressed a sea of smiling young students at the morning flagpole ceremony, explaining that his inspiration and motivation for his journey is in fact the students themselves.  Their commitment to creating a better life and future for themselves and their family has clearly left a very deep impression on Sam.  As a physical manifestation of this inspiration, on every day of the adventure Sam will wear a different shirt -- one for each student specialization at Sala Bai -- connecting each of the student groups directly to one segment of his race and showing his solidarity with the students of Sala Bai.

In the final throes of trip preparation, the crew gathered for an epic pre-departure meeting where we got a preview of what to expect on our week-long trek.  We’ll be camping at abandoned temples, waking before dawn to monastic chants, sleeping in pagodas, encouraging Sam and finding showers whenever we can.

As the documentary photography and film team chronicling Sam’s odyssey, we will be doing our best to keep pace with him as he dives into the rivers, runs through the villages and pedals across the countryside of rural Cambodia.  And if Internet gods smile upon us, we will bring you a daily Report From The Road every evening, sharing a few snapshots and the daily headlines from Sam's journey.  We are in for one fantastic adventure...

Donate to support Sam, Sala Bai and the fight against human trafficking.

- Meghan Shea

Since 2009 I have worked alongside the inspiring women of The Chain Reaction Project (TCRP), a non-profit philanthropic organization based in Singapore.  United by a passion for adventure and a dedication to helping others, TCRP seeks physical challenges and local organizations that can benefit from their efforts in some of the world's least-developed nations.  TCRP's mission is to be catalysts for change, pushing themselves and inspiring others to tackle a physical or mental challenge for a good cause.

Over the past three years, the women of TCRP have raced in the Tour de Timor, a 5-day, 450-kilometre mountain bike race across Timor-Leste, run the Dili "City of Peace" Marathon and completed the grueling nine day KILI[Man] in Tanzania, summitting the highest peak in Africa over over six days, biking 250km around the mountain over two days and running a full marathon on the final day.  Along their journeys, TCRP has inspired many dozens of other catalysts for change and raised more than USD$100,000 for HIAM-Health, a Dili-based malnutrition rehabilitation and education centre and AmaniKids, a home for Tanzania’s street children and AIDS orphans.

TCRP recently launched their newly-designed website, www.thechainreactionproject.com, and I am very proud that a large selection of the photography I created for them on

their two trips to Timor-Leste is prominently featured there.

This collection of imagery was my personal donation to TCRP: a library of photographs that can be used for their marketing and public relations purposes, and as a way to help garner additional sponsorship and donations for their future philanthropic endeavors.

TCRP's passion, tenacity and dedication to helping others is admirable, and I am honoured to be both their partner and their friend.

See more of my imagery from the ruggedly beautiful nation of Timor-Leste captured on my TCRP documentary shoots in 2009 and 2010.

In September and November of last year, Mike Rogers, Meghan Shea and I spent nearly two weeks at Sala Bai Hotel & Restaurant School in Siem Reap creating documentary photography and film about the positive work the organization is doing for Cambodia's disadvantaged youth.

As outlined in one of my previous posts, for nearly ten years now Sala Bai has been offering tuition-free hospitality training to 100 impoverished young people annually.  Sala Bai's mission is to provide their students with the capabilities and experience necessary -- in one of four disciplines: restaurant service, cooking, front office and housekeeping -- to secure gainful employment in one of Siem Reap's numerous luxury hotels, guesthouses or restaurants.  These skills, and the resulting economic independence, not only improves the students' quality of life, but those of their families as well.

Like many NGO's, Sala Bai relies heavily on the generosity and support of private donations and corporate benefactors to fund it's operating expenses and help meet it's financial obligations.  In the spirit of this, the Southeast Asian edition of Travel + Leisure magazine has donated six full-page advertisements to Sala Bai over the course of 2012. The first advertisement -- featuring a portrait I made of Sala Bai student Srey Mao -- appears in the January 2012 issue of Travel+Leisure.  The ad reads as follows:

Village to Vocation.

A Victory Against Human Trafficking.

Meet Srey Mao from Kra Yatbong.  Her family lives on less that $25 per month.  In July, she will graduate earning more than three times that amount.

A good reason  to smile.

In 9 years, the non-profit Sala Bai Hotel & Restaurant School in Siem Reap, Cambodia has graduated 803 young men and women from our yearlong vocational training program.  Without fail, each has been employed within three months of graduation.  To learn more about how you can help, please email us at info@salabai.com or visit us at www.salabai.com or www.facebook.com/SalaBaiSchool.

If you would like to make a donation to Sala Bai, please click here.

I spent most of last week in Cambodia with my filmmaker friends and frequent creative partners, Mike Rogers and Meghan Shea of Persistent Productions.

The three of us were there to visit Sala Bai, a hospitality school for underprivileged youth in Siem Reap, as part of location scouting and pre-production meetings for an upcoming film and photographic collaboration.

In November, we will return to Siem Reap for 10 days to create photographic reportage and a short documentary film about Sala Bai and the positive work they are doing for Cambodia's disadvantaged youth.

For nearly a decade, Sala Bai has been training, free-of-charge, approximately 100 young people annually in the hospitality industry.  The school's goal is to provide the students with the skills and experience necessary to secure gainful employment in one of Siem Reap's numerous hotels, guesthouses or restaurants, helping them achieve economic independence and improving their quality of life, and those of their families.

Sala Bai offers students four specific training programs: restaurant service, cooking, front office and housekeeping. The 11-month curriculum includes theory classes,

practical training and internships at partner hotels in Siem Reap.  The students are supported by social workers who mentor them throughout their tenure at Sala Bai, as well as assist them in finding a full-time job after graduation. Remarkably, 100% of Sala Bai's students secure gainful employment in the Cambodian hospitality industry within three months of their graduation.

When we return to Cambodia for our shoot in November, we intend to focus on Khatna, a young woman who recently graduated from Sala Bai and now works on the front desk at the boutique Heritage Suites Hotel in Siem Reap.  We intend to tell the story of Khatna and her journey, in less than one year, from Mechrey Village -- a rural floating community located on Tonle Sap Lake, where she lived with her pig farming parents and four sisters -- to working the front desk of a luxury hotel in the city.

As part of our pre-shoot interviews and location scouting, we traveled with Khatna, by tuk-tuk and small motorboat, to Mechrey Village to meet her family and see their humble home.

I opted to leave my Nikon DSLR's at the hotel, instead brining only my iPhone to document this informal family visit.  This series of Hipstamatic images (which I tweaked a

little in post-production using Noir) are of Sovern Sorn, Khatna's father, who welcomed us warmly into his small wooden home, and then sat silently by the window throughout our hour-long visit, smoking cigarettes and gazing out at the passing boats.

At first Sovern was reluctant to let me photograph him, but after showing him a few of the processed images as they popped-up on the screen of my iPhone, he opened-up and permitted me to quietly snap away.

Our visit to Mechrey Village with Khatna was a highlight of our time in Cambodia, and Mike, Meghan and I are very excited to return to Siem Reap in November to get to know Khatna and her family better, as well as begin our creative project alongside the students and administrators at Sala Bai.

See more of my iPhoneography elsewhere on this blog or on Flickr.

Last Thursday night, I attended the premier of filmmaker Grant Knisely's documentary The Chain Reaction Project at The Arts House in Singapore.

In August 2009 Grant and I traveled to Timor-Leste with the women of The Chain Reaction Project (TCRP) as they competed in the inaugural Tour de Timor, a five day, 450km adventure mountain bike race across nine of Timor's 13 districts.  Coined "The Ride For Peace", the mountain bike race presented the ladies with a grueling challenge on their way to raising USD$35,000 for HIAM-Health, a clinic dedicated to the rehabilitation of malnourished children in the capital city of Dili.

Grant's uses Timor-Leste's historical suffering as a backdrop for his film -- a result of a brutal 1975 Indonesian military invasion and a subsequent 24-year occupation that left over 100,000 Timorese dead -- while documenting the athletic achievements and selfless philanthropic work of the women of TCRP as well as the passion and dedication of the employees of HIAM-Health to help make a better life for the people of Timor-Leste.

As with many small, independent films, funding is often difficult to come by.  But The Chain Reaction Project was a labour of love for Grant and his small Code Red Films

production company, and he persevered in raising the human interest and the monetary capital necessary to complete his movie.

The end result is a short film that Grant should be very proud of.  Indeed, I am proud to have my photographs featured throughout his documentary, as well as gracing the film's DVD cases and movie posters that were on display Thursday night at The Arts House.

Click here to see a slideshow of my Tour de Timor photography.  More of my imagery of the ruggedly beautiful nation of Timor-Leste and her people can be found here and here.

Zhang Tingjun and the women of the The Chain Reaction Project (TCRP) get some well-deserved love in this month's Reader's Digest (Asia).

Rightfully so, these catalysts for change are named "Heroes" by Reader's Digest; indeed their passion, tenacity and dedication to helping others is valiant.

I feel privileged to have met these women and documented their philanthropic endeavours to Timor-Leste in both 2009 and 2010, including their recent participation in the Dili "City of Peace" Marathon -- as profiled in Reader's Digest -- where they delivered a SGD$28,000 Playpoint playground and more than SGD$10,000 to the children of HIAM-Health.

Next stop for these wonder women: competing in the KILI[Man] in Tanzania from 19-27 February 2011.  This entails summitting the highest peak in Africa over a period of six days, biking 250km around the mountain over two days and running a full marathon on the final day.  All funds that TCRP raises will benefit AmaniKids, a home for Tanzania’s street children and AIDS orphans.

Heroic, indeed.

I was recently invited to give the opening address at the 27th Annual Interscholastic Association of Southeast Asian Schools (IASAS) Model United Nations Convention at Singapore American School (SAS).

There were nearly 200 students and teachers present at the conference from more than a dozen school across Asia.  It was a true privilege for me to speak to an auditorium filled with intelligent, creative and articulate young people.

The central theme of my presentation was You never know if you never go.  I try to live by this philosophy, and I highlighted many touchstones in my life where I took a leap of faith and chose my own adventure: my decision to travel to Asia, to accept an offer to work for Coca-Cola in Singapore, to leave the corporate world to pursue my photography passion and, laterally, the choices I made to work with both Mike Rogers in Bhutan and The Chain Reaction Project in Timor-Leste.

I explained a bit about what The Chain Reaction Project is all about, and how these women have made a difference in the world.  I then showed the audience the slideshow I created for The Chain Reaction Project on their most recent philanthropic endeavour in Dili.

I wrapped-up by explaining that, for me, my work with both Mike and women of The Chain Reaction Project has been a wonderful by-product of choosing my own adventure: meeting and working with inspiring people, having the ability and means to explore the corners of the world, and being given the creative freedom to make photographs that I am truly passionate about.

I suggested that just by being in the auditorium, each of those students had already chosen their own adventure, and I encouraged them to take the Model UN experience to meet others and share themselves and their passions -- whatever they may be -- with as many of their peers as possible, and to keep doing this as they continued to pursue their dreams in high school, in college, in their careers, and beyond.  If they did this, and if they opened themselves up to opportunity, I promised that the serendipity of life would take them amazing places.  But, they'll never know if they never go.

When the opening ceremony ended, I answered a few questions and then proceeded back to my studio in the city and a regular day at work.  With the exception of harping on a few technical difficulties that occurred during my presentation, I honestly gave my Model UN address very little further thought.

That was until a couple of nights ago, when there was a knock at the door to my home.

It was Mimi Molchan, the SAS teacher who organized, and invited me to speak at, the Model UN event.

I was very surprised to see Mimi standing there.

But I was even more surprised by what she had for me: in her hand was a bag, an envelope and a note, addressed to The Chain Reaction Project, which read:

Hi Ladies,

On Thursday, November 11th Mr. Scott Woodward came to Singapore American School and gave the opening address to 160 delegates and 33 advisors for the 27th Annual IASAS Model United Nations Convention.  Scott was very engaging and did an absolutely fantastic job.  He had everyone in the palm of his hand as he spoke about the importance of finding a cause and then giving to that cause.  He inspired everyone and I know everyone took something away with them from his message.

I appreciate very much the time, effort and care Scott put into his presentation.  It truly set a very positive, reflective

tone for the convention that continued on for the next three days.

In the bag you will find change that the International School of Manila [ISM] and International School of Bangkok [ISB] students handed me as they got on the bus heading to the airport on Sunday, November 14th.  I was talking to one of their advisors explaining we were thinking of making a donation to The Chain Reaction Project.  One of the kids heard us talking and they asked the rest of the kids to give me all their change as they got on the bus.

The ISM kids told the ISB kids, and then the ISB kids gave me all their change.  I had nothing to put it in, so I took the bottom of my t-shirt and held it out and the kids filled my shirt with their coins.  We collected S$96.71 in a matter of minutes.  That was cool.

In the envelope you will [also] find a contribution [of S$650.00] from IASAS that you may use in any way you feel is beneficial.  You are making a difference in this world.

Thank you.

Mimi Molchan

I am so touched by the students' and Mimi's caring, thoughtfulness and generousity; their kindness was so unexpected.

I met Ting and Alex, two of the founders of The Chain Reaction Project, for lunch the very next day.  I could hardly wait to share with them the story and present them with the (nearly) $750 donation for their next philanthropic adventure: competing in the Kiliman Adventure Challenge in Tanzania in February 2011 to benefit the children of Amani Children's Home.

Ting and Alex were as grateful, and as moved, by the gesture as I was.

The IASAS community, too, is making a difference in this world.