CURRICULUM VITAE
I- Name and Personal in Details
Family Name :
Chhith, Fist Name: Sam Ath
Sex :
Male
Place of Birth :
Battambang,
Cambodia
Date of Birth :
15 August 1968
Nationality : Cambodian
Permanent Address : # 82, Street 202, Teuk Laok III, Toul Kork, Phnom Penh
Cambodia, Tel: (855) 12 92 85 85, e-mail:
samathc@hotmail.com.kh/chhith.samath@everyday.com.kh, samath@ngoforum.org.kh
Personal Homepage: http://geocities.datacellar.net/chhith
AIT Alumni Association, Cambodia Chapter (AITAACC) and
AIT Alumni Association (AITAA)
Founding Member of Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association
Areas of Proficiency
§ Partnership building and strengthening, human resource capacity development
§ Rural development planning and monitoring
§ Institutional and programme management (including systems development, personnel supervision, financial administration, report and proposal writing)
§ Grant processing and management (project appraisal, planning support monitoring and evaluation)
§ Policies advocacy with Cambodian government, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, IMF and others.
§ Human rights and democracy in Cambodia.
§ Micro and micro economics development
II- Education Background
9/97 to 8/99 1- Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), School of Environment and Resources Development
Degree obtained : Master of Science (M.Sc,) the field of Regional and Rural Development Planning.
Thesis Title : Micro-finance Services for Rural Development In Cambodia: A Case Study of PRASAC Rural Credit Programme in Prey Veng Province.
Major Compulsory Courses included:
1) Development Economics. 2) Natural Resource Economics. 3) Statistic for Human Settlement Planning. 4) Social Research in Development Planning. 5) Research Preparation Seminar. 6) Planning Theory and Practice.7) Rural and Regional Development. 8) Project Planning and Implementation. 9) Organization of Rural Development. 10) Urban Environment Management Using Geographic Information Systems. 11) Rural-Regional Planning Workshop. 12) New Technology, Industrialization and Gender. 13) Fundamental Management. 14) Local Government and Decentralization. 15) Agricultural Development and Planning. 16) Environmental Impact Assessment.
9/86 to 12/90
2- "CHAMKAR DONG" Agricultural Institute
Degree obtained: Bachelor of Agricultural Engineering
1979 to 1986 3- "Bak Touk" Junior and Senior High School
Degree obtained: Bak I and Bak II
III- Training Courses Attended:
1- Project Management: Organized by Hifab International AB, supported by Sida, April 3-29, 2005 (Sweden) and a post course programme completed in November 2005.
2- Fundamental Advocacy: Organized by Advocacy and Policy Program-Pact Cambodia, July 4-8, 2005
3- Capacity Building: An Organizational Approach, INTRAC, 22-26 March 2004, Oxford UK
4- Making Governance Gender Responsive, Organized by CAWIP, Institute for Gender Governance and Leadership, Philippines
5- Strategic Financial Management for NGO, organized by Mango (UK based organization), from 20-22 October 2003
6- Governance Workshop: Facilitated by VBNK, 14-16 August 2003, Kirirum, Cambodia
7- Conflict Management: Organized by CDRI, first module from 9-13 December 2002 in Kompong Som, second module from 3-7 March 2003 in Phnom Penh.
8- Financial Management for Programme Managers: Organized by Mango (UK organization), 1-3 October 2002, Bangkok, Thailand
9- Human Resource Management (HRD): Organized by Region College, 5-8 December 2001 in Phnom Penh.
10- Finance for Non-Financial Managers Training: Organized by Regent College, 15- 19 October 2001, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
11- Fellowship program in the United States, On how civil society groups in the US advocate with multilateral development banks in particular World Bank and IMF (06-30 June, 2000.
12- Analyzing Development Issues, Organize by Cooperation Committee for Cambodia, ADI-CCC, (03 April - 03 March, 2000).
13- Macro and Micro Linkages, Organized by Focus on the Global South with Oxfam Bezique in Lao (November 2-4, 1999)
14- Bridging Programme, Pre-Master Study, Organize by The Asian Institute of Technology (September, 1997- December 1997).
15- Training of Trainer on Rural Development, Organized by Net Foundation, Surin, Thailand (December 18-28, 1996).
16- Two-Week Hands-on Training and Capacity-Building on Multilateral Development Bank (MDB) Advocacy, Organized by Asian NGO Coalition for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (ANGOC), Manila, Philippines (19 April to 03 may 1996).
17- Accounting Course, Organized by the Banana Center, Realized by the Ministry of Youth and Education Phnom Penh, Cambodia (10 August 1995 to 10 January 1996).
18- Accounting in Spreadsheet Application Course, Organized by the Banana Center, Phnom Penh, Cambodia (01 July to 1 October, 1996).
19- Organizational Development of Non-Governmental Organization, Organized by International Cooperation for Development and Solidarity (CIDSE), Cambodia, (August 21-25, 1995).
20-
Computer Operation (WP, Lotus, Microsoft Word, Excel...), Organized by
Comparator Computer Trading,
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
(4 January to 4 April, 1993).
21- Understanding Law and Economic, Organized by Royal School of Administrative (ERA), (June to December 1993).
22-
Project Planning and Identification and Proposal Writing,
organized by Cambodian Development Resource Institute (CDRI)
(13-18 August 1992).
IV- Workshops/Conferences/Events Facilitated
1- Environment and Human Rights Conference: A regional conference for civil society and government official held in 2005, Cambodia.
2- Governance Workshop, conducted for directors, vice-director and their Board members of CNGO partners, 2004.
3- Earth’s Day “ Water For Life” conducted for civil society groups, military, police, provincial governor, government officers in Ratanakiri province, 2004.
4- Round Table Discussion “Land Issues and Land Law” conducted with affected community people by land and authorities concerns in Kompong Cham Province, 2003
5- Decentralization workshop “Perspectives for Partnership” conducted for civil society groups and commune councilors, 2003.
6- Advocacy Workshop, conducted for CIDSE CNGO partners staff, 2003
7- Decentralization Forum, was a panelist presented about the approaches of International NGOs to promote local governance, 2004
8- Project Management and Planning, conducted for credit agents 1997.
Jan/2006 to present (1) The NGO Forum on Cambodia
Position: Executive Director
Main duties:
(a) Overall responsibilities of the Executive Director are to represent the NGO Forum to NGOs, aid agencies, government and the media, and to oversee effective functioning of the NGO Forum programme.
(b) Attend selected NGO Forum meetings and project activities in order to build a relationship with NGO Forum networks, acquire familiarity with the issues they are working on, and to help them understand the role of the NGO Forum and its Executive Director.
(c) Speak on behalf of the NGO Forum at local and international gatherings, as invited by NGO Forum networks and external organisations which may further the NGO Forum’s aims.
(d) Be the main media contact for the NGO Forum, authorised to speak on the NGO Forum’s behalf. Develop an implement a strategy for dealing with the media.
(e) Meet with visitors to the NGO Forum, including government officials, aid organisations, NGOs and consultants to provide information about Cambodia, the NGO sector, and the NGO Forum’s advocacy agenda.
(f) Oversee the process of strategic planning, project planning and budgeting, to be managed by the Deputy Executive Director. Guide the process by providing input on strategic direction, policy advice and advocacy strategies.
(g) Design and oversee the system of regular internal reporting and monitoring to be managed by the Deputy Executive Director.
(h) Provide advice and support to the strategy and programme development of the various programmes and projects.
(i) Oversee the system of financial management to ensure financial accountability and transparency including annual financial audits.
(j) Oversee the budget development process, to ensure that budgets accurately reflect the priorities of the NGO Forum.
Jan/2005 to Dec 05 (2) NGO Forum on Cambodia
Position: Deputy Representative
Main duties:
(a) Overall responsibility of the Deputy Representative is to ensure effective functioning of the NGO Forum and to assist the Representative in representational tasks.
(b) Supervise all NGO Forum staff, under the oversight of the Representative. Directly supervise Project Coordinators, Administrator, Finance Officer and IT Specialist, and through them other staff and volunteers, according to the current reporting structure.
(c) Organise the system of regular internal reporting to be kept informed of progress in all projects and any necessary changes to activities, logical framework, and budget.
(d) Provide advice to project staff where required, especially with regard to project planning, budgeting and monitoring.
(e) Coordinate the schedule of all the NGO Forum activities, ensuring coherence and avoiding overlap and time conflicts.
(f) Conduct field monitoring of NGO Forum project work, in order to observe activities of all projects at least twice a year.
Oct.2001 to Dec. 20004 (3) CIDSE-Cambodia
Position: Programme Manager, Partnership Department
Main duties:
(a) Manage and supervise the Partnership Department (PD) staffing and its activities in order that the objectives of the programme successfully achieved following the policies and strategies.
(b) Coordinate and facilitate the preparation of PD proposal, annual Project Implementation Plan (PIP), reporting and long term strategic plan (Country Policy Document).
(c) Develop quality management system within partner organizations to ensure transparency and accountability.
(d) Prepare the monitoring tools to measure the impact of the programme.
(e) Developed the working systems and procedures to facilitate PD staff in working with partner such as capacity assessment tools, monitoring tool, project review and appraisal formats.
(f) Design reflection workshop, coaching and workshop with partners and act as facilitator.
(g) Assess the capacity need of the staff and prepare plan and coaching staff to improve their capacity to be effective implement their work.
(h) Monitoring monthly expenditure vs. budget report to ensure that expenditures are following budget amounts.
(i) Supervise two PD Programme Officers directly and four Programme Assistants indirectly through regular visit, discussion and coaching with them.
(j) Working with Ministry of Rural Development in developing capacity of Rural Development staff
(k) Act as convenor of the Advocacy Support Group of CIDSE to provide advocacy capacity support to the two department staff and link the issues arising at the community to the advocacy campaign and other advocacy networks. In addition to that coordinate to develop work plan and implementing its.
(l) Organize various dialogues such as round table discussion on “land issues and land law”, Earth Day, and others
Sept.99 to Sept.01 (4) NGO Forum on
Cambodia
Position: Development Project Coordinator
Main duties:
(a) Coordinating the Working Group on Development Banks in order to share experiences and advocate with the Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) on the issues affect the livelihood of the poor.
(b) Working on the World Bank, Asian Development Policies and educate the NGOs to understand the Banks' policies and facilitate civil society consultation on Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) and Country Strategy Plan (CSP) and PRSP or NPRS of the World Bank and government of Cambodia and ADB repressively. Frequently attended the meeting/dialogue of the WB and ADB.
(c) Planning, implementing, monitoring and reporting the project of the working group on development banks of the NGO Forum on Cambodia.
(d) Watch dog to the implementation of the ADB and WB projects and policies such as the implementation of compensation policy and others.
(e) Coordinate NGOs, civil society groups such as trade unions, farmer group, indigenous people and government to get inputs into the development policies and plans of the government of Cambodia such as Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), Socio-economic Development Plan (SEDP) and Governance Action Plan (GAP).
(f) Organized training workshops for Cambodian staff of NGO on the Economic Development.
(g) Provide awareness and advocacy training on MDBs and its implication on the development.
(h) Liaison of the information about the development projects to the interested NGOs and other civil society groups.
(i) Commissioning research on the impact of development project such as in June 2000 conducted a Survey of the People Affected by Highway 1 Improvement Project from Neac Leung to Bavet. Coordinating the survey on PRSP process and Mapping of NGO-World Bank relations etc.
(j) Organize several national workshops/seminars on different issues related to development.
(k) Networking with other NGOs in the region and in the world to generate support and information sharing.
9/98-12/98 (5) AIT's Cambodian Student Association,
Thailand
Position: President
Main duties and works done:
(a) Organized the cultural shows, National Day, Sport event. Contacted with cross-national association/country and responsible for overall whole management of the association.
12/93-8/97 (6) Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC)
Position: Programme Officer, Development Section
Main duties and work done:
(a) Responsible for planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting of the development program of ADHOC in five provinces. The development program consisted of rural credit and savings, school construction and experiment on solar energy.
(b) Provided training courses to ADHOC's credit staff and the Human Rights staff on Organizational Management, Financial Management and Project Planning and Implementation.
(c) Aside from Development work also worked as Lobby and Advocacy for ADHOC with closed link to the NOG Forum on Cambodia on the issues of Development Aid, Environment, and Civil Society.
12/92 to 11/93 (7) United Nation Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC)
Position: Mechanic Assistant
Main duties and work done:
(a) Management of vehicles belonging to UN.
(b) Facilitated the translation to Khmer mechanical staff.
6/92 to 11/92 (8)
Cambodia Human Rights Association (ADHOC)
Position: External Relation (Volunteer work with very insecurity
situation)
Main duties and works done:
(a) Prepared proposals for ADHOC's and submitted to the donors agencies for funding.
(b) Contacted with different NGO groups inside and outside of Cambodia.
11/90 to 6/92 (9) Day Eth Rice Research Station, Department of Agronomy, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery
(a) Responsible for management of agricultural machineries, repaired, maintenance and designed to adapt the situation.
(b) Research on rice varieties and fertilizers. Selected varieties and the best formula for fertilizer applications were transferred to the farmers.
VI- Lecturer
* Started on February 01 Lecturing on Intermediate Microeconomics Theory and Policy and Macroeconomics Course at the International Institute of Cambodia (IIC), evening class.
VII- Other works and volunteer works
June 2007- present PRC, Canada Cooperation Office Camabodia
September 2007- present Board member of PADEK
January 2006- present Board member of TPO
August 2007 – present Board member of Commune Council Support Project (CCSP).
September 1999 up 2005: Board Director of Sor Sor Trung
January 2000 up to present Board Director of Urban Sectoral Group
2001 up till now Board Member of SEACA (South East Asia Committee for Advocacy)
October 2001 to Oct 2003 Management Committee Member of the NGO Forum on Cambodia, this group have regular monthly meeting to guide and direct the NGO Forum work.
January 2003 to May 03 Project supervisor of Commune Council Support Project (CCSP) and the management Committee Member of CCSP
June 2003 to 2005 Advocacy Advisory Committee (AAC) of Pact-Cambodia. This group also has regular monthly meeting to give advise and direct the work of Advocacy Training Unit (ATU).
Computer still: Microsoft word, Excel, Lotus, WP 51, PowerPoint, Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS), e-mail and Internet (homepage).
Hobbies: Swimming, Volleyball, tennis table.
· Travel several times to many countries in Asia to participate in conferences, seminars, workshops, meetings, training on various aspects related to environment, civil society and development.
IX- Publications
1- Chhith Sam Ath, 2002, Intermediate Microeconomics Theory and Policy (In Khmer). (321 pages)
2- Chhith Sam Ath, 1999. Micro-finance Services for Rural Development in Cambodia: A Case Study of the Performances and Effects of PRASAC Rural Credit Programme in Prey Veng. Master thesis. Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok Thailand. (In English).
3- Chhith Sam Ath, 1989. Mechanization Project of Transportation and Harvesting Rice Production and Equipment of Pesticide in Prey Veng Province. (In Russian).
X- Knowledge of Languages
(1) English
Very good Very good Excellence
(2) Russian Good Good Good
(3) Thai & Lao Fair Fair
Good
(4) Vietnam Fair Fair Fair
Khmer is mother tongue.