Our Executive Director
Ms. Yann Kosal is the Executive Director of the Community Advancement Organization (CAO). She has more than 10 years of experience in community development, having begun her career with Mekong Plus Cambodia. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated strong leadership, dedication, and a deep commitment to improving the lives of vulnerable families in rural Cambodia. She has successfully built a motivated team that works closely with communities to increase household incomes, strengthen livelihoods, and improve living standards.
Ms. Kosal strongly believes in community participation and often shares the guiding principle that inspires CAO’s work:
“Go towards the people, live with them, learn from them, love them. Begin with what they know, build on what they have. When the work is done, the people will say, ‘We did it ourselves.'”
Born in 1986 in Kandal Province, Cambodia, Ms. Kosal graduated from an agricultural university and earned a diploma in veterinary science. She began her professional career with Mekong Plus Cambodia, where her initial responsibilities included supporting vulnerable families, providing veterinary services, monitoring livestock health, and delivering technical training to farmers.
Although her academic background was in veterinary science rather than management, her dedication and leadership potential were quickly recognized. After a three-month trial period under the mentorship of Bernard Kervyn, she successfully transitioned into a management role. In 2012, she was promoted to Program Manager, leading integrated community development programs in Rumdoul District.
To strengthen her professional skills, Ms. Kosal participated in study visits and training programs in India, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand, where she gained valuable experience in organizational management, sustainable agriculture, livelihood development, and community empowerment.
Today, as the Executive Director of CAO, Ms. Kosal leads a team of eight dedicated staff members. Under her leadership, CAO continues to implement integrated programs that reduce poverty, improve education, promote sustainable agriculture, and empower rural communities to build a better future through their own efforts.
OUR HISTORY
The Community Advancement Organization (CAO) is a Cambodian non-governmental organization (NGO) established following the localization of the Mekong Plus Cambodia program. Building on more than 11 years of experience in Rumdoul District, Svay Rieng Province, CAO continues the community development work initiated by Mekong Plus in 2009 (see the Mekong Plus website: http://mekongplus.org/en/).
CAO was officially registered with the Ministry of Interior of Cambodia on May 7, 2020, and is headquartered in Rumdoul District, Svay Rieng Province. The organization is dedicated to reducing poverty and improving the quality of life for vulnerable communities, with a particular focus on women, children, and rural families.
Svay Rieng is one of Cambodia’s poorer provinces, where limited water availability outside the rainy season remains a major challenge for agriculture. Low agricultural productivity and limited livelihood opportunities have led many rural families to rely on seasonal migration for employment. At the beginning of our programs, it was estimated that approximately 80% of households sent at least one adult family member to work in Phnom Penh or other provinces for several months each year. This migration often separates families, creates health and social challenges, and negatively affects children’s education and well-being.
To address these issues, CAO implements integrated community development programs that strengthen sustainable livelihoods, improve agricultural production, expand access to education, and enhance community resilience, enabling families to build a better future within their own communities.
CAO has a team of eight dedicated staff members who work closely with local communities to promote sustainable development. The team brings together expertise in agriculture and livestock, education, health, livelihoods, environmental protection, and community development, enabling CAO to address the interconnected challenges faced by rural families.
CAO believes that lasting change requires an integrated and community-driven approach. By engaging households in planning, implementation, and monitoring, the organization fosters strong local ownership and active participation. This community involvement is a key factor in the success and sustainability of CAO’s programs. To ensure that solutions are accessible and can be replicated by poor households, all interventions are designed to be practical, affordable, and cost-effective.
