NCVA REPORTER - June 7, 2004

In this NCVA Reporter:

Funding Opportunities

• Community Technology Foundation of California Seeks Proposals for Research Projects
• American Legacy Foundation Offers Grants for Programs to Help Women Quit Smoking
• CPS Human Resources Community Grants
• Public Education & Conference Support Grant Program
• Community Networks To Reduce Cancer Health Disparities
• Assets for Independence Demonstration Program (AFI)
• Runaway and Homeless Youth Collaboration on the Prevention of Adolescent Dating Violence
• Development of Services to Immigrant Victims of Domestic Violence and their Children
• Community Services Block Grant Program Community Economic Development

Jobs/Internships

• Asian Families needed for a MASTERCARD TV Commercial
• Khmer Girls in Action Seeks Director
• Hmong National Development – Executive Director
• Urban Justice Center, Public Benefits – Staff Attorney

Tips/Resources

• Report: Charitable Giving Recovered in 2003
• Foundations Focus on Youth as Resources

News

• Culture Changes Smoking by Chinese-Americans (Health Behavior News)
• Retail Notebook: The man behind Viet-Wah knows his growing niche (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
• APAs in the Federal Workforce (Asian Weekly)
• Bush Tells National Service Agencies to Work with Faith Groups (Press Release)
• Legacy Says Smoking, Obesity Need Equal Attention (American Legacy Foundation)
• Voting Rights Advocates Identify Top Risks to Voters in 2004 (Leadership Conference on Civil Rights)
• Linguistic skills earning applause (Mercury News)
• Vietnam and China wage war on trafficking of women (New Zealand Stuff)
• Report: Up to 160 Vietnamese tribespeople hiding in Cambodian jungle (Associated Press)

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FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATION OF CALIFORNIA SEEKS PROPOSALS FOR RESEARCH PROJECTS

Deadline: June 30, 2004

(http://zerodivide.org/grants/appliedrfp)

The Community Technology Foundation of California (http://zerodivide.org/) is offering grant support for primary research to improve how California's underserved communities are using and can use community technology to address social change.

This grant opportunity is expected to support the objectives of the Community Partnership Committee's (CPC) Applied Research Initiative (ARI), which include 1) building a knowledge base to support the work of CPC, the Universal Service Task Force, and CTFC by documenting the potential of community technology to bridge the digital divide; 2) creating a network of researchers, policy makers, community advocates and organizations, and practitioners promoting social justice through community technology; and 3) promoting greater understanding of issues and progress on the digital divide by key policy makers and leaders in philanthropy, the not-for-profit sector, and the general community through broad dissemination of research products. In addition, the grants are intended to help facilitate multi-site research projects in areas of research relevant to specific populations of  interest.

In support of these objectives, CTFC seeks proposals that address one or more questions organized under three broad topical categories: 1) information and communications technology access and infrastructure deployment; 2) community empowerment and capacity building; and 3) information use, privacy, rights, and security.

Approximately $400,000 will be available to fund three to five research grants for project periods of up to two years.

Investigators associated with a public or private California university or college or nonprofit 501(c)(3) are eligible to apply. Collaborations among universities, colleges, and community-based organizations are encouraged.

See the CTFC Web site for the complete request for proposal.

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AMERICAN LEGACY FOUNDATION OFFERS GRANTS FOR PROGRAMS TO HELP WOMEN QUIT SMOKING

Deadline: June 30, 2004

(http://www.americanlegacy.org/ -See "Grants" under "Programs" heading)

The American Legacy Foundation has announced the availability of grant funds to support the Circle of Friends (http://www.join-the-circle.org/) movement in local communities throughout the United States. Grants funded by this program will help organizations support women trying to quit smoking. All successful grant projects must include a strong social support component and incorporate Legacy-produced cessation materials, themes, and broader materials into the project.

Organizations may request up to $75,000 per year for up to two years. Organizations may also choose to apply for only one year of funding and then apply for a second year of funding at the close of the first grant year. Cash or an in-kind match is strongly encouraged but not required for  the first year of funding. A 2:3 cash match is required for second-year funding.

Planning grants are also available and will up to $25,000 for one year for an organization to develop an innovative project.

Complete program guidelines and application procedures are available at the American Legacy Foundation Web site.

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CPS HUMAN RESOURCES COMMUNITY GRANTS

(http://www.cps.ca.gov/about/CommunityGrants.asp)

The CPS Community Action Network (CAN) grant program is an innovative, positive, and progressive outreach effort that implements our vision of "positively influencing our communities by providing people and economic resources." The ability to provide financial grants to eligible 501c(3) non-profit organizations provides an opportunity to improve the communities where we live and work. The grant program also represents an opportunity to share our unique approach to serving the public and non-profit sectors. CPS is excited to offer potential grants to eligible organizations!

2004 Priority Areas for Funding
The CPS CAN Committee periodically surveys CPS employees to determine areas of greatest interest which serves to identify our grant program focus areas. Non-profit 501c(3) organizations that provide services in our selected focus areas will be encouraged to submit proposals for grant awards. The designated focus areas for the 2004 funding cycle are: Youth Services and Family Living and Assistance. Grant award amounts will normally range from $1,000 - $10,000.

Non-profit organizations dedicated to one or both of these service areas are eligible for consideration for grant awards for the 2004 funding cycle.

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PUBLIC EDUCATION & CONFERENCE SUPPORT GRANT PROGRAM

WHO: Faith-based and community organizations, and any public or nonprofit private entity.

WHAT: To provide partial support for specific non-Federal one-time conference program activities in the area of family planning and related preventive health. A conference is a symposium, seminar, workshop, or any other organized and formal meeting lasting one day or more, where persons assemble to exchange information and views, explore, or clarify a defined subject, problem, or area of knowledge

WHEN: Applications due July 6, 2004.

AWARD AMOUNT: Individual award amounts will range from $30,000 - $80,000.

CONTACT: TO view the program announcement, head to
http://www.raconline.org/funding/funding_details.php?funding_id=513.

For further information, please contact Susan Moskosky at 301-594-4008 or email SMoskosky@osophs.dhhs.gov.

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COMMUNITY NETWORKS TO REDUCE CANCER HEALTH DISPARITIES

WHO: Faith-based or community-based organizations, for-profit or non-profit organizations, universities, hospitals, and laboratories, State and local governments, and domestic institutions/organizations.

WHAT: The purpose of the CNP is to reduce cancer health disparities by conducting community-based participatory education, training, and research among racial/ethnic minorities) and underserved populations. The overall goals of this program are to significantly improve access to and utilization of beneficial cancer interventions in communities with cancer health disparities, thereby reducing these disparities.

WHEN: Applications due June 13, 2004.

AWARD AMOUNT:  Approximately $500,000 is available in funding.

CONTACT: To view the program announcement, head to

http://www.fedgrants.gov/Applicants/HHS/NIH/NIH/RFA-CA-05-012/Grant.html.

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ASSETS FOR INDEPENDENCE DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM (AFI)

WHO: Nonprofit organizations, including faith-based organizations; State, local, or Tribal government agencies applying jointly with a nonprofit; Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) or Low Income Credit Unions, in collaboration with a community-based anti-poverty organization.

WHAT: AFI is a Federal grant program that explores ways to help low-income people become economically self-sufficient. AFI provides grants of up to $1,000,000 to nonprofit and government agencies that provide financial education to clients and assist them with saving money in Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) for the goal of acquiring one of three long-term assets (a first home, post-secondary education, or small business capital).

WHEN: Applications due July 27, 2004.

AWARD AMOUNT: A one-time grant of up to $1,000,000. (Average grant award is about $350,000.)

CONTACT: For a link to the full program announcement, head to

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/HHS-2004-ACF-OCS-EI-0027.html.

For additional information on the program, please contact the Office of Community Services at (202) 401-4626 or email AFIProgram@acf.hhs.gov or head to the new AFI website at

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/assetbuilding/. The website includes general information about asset building, details about the AFI program, information for applicants, resources for Grantees, and links to other resources.

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RUNAWAY AND HOMELESS YOUTH COLLABORATION ON THE PREVENTION OF ADOLESCENT DATING VIOLENCE

WHO: local public agencies and non-profit community-based organizations; faith-based and charitable organizations who are recipients, or have been recipients, of grant awards for Basic Center, Transitional Living and Street Outreach Family and Youth Services Bureau-funded projects; and non-profit domestic violence advocacy organizations and domestic violence State Coalitions who are or have been recipients of Family Violence Prevention and Services grant awards.

WHAT: To develop and implement effective strategies for the identification, requirement, and use of domestic violence adolescent dating violence prevention services concurrently with the services provided through Basic Center, Transitional Living and Street Outreach projects. These efforts would focus on the youth who are identified within the Domestic Violence and the Runaway and Homeless Youth communities as individuals that may be responsive to a collaborative set of services or interventions

WHEN: Applications due July 16, 2004.

AWARD AMOUNT: Approximately $450,000 will fund up to 6 awards.

CONTACT: To view the program announcement, head to

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/04-12348.htm.

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DEVELOPMENT OF SERVICES TO IMMIGRANT VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND THEIR CHILDREN

WHO: State agencies administering Family Violence Protection Services Act (FVPSA) shelter services grants, State Domestic Violence Coalitions, domestic violence immigrant organizations, public non-profit organizations, faith-based organizations, and domestic violence advocacy organizations are eligible to apply.

WHAT: (1) To provide technical assistance to FVPSA grant administrators on issues that inhibit the development of programs and services to immigrant victims of family violence and their children; (2) to develop collaborative responses and to provide cross-- training to enhance responses to immigrant victims of family violence and their families; and (3) to develop policies and protocols that increase the scope, operation and linkages between domestic violence service providers and organizations serving immigrant communities. Moreover, submitted proposals must assure that their activities promote cultural competency that meets the cultural and socioeconomic context of immigrant victims and their children.

WHEN: Applications due July 16, 2004.

AWARD AMOUNT: Approximately $150,000 will fund up to 3 awards.

CONTACT: To view the program announcement, head to

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/04-12349.htm.

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COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Discretionary Grant Program--Operational Projects

WHO: An applicant must be a private, non-profit Community Development Corporation (CDC), nonprofits and faith-based and community organizations are eligible to apply.

WHAT: To assist eligible CDCs that have in place written commitments for all projected non-OCS funding, project operations and site control for their economic development project. Low-income beneficiaries of such projects include those who are determined to be living in poverty on public assistance, including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), are at risk teenagers, custodial and non-custodial parents, public housing residents, persons with disabilities and persons who are homeless.

WHEN: Applications due July 12, 2004.

AWARD AMOUNT: Approximately $11 million will fund between 15 and 17 awards.

CONTACT: To view the program announcement, head to

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/HHS-2004-ACF-OCS-EE-0019.html.

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JOBS/INTERNSHIPS

ASIAN FAMILIES NEEDED FOR A MASTERCARD TV COMMERCIAL

We are award winning Bay Area Casting Directors (Coke, Nike, Discovery Channel) who are looking for Asian-American Men, Women and College Age Males to be leads in a MASTERCARD TV Commercial!!!

NO ACTING EXPERIENCE IS NECESSARY!!
The TV Commercial is about a Asian-American Mom and Dad dropping their Asian-American son off for College. They are all leading roles (but very little speaking) and the pay is very, very substantial (from $5000 and up for only one day of shooting!)

Any Asian-American background is welcome and you do not have to be a family but can try out as a Mom, Dad or Son. Accents are fine.

If you are a 17-22 year old Asian Male who has medium to long hair (must be at least down to your mid-ear) or an Asian-American Man or Woman who is 40-55 years old please come meet us THIS Saturday only, June 5, 2004 at:

FT MASON CENTER
Building Meeting Room 235, 2nd Floor
The Ft MASON Center entrance is at the intersection of Marina Boulevard and Buchanan Streets, in the Marina district of San Francisco between 4.30p-7.30p.

Just come as you are and dress casually. It should take under 1 hour and we’ll fill you in on all the details when you arrive.

Don’t miss this big opportunity!
For more info please call 415-995-4698
Christie Every Productions
Please feel free to forward this email or announce!

Christie Every
CHRISTIE EVERY PRODUCTIONS
915 Cole Street, #270
San Francisco, CA  94117
studio: 415.474.1642
fax:     415.474.1605

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KHMER GIRLS IN ACTION SEEKS DIRECTOR

Job Title: Director

Posting Date: May 25, 2004 (closing date is July 15 or until filled)

Hire Date: August 15, 2004

Terms: Full Time: $40,000-$45,000 plus excellent benefits

Reports to: Advisory Board

Location: Long Beach, California

Khmer Girls in Action (KGA) works with young Southeast Asian women in Long Beach organizing for social change and community empowerment. KGA Staff works as a team, promoting mutual respect and equal participation of youth and adults.  Valuing process and consensus building efforts, KGA staff are highly committed to social justice and community building both within and outside the organization.

Established in 2002, KGA is looking for a new dynamic Director who has the commitment and desire to lead a team of young women activists to build a grassroots organization working towards the self-determination of youth, immigrants and refugees, and women.  The Director is expected to cultivate a nurturing organizational culture, which requires MENTORING/COACHING and LEADERSHIP DEVELPOMENT of staff and members. The Director will also play a key role in developing the organization's VISION and PROGRAM PLANNING and FUNDRAISING efforts to ensure the fiscal health of the organization.

The Director of KGA is responsible for ensuring the overall health and growth of the organization by overseeing:

*         Leadership development of staff (supervision, mentoring, providing support)

*         Organizational strategic development (short/long term planning, visioning)

*         Fundraising (proposal writing, donor liaison)

*         Funder liaison (writing progress reports, relationship building)

*         Fiscal management (budgets, cash flow)

*         Fiscal sponsor liaison/administrative oversight

*         Development of organizational policies and procedures

*         Board development (recruitment, coordination, communication)

Qualifications:

*      At least 3 years of experience managing staff and leading programs

*      Experience and/or willingness to conduct fundraising and cultivate donor relationships

*      Strong writing and public speaking skills

*      At least 3 years demonstrated volunteer or professional experience working in diverse immigrant/refugee communities (preferably Southeast Asian groups)

*      Demonstrated commitment to social justice, gender justice, and youth self-determination

*      College degree or equal work experience

KGA is an equal opportunity employer. Women, members of minority groups, persons with disabilities and older persons are particularly encouraged to apply.

Send cover letter, resume, writing sample and a minimum of 3 references by June 30th to: KGA- Director Search, 1355 Redondo Avenue, Suite #9,

Long Beach, CA 90804

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HMONG NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, INC.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JOB DESCRIPTION

Background
Hmong National Development, Inc. (HND) is seeking an Executive Director with proven leadership, management and fundraising skills to join our team.

As the only organization whose mission is “developing capacity to ensure the full participation of Hmong in society”, HND works locally and nationally with private and public entities, as well as individuals to promote educational opportunities, to increase community capacity, and to develop resources for the well being, growth, and full participation of Hmong Americans.  In addition, HND serves as a resource to decision makers, federal agencies, local and national nonprofit organizations and the community, providing information about the status and needs of Hmong Americans.

The Executive Director is the chief executive staff responsible for managerial and administrative duties of HND.  This position requires a dynamic individual who possesses visionary and leadership qualities in the field of community service and public policy.  In addition, the position requires experience with the administration of non-profit organizations and a Board of Directors.  The individual must possess a strong ability to work with and communicate with others.  Must have experience with and an interest in representing a non-profit proactively to decision makers, government agencies, and the public.  Must have experience with fundraising.  Must be willing to work in a close-knit office environment where duties overlap.  Must be able to work independently and cooperatively, promoting teamwork and individual responsibility as appropriate.

The Executive Director’s primary responsibilities include:

1)     Securing the resources necessary to fulfill HND’s mission and vision;

2)     Maintaining and enhancing HND’s reputation in the community;

3)     Cultivating support from individuals, corporations, organizations, foundations, and governmental entities;

4)     Building and nurturing a strong, professional, and passionate staff;

5)     Managing all operations including staff oversight, and program development and implementation;

6)     Overseeing finances and complying with all regulations and standards;

7)     Working with the Board to assure quality governance and strategic planning;

8)     Seeking opportunities to enhance HND programs and community collaborations.

Specific Responsibilities:
The specific responsibilities of the Executive Director are listed below, though these responsibilities are continually evolving and this list should be periodically updated.

1)     Staff – The ED is responsible for staff management and development and should have a clear understanding of all staff job descriptions. The ED also:

¨       Maintains and updates HND’s Personnel Policy Manual with Board oversight.

¨       Evaluates the performance of directly supervised employees in writing at least once per year, and more often as need.

¨       Conducts staff meetings and review staff reports on projects to maintain information flow and team spirit.

¨       Hires, nurtures and, when necessary, terminates staff.

¨       Maintains up to date employee files.

¨       Acts as the staff liaison and spokesperson to the board, bringing staff concerns and needs as well as accomplishments to the board’s attention.

¨       Builds and maintains staff morale and team spirit in creative ways.

¨       Ensures adequate staff development opportunities.

2)     Board of Directors – The Board of Directors supervises the ED.  The ED assists the Board President with board governance as needed. The ED also:

¨       Helps the Board Secretary prepare general board meeting agendas.

¨       Helps prepare and distribute (electronically whenever possible) board mailings prior to each meeting.

¨       Prepares ED Report to keep Board informed of relevant activities and development at HND for each board meeting or as needed.

¨       Helps Board President run board meetings.

¨       Attends all relevant committee meetings.

¨       Plays a key role in board development and the cultivation, recruitment, and training of new board members.

3)     Organizational and Program Development – The ED develops and implements an annual work plan in response to needs and board direction. 

¨       Helps board of directors with strategic planning.

¨       Ensures annual review of all policies and procedures.

4)     Finance – The ED will help oversee the accounting practices and procedures for HND, and maintains compliance with all regulations and standards. The ED is also responsible for presenting financial reports to the Board Treasurer on financial activities and for adhering to the approved budget set forth by the Board of Directors. The ED also:

¨       Prepares annual operating budget consistent with program work plan for review by Treasurer and Finance Committee and for final approval by Board of Directors.

¨       Works with Accountant to prepare financial statements for review by Treasurer, Finance Committee and Board members.

¨       Approves deposit of all monies, transfers funds and makes investments (via an assigned staff member) as per the HND’s financial policies.

¨       Coordinates with a certified public accountant for ongoing accounting procedures and annual year-end audit.

¨       Ensures compliance with federal and local nonprofit filings.

5)     Resource Development – The ED is responsible for overseeing all major fundraising activities, including:

¨       Maintain good working relationships with funders.

¨       Cultivates new and current major funders.

¨       Reviews annual development plans and sets priorities for fundraising efforts.

¨       Works with the Board to develop and implement fundraising campaign(s).

¨       Works with Board to oversee record keeping of donations and maintenance of givings database.

¨       Oversees donor recognition/thanking processes (via assigned staff member).

¨       Proofreads outgoing grant solicitations.

¨       Ensures timely reports to funders.

6)     Public Relations/Marketing – The ED shall project a positive image of HND to the community and seek community support through marketing materials, publications, special events, and public speaking engagements.  The ED also:

¨       Maintains good working relationships with elected and public officials, government agencies, and other local and national nonprofit organizations.

7)     Information Technology - The ED oversees HND’s information technology, including computers, printers and other hardware, the network, and all software, including:

¨       Makes all final decisions regarding software and hardware updates and purchases until such a time when there is designated staff.

¨       Oversees the creation and maintenance of HND’s website.

8)     Risk Management - The ED actively manages HND’s operations, policies, and programs to minimize risk to staff, Board, participants, and the public and to avoid the possibility of litigation.

¨       Maintains adequate insurance coverage policies for liability and Directors and Officers coverage.

¨       Work with staff and Board to manage all program accidents via reporting, record keeping, and follow-up (including policy changes as necessary to avoid future accidents).

9)     Permits and Licenses - The ED makes sure appropriate permits and licenses are in place and adhered to as required by law.

Minimum Requirements
All candidates seeking the position of Executive Director must possess the following requirements in order to be considered:

¨       A minimum of three (3) years of nonprofit management experience,

¨       Proven experience and background in fundraising and development, with emphasis on fiscal planning, grant writing, and funder relations,

¨       Proven ability to management, supervise, develop, and direct nonprofit organization,

¨       Experience with media and communication – both verbal and written,

¨       Proven experience in legislative knowledge and strategies,

¨       Bachelor’s degree from accredited four-year college or university,

¨       Outstanding interpersonal skills,

¨       Proven experience working in collaboratives and partnerships that involve a variety of diverse stakeholders,

¨       Experience with program planning and service delivery,

¨       Fluency in Hmong language and heritage,

Position Location
Must relocate to Washington, DC.  Moderate travel can be expected.

Salary/Compensation
Salary will be commensurate with experience.  Benefits include health, dental, retirement, vacation and holidays.

Process
All interested candidates should submit cover letter, resume, a writing sample, and three references to:

HND

Attn:  ED Search Committee

1112 16^th St. NW, Ste 110

Washington, DC 20036

(202) 463-2119 Fax

(Please Note: Faxes are accepted; however, you should call (202) 463-2118 to confirm that your fax has been received.  Emails are not acceptable.)

Deadline:  Applications accepted until filled.  Interviews will start June 1, 2004.

HND is an equal opportunity employer.

(www.hndlink.org)

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STAFF ATTORNEY – PUBLIC BENEFITS
URBAN JUSTICE CENTER, HOMELESSNESS OUTREACH AND PREVENTION PROJECT

The Urban Justice Center (UJC) is a not-for-profit agency dedicated to advocating on behalf of the poor and marginalized. Founded in 1984, UJC's Homelessness Outreach and Prevention Project (HOPP) is on the front lines of poverty advocacy, providing legal services directly in New York's poorest communities.  Through this work, HOPP works with communities and clients to identify systemic problems that it addresses through a creative and multi-faceted approach tailored to each issue; advocacy tools include individual representation, litigation, research, and policy advocacy. We are staffed by a Project Director, a Project Coordinator, a Researcher/Policy Analyst, two Staff Attorneys, and seven Legal Advocates.

HOPP is seeking a staff attorney to represent welfare recipients and low-wage workers on a full range of public benefits issues. Responsibilities include individual representation, affirmative litigation, policy work, intensive collaboration with community-based organizations, and, depending on experience, some supervisory duties.  Salary is commensurate with experience and is on par with other legal services organizations.  The position provides a unique opportunity to participate in crafting both the programmatic goals and structure of HOPP's work.

The ideal candidate will have 2-5 years of experience in poverty law work including both direct service and affirmative litigation experience, a commitment to working collaboratively, and a clear vision of the way in which he or she wants to use legal tools to make social change. Spanish proficiency a plus.

Please send a cover letter detailing qualifications, a resume and a brief writing sample to Staff Attorney Search, Homelessness Outreach and Prevention Project,  The Urban Justice Center, 666 Broadway, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10012.  Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.  Applications will be acknowledged upon receipt.  Please do not contact us by email, fax or phone.  People of color, LGBT individuals, individuals who have personal experience with poverty, and individuals with disabilities strongly encouraged to apply.

Saba Waheed
Community Development Project
Urban Justice Center
666 Broadway, 10th Floor
New York, NY 10012
Tel: 646.459.3010
Fax:212.533.2241
swaheed@urbanjustice.org

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TIPS/RESOURCES

June 1, 2004

REPORT: CHARITABLE GIVING RECOVERED IN 2003

Compared to 2002, fundraising in 2003 improved for most nonprofit organizations, with 73 percent of the 3,000 charitable fundraisers surveyed saying they raised the same amount of money or more in 2003 than in 2002, the Philanthropy News Network reported March 16.

The annual State of Fundraising 2003 Survey from the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) found that 53 percent of charities raised more money in 2003 than the previous year, 20 percent raised about the same amount, and 27 percent said they raised less money in 2003.

"We have to keep in mind that 2001 and 2002 were some of the worst years for charitable giving over the past 40 years," said AFP President and CEO Paulette Maehara, CFRE, CAE. "Charitable giving, while not outright decreasing, was very flat. While our survey can't measure exactly when it happened, at some point in 2003, charitable giving turned the corner."

The average overall increase among those surveyed was 5.74 percent. Education charities did the best in 2003, with environmental, religious, healthcare, and social-service organizations also performing well.

The survey also found that online giving is growing in popularity among charities and contributors. According to the report, 47 percent of the organizations queried said they used the Internet to solicit gifts, compared to 34 percent in 2002. Of those charities with online-giving capabilities, 61 percent raised more money online in 2003 than they did in 2002.

(http://www.afpnet.org/)

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June 1, 2004

FOUNDATIONS FOCUS ON YOUTH AS RESOURCES

Some funders are moving towards providing money for programs incorporating community involvement, leadership and philanthropy among youth -- areas which were previously considered adult undertakings -- the Children & Youth Funding Report reported Feb. 18.

According to Jera Stribling, executive director of the Joseph S. Bruno Foundation in Birmingham, Ala., an effort is under way to focus juvenile funding on "youth resources" programs in order to create new philanthropic opportunities.

Stribling said the change in funding priorities was evident at the recent Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers. The forum's New Ventures initiative is among the programs that focus on youth as resources, since they are the community leaders and decision-makers of the future.

The Foundation for Appalachian Ohio is conducting a New Ventures initiative called "Perfect Gift." Designed for children ages 5 to 9, the effort teaches children the importance of giving.

The Council of Michigan Foundations has been promoting philanthropy among children since 1998 through its school-based program, called "Learning to Give." The program teaches children about democratic values, philanthropy, and nonprofits, and helps students master collaborative, planning, discussion, and problem-solving skills.

(http://www.cdpublications.com/pubs/childrenandyouthfunding.php)

Past Report:
(http://fdncenter.org/research/trends_analysis/pdf/cyupdt.pdf)

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NEWS

February 3, 2004

CULTURE CHANGES SMOKING BY CHINESE-AMERICANS

As Chinese-Americans integrate into American culture they are less likely to smoke, possibly because of the anti-smoking culture that is increasingly dominant in the U.S., according to a Feb. 2 news release from Health Behavior News.

"In China, where the prevalence of smoking is high, smoking by men is socially acceptable and often a necessary social practice. As Chinese-American men adopt American cultural values of a smoke-free environment, they may choose not to smoke in their efforts for social acceptance," said Steven Fu, M.D., M.S.C.E., of the Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research. Researchers also speculated that improved language skills allowed the men to learn more about the health risks of smoking.

Fu and his colleagues studied Chinese-American men who were born outside the United States. The research found that the men reduced their smoking as they adjusted to American life and improved their English.

Since smoking is unacceptable among Chinese women, the study found no association between English proficiency and reduced smoking among Chinese-American women.

The study is published in the December 2003 issue of the journal Nicotine & Tobacco Research.

(http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/503034/)

(http://www.hsrd.minneapolis.med.va.gov/)

(http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/14622203.asp)

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May 22, 2004

RETAIL NOTEBOOK: THE MAN BEHIND VIET-WAH KNOWS HIS GROWING NICHE

VANESSA HO (vanessaho@seattlepi.com)

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Looking for some fresh Vietnamese swamp eel for dinner? Live turtles for a Cambodian stew? How about some emerald-green bac ha stalks for sour soup, banana buds for a Thai salad, or frozen pork blood for Chinese rice porridge?

Duc Tran knows the longing for far-flung food. As a Vietnamese refugee who arrived here nearly 30 years ago, he lived with a Methodist pastor's family in Burien, who introduced him to chicken salad and mashed potatoes.

Tasty enough, he thought, but what he really wanted was food from home. So when the pastor's wife took him shopping in Chinatown one day, he greedily bought rice, beef and soy sauce. Then he asked for a wok.

"That feeling is just like you've been in the countryside, and then you come to the big city, and the first day, you think, 'Wahhhhh, so much food!' You want everything," Tran recalled.

That hunger, combined with hard work and business acumen, has catapulted Tran from a destitute dishwasher to president of an international, $20 million-a-year retail and wholesale food company based in Seattle.

Most people think of Uwajimaya -- long one of the biggest retailers in the city's International District -- when they think of an Asian grocery store. But Tran's two Viet-Wah stores offer what is considered to be the widest selection of Southeast Asian food in the Pacific Northwest.

His newer Viet-Wah Superfoods store, located in a busy plaza off Martin Luther King Way Jr. South in Rainier Valley, is a 24,000- square-foot culinary Mecca for the area's diverse Asian community. Here, they can find Vietnamese catfish, crab and eel; wriggling turtles and frogs; 14 types of fish sauce; 30 brands of chili paste; 50-pound rice sacks; spiky durians; pickled mud fish; and banana dumplings with coconut milk and sweet rice.

His original Viet-Wah Supermarket, opened in 1988 on South Jackson Street, helped establish the vibrant Vietnamese business hub at Jackson and 12th Avenue South. It still attracts a steady stream of regulars who have moved to the suburbs, but still go there for the store's cornucopia of fresh Chinese and Vietnamese greens.

Tran's business -- V.W. Asian Food Co., based in a 30,000- square-foot warehouse in South Seattle -- also imports $10 million in goods from Vietnam, Thailand, China, Malaysia and Taiwan. It distributes them to 150 customers -- mostly grocery stores -- from Alaska to Oregon.

And yet, despite his success, Tran is a modest man who dresses plainly and is cautious in the spotlight. He is quick to emphasize that he has legal permits to sell the turtles and frogs, for fear their gastronomical value is controversial to non-Asians.

He speaks six languages, travels to Asia four to five times a year to scour the open markets, and knows every nuance of fermenting fish sauce. But he seems self-conscious walking into his own store, where he is acutely aware that his presence makes his employees stand taller and look busier.

"I want to tell them, please, stand down," he says, jokingly.

Lately, expansion has been on his plate. He plans to open a new Superfoods store somewhere in King County, but, wary of competitors, he won't say where. And he is creating and selling a new line of frozen vegetarian entrees -- including faux simmered pork with duck eggs -- for his many Buddhist customers.

"You come to a new country, and it's not that easy for you to find the food you used to eat in your country," said Tran. "If some place can provide the food you're looking for, you really appreciate that."

He is part of a growing trend of ethnic grocers, who are beginning to distinguish themselves as one-stop shopping destinations, said Amy Kirtland, manager of the specialty, natural and ethnic foods department for Associated Grocers.

As some mainstream retailers lose out to Wal-Mart and Safeway, she said, more ethnic markets are beginning to take their place.

But unlike traditional mom-and-pop stores, the newer stores -- such as Tran's Superfoods or Hispanic store Bernie and Boys in Des Moines -- are more inclusive, offering shoppers both ethnic spices and a box of Tide, Kirtland said.

"He is really carving a niche for himself," she said. "This is a way (retailers) are trying to differentiate themselves."

Tran's business also reflects the growing local Asian, particularly Vietnamese, population -- and its assimilation and buying power. In 2000, the median household income for Asians and Pacific Islanders statewide jumped 12 percent over the last decade to $47,344, according to the U.S. Census. In the same time period, the numbers of Asians in King County grew by 67 percent, and the number of Vietnamese in the county more than doubled to a total of 27,484.

But Tran has never needed such numbers to run his business. He operates on a primal drive to succeed and draws on personal experience. And he loves food.

"He is beyond ambitious. He is a conqueror," said Tran's longtime friend Hiep Quach, a corporate banking officer. "He trades, he peddles, he's always been a person who haggles. All these things in my mind typify a businessman, an entrepreneur businessman."

At 51, Tran is short and affable, drives a silver Mercedes, lives in Mercer Island and is never far from his flip-phone, which doesn't ring as much as erupt constantly with a strange, amped-up, dance song. Married with three children, he likes an occasional action movie, but spends most of his time working in an unremarkable office, where, in order to do business with Asia, he often works until midnight.

His life is a far cry from his roots in Saigon, which he escaped in 1975 on a small fishing boat to Thailand. A year later, he arrived in Burien at 23, alone. He learned English at a community college and worked as a dishwasher, furniture-mover and janitor. He landed a job at the Chinese Information and Referral Service and later at the Washington Association of Churches, where he worked with the huge influx of Vietnamese refugees in the late '70s and early '80s.

Tran worked non-stop. He picked refugees up from the airport, helped them when they locked themselves out of their house, accompanied them to the doctor's office. At one point, he held three jobs: mopping floors at a pizza parlor at 5 a.m., translating at 8:30 a.m., delivering Chinese take-out at 6 p.m.

By 1979, his family had come over, and he opened a tiny store in Chinatown, figuring the new refugees needed a place to shop. A second store soon followed. His family, ethnically Chinese, had run a seafood-processing company in Vietnam, and he drew on his family's web of overseas contacts to open a wholesale business.

"He tries to be a low-key man ... but he is a beginning pioneer in the supermarket (industry). Even now, not many people know his name, but many people know Viet-Wah," said Kim Pham, editor in chief and publisher of Nguoi Viet Tay Bac, a local biweekly Vietnamese paper.

By the '90s, Tran had a business hunch. He saw the increasing numbers of Vietnamese and Asians moving to Beacon Hill and figured they were better off financially than a decade ago. He thought they might be willing to pay for the modern conveniences of more inventory, shopping carts and copious parking.

He bought a failing Red Apple four years ago, stocked the shelves with salted mackerel and gutted the cheese selection. He alienated some customers, who missed the deli's macaroni salad and fried chicken, but has drawn praise from customers like Kim Hua, a Vietnamese immigrant who shops there twice a week.

A 34-year-old mother of two, Hua left her native country 10 years ago, but rarely wavers from the food she grew up with. Recently, she walked out of the store with heavy bags of beef tendon balls and soup bones to make pho.

"I like it very much," she said of the store. "It's good."

On any given day, shoppers at Tran's newest store glide their carts to piped Vietnamese music and a mélange of languages. A recent day found Jamilah Cosim speaking Cham, the Cambodian language of her homeland, to her three kids, and Saan Saeterun, a machine operator from Laos, searching for mustard greens and noodles.

Here customers take in the smells, the sounds, even the languages of home. "It's more comfortable for them," said Louis Huynh, Tran's assistant.

But Tran isn't satisfied in mere comfort. He likes to be one step ahead of his customers. He is marketing food with less salt and sugar. He knows that unlike in the old country, where extended families means someone is usually home to cook, American families tend to be working couples squeezed for time.

But they don't want roasted chicken and potato salad, or other convenience foods found at other stores, he said. They want ready-to-serve catfish marinated in lemongrass or frozen shrimp on sugarcane.

Tran spoke from personal experience, as someone who logs 10 to 12 hours a day at work, often arriving home when everyone else is asleep.

"This," he said, as he stirred a steaming bowl of instant congee that took just minutes to make, "is a perfect midnight snack."

VIET-WAH AT A GLANCE

Company: V.W. Asian Food Co. Ltd.

President: Duc Tran

Annual revenue: $20 million

Number of employees: About 100

Description: Imports $10 million worth of food and goods from Southeast Asia a year. Owns two retail stores, the first of which opened in 1988.

(http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/174510_tran22.html?searchpagefrom=1&searchdiff=12)

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May 28, 2004

APAs IN THE FEDERAL WORKFORCE
Small numbers, big achievements

By May Chow, Staff Writer

Aimed at promoting diversity and Asian Pacific American interests in the federal workforce, the Federal Asian Pacific American Council (FAPAC) held a national leadership training conference in conjunction with APA Heritage Month, addressing civil rights, affirmative action and career development, last week in San Francisco.

Representing more than 100 U.S. federal agencies, FAPAC was formed in 1985 to represent civilian and military APA employees in the federal and District of Columbia governments. The organization's main mission is to promote equal opportunity for APAs and cultural diversity in the workplace.

President Bush has appointed 152 APAs to top federal government jobs — more than any other president in the country's history — including Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta and Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao. Although FAPAC recognizes the achievements, members acknowledge that more APA representation is needed; as of 2003, APAs represented 4.3 percent of the federal workforce.

“Bush has appointed the most APAs in the government and has set the benchmark for future administrations,” said Samuel Mok, chief financial officer of the Department of Labor. “With Secretary Chao, she has worked hard to level the playing field, to make sure that APAs advance in the workforce, to encourage young APAs to become entrepreneurs.”

Mok was the keynote speaker of the conference, which was co-sponsored by the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. In January 2002, Mok was confirmed by the Senate to be CFO under Labor Secretary Chao, becoming the first APA ever to hold the position.

Before joining the Labor Department, Mok was the managing member of Condor Consulting, LLC, a Washington, D.C.-based international consulting firm. He is one of the founding members of FAPAC and was chapter president and national vice president of the Organization of Chinese Americans.

He pointed out that this year's conference was especially significant since it is also the 60th anniversary of the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act, which resulted from labor issues.

“This act banned Chinese Americans from exercising their civil rights,” said Mok. “When the Chinese immigrated to America, they took all jobs they could get and this caused resentment from others. So it became a political movement to rid Chinese workers. But 60 years after the repeal, I'm proud to say that we have people like Gary Locke, David Wu and Elaine Chao who hold top positions in states that displaced so many Chinese workers during the time of the Chinese Exclusion Act.”

Mok touted Chao's success in creating grant programs for New York City's Chinatown after the Sept. 11 attacks, encouraging APA entrepreneurship, promoting small businesses and launching an APA youth internship program at the Labor Department and in the federal government.

Some of FAPAC's objectives include leadership training for APAs, increasing participation of APAs in the government, promoting recognition of APA competencies and working with other advocacy groups to build coalition efforts to fight discrimination.

“We as APAs gained critical mass in the federal government — we need to make sure to take advantage of this opportunity to make the most of it,” Mok said.

(http://news.asianweek.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=8f60fdd3b47b9f6fbafef3239c7cdce2&this_category_id=169)

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June 1, 2004

BUSH TELLS NATIONAL SERVICE AGENCIES TO WORK WITH FAITH GROUPS

Through an executive order, President Bush told AmeriCorps and other national-service programs to work more closely with faith-based groups and to increase their fundraising efforts to attract more money from private sources, the Chronicle of Philanthropy reported March 18.

In the order to the Corporation for National and Community Service, which oversees AmeriCorps, Bush told the agency to "increase efforts to expand opportunities for, and strengthen the capacity of, faith-based and other community organizations in building and strengthening an infrastructure to support volunteers that meet community needs."

Alan Khazei, founder of City Year, which operates service programs in 14 cities with AmeriCorp's support, is concerned about the vagueness of the order and how the corporation will decide to enforce it. "As long as the voice of local programs is heard, we can come out of this with a strong AmeriCorps," he said. "We have to see how the process works."

Khazei is more concerned about Bush urging national-service organizations that receive federal funds to raise more money from state and local governments and private donors. Khazei said if the order results in term limits for federal funds or more reliability on nonfederal money, grantees in poor and rural areas would suffer because philanthropic resources there are scarce.

(http://www.americorps.org/)

(http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/02/20040227-9.html)

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June 1, 2004

LEGACY SAYS SMOKING, OBESITY NEED EQUAL ATTENTION

The American Legacy Foundation says that two major public-health epidemics -- smoking and obesity -- are highest among the least-educated and poorest Americans.

"Smoking and obesity are both very important public-health concerns for our country," said American Legacy Foundation President and CEO Cheryl Healton. "Obesity is a growing concern, but tobacco remains the deadliest and costliest health threat to our country. It is important that we identify resources to help individuals overcome difficulties with each of these epidemics."

The foundation analyzed data from the National Center for Health Statistics' 2002 National Health Interview Survey. The survey collected information from American men and women aged 18 and older.

The analysis showed that among individuals living below the poverty level, 34 percent smoked, 27 percent were obese, and 8 percent were obese and smoked. By comparison, among those earning four times more than the poverty level, only 18 percent smoked, 21 percent were obese, and 4 percent were obese and smoked.

The research also showed that individuals with high-school general equivalency diplomas (GEDs) were four times more likely to use tobacco and much more likely to be obese than people with a college degree.

Healton said the research shows that resources need to be made available to anyone who wants to quit smoking. "It is clear that there is a direct correlation between income levels and these two health epidemics," she said. "Both of these issues are also costing Americans billions of dollars each year in Medicare and Medicaid. It is a vicious cycle; those with the fewest resources are the most affected by these problems."

(http://www.americanlegacy.org)

(http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm)

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June 2, 2004

VOTING RIGHTS ADVOCATES IDENTIFY TOP RISKS TO VOTERS IN 2004

By civilrights.org staff
(www.civilrights.org)

Advocates for voting rights pressed local and federal governments to restore public confidence in the legitimacy of the upcoming 2004 elections.

The League of Women Voters (LWV), in conjunction with other civil rights groups, called for urgent action and announced the "Top Five Risks to Eligible Voters in 2004" at a news conference on May 27. The top risks identified by the groups are: voter registration problems, erroneous purging, problems with new ID requirements, difficulties with voting systems, and failure to count provisional ballots.

"The 2004 election is in danger," said LWV President Kay Maxwell. "We are here today to sound the alarm."

Wade Henderson, executive director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, cited numerous voter registration issues and proposed actions needed to remedy them. Henderson identified incomplete and inaccurate voter lists at polling places as a chief concern.

"One and a half to three million Americans were kept from voting in 2000 due to registration problems," he pointed out.

Henderson added that the Help America Vote Act of 2002 needs adequate funding in order to ensure that voter data is transferred between government agencies and that election officials are properly trained.

Identifying another risk, Washington Director of the NAACP Hilary Shelton highlighted that thousands of votes were lost in the 2000 election due to erroneous purging of eligible voters. Most of these voters, Shelton emphasized, were racial or ethnic minorities.

Shelton said that municipalities should honor a recently-passed law that prohibits new purges less than 90 days before an election. He hopes that no exceptions will be made to the law, which gives voters time to respond to notification that they will be purged from voter registration lists.

Other speakers at the news conference included representatives from the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Education Fund (NALEO) and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD).

Larry Gonzalez of NALEO recommended bilingual poll workers be present at polling stations to handle the 7 million Latinos expected to vote in the November 2004 election. Jim Dickson of AAPD insisted that poll workers be trained to properly assist voters with disabilities. 

(http://www.civilrights.org/issues/voting/details.cfm?id=23175)

Learn more about the Help American Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA):
(http://www.civilrights.org/campaigns/election_reform/learn_more.html)

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June 3, 2004


LINGUISTIC SKILLS EARNING APPLAUSE
STUDENTS HONORED BY SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR MASTERING TWO LANGUAGES

By Dana Hull
Mercury News

Vietnamese is Donna Nguyen's native, or ``home,'' language. The James Lick High School senior also speaks English and Spanish, which she began studying in the seventh grade.

Now her linguistic achievements will be recognized.

On Wednesday night, Donna and 16 other seniors from James Lick became the first in the East Side Union High School District to receive the district's new bilingual certificate. The accolade officially recognizes the students' ability not only to speak but to read, write, and understand English and a second -- and sometimes a third -- language. The accomplishment will be noted on both high school diplomas and transcripts.

``It's cool to be able to speak three languages because English gets boring sometimes,'' said Donna, 17. ``Spanish sounds so nice, and the words are pronounced the way they look. But people are still like, `Why is this Asian girl speaking Spanish?' ''

The term ``bilingual'' is often used to describe immigrant students, many of whom are Spanish speakers who have mastered English. But district officials believe the term should apply to any student who has mastered two languages. This year, 82 students in the district's five high schools qualified for the new certificate, and they speak not just Spanish but Vietnamese, French and German.

``What the East Side is doing is very exciting,'' said Maria Vargas, the executive director of the California Association for Bilingual Education. ``Bilingualism and bi-literacy are very marketable skills, and the district is recognizing that and giving the students something that they can take with them when they graduate.''

Though California's 6 million students are among the most diverse in the nation, only a few school districts in the state offer bilingual certificates. Many districts are overwhelmed by the number of home languages that are spoken, and the biggest challenge is deciding what level of language proficiency should count as fluent.

The Glendale Unified School District, northwest of Los Angeles, is believed to be the first district in the state to offer bilingual certificates. On graduation day, students who can speak two languages wear a silver medallion, while trilingual students wear gold.

``This year we had one student who qualified in Armenian, Russian and German, as well as English,'' said Cecelia Martin, who coordinates the program for the district.

Students with Californians for Justice, a statewide organization of young people, first proposed the bilingual certificate to East Side Union High School District officials two years ago. A task force of district officials, students and teachers then worked to hammer out the criteria.

If a student's native language is English, they have to pass an Advanced Placement test in a second language, such as Spanish or French, to get the certificate. If the student's home language is not English, they must pass the AP test in their home language as well as pass the state's standardized tests in English.

For languages with no AP course, such as Tagalog, the district is creating alternative tests that include a reading exam, writing sample and oral interview.

``It's a great accomplishment to be proficient in two languages,'' said Bill Rice, an assistant principal at James Lick. ``So many kids are not proficient in one language.''

Maria Chavez, 18, speaks Spanish at home and spends every summer with relatives in the Mexican state of Jalisco. But she learned English at school in San Jose, and has regularly taken honors English courses.

``My dad has been pushing me hard to keep my Spanish and not lose my Mexican roots,'' said Chavez. ``It's a really wonderful thing to know two languages, but it's really hard work. I'm glad it's being noticed by the district.''

Contact Dana Hull at dhull@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-2706.

(http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/8826072.htm)

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June 4, 2004

VIETNAM AND CHINA WAGE WAR ON TRAFFICKING OF WOMEN

New Zealand Stuff

MONG CAI, VIETNAM: Five years ago, Hoang Hong Tham was sold by her mother's friend to a Chinese man.

The Vietnamese woman, now 23, lived in China for more than four months before her father paid four million dong ($NZ415) to get her back.

"It was hard living there, as I did not know the language," said Tham, who became on Thursday the public face of a UN-led anti-people smuggling campaign launched at a busy border crossing between Vietnam and China.

Vietnam says thousands of its women and children are smuggled across the border, mostly for the 70 million bachelors in China unable to find wives. Men outnumber women in China as a result of the country's long-running, one-child policy, which led to many foetuses of girls being aborted because parents favour boys.

Tham was sold by her mother's best friend, but some Vietnamese girls, seeking an escape from wrenching poverty, are willing to be smuggled to China, lured by false promises of good jobs and marriages.

Chinese and Vietnamese representatives from the UN children's charity, Unicef, declared war on people trafficking on Thursday in the border town of Mong Cai, 327km northeast of Hanoi.

Meher Khan, the Unicef Regional Director for East Asia and Pacific, said more children were sold in Asia than anywhere else in the world.

"The people who are trafficked are usually the poorest people who are looking for better jobs, better opportunity and they don't start off knowing that they are to be trafficked, obviously," she told Reuters Television.

The ceremony took place in the middle of the Bac Luan bridge, which runs between Mong Cai and the Chinese town of Dong Xing – one of the crossings along the 1350km border between Vietnam and China.

Authorities in the two countries have stepped up anti-trafficking measures since 2001. Unicef China said that in 2002, 141 Vietnamese girls were rescued and repatriated from Dong Xing, up from just 15 in 2001.

In 2002, 33 traffickers were arrested, including 22 from Vietnam, a jump from a total of seven arrests in 2001, the Unicef statement said.

The Vietnam Women's Union and its Chinese counterpart have been enlisted in the anti-trafficking drive.

Huang Qingyi, the vice chairwoman of the Chinese Women's Federation, said she believed the joint campaign would fundamentally change attitudes toward human trafficking.

"If any country takes action unilaterally, there would not be an obvious impact," she said through a translator.

The campaign will distribute leaflets, posters, T-shirts and caps in a campaign that will target schools.

Vietnam says it has prosecuted more than 30,000 people in the past five years on charges of trafficking women and children, with traffickers jailed for up to 20 years.

(http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2929753a12,00.html)

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April 7, 2004

REPORT: UP TO 160 VIETNAMESE TRIBESPEOPLE HIDING IN CAMBODIAN JUNGLE

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) -- Up to 160 ethnic tribespeople from Vietnam have fled violence and alleged persecution by the communist government and are hiding in the jungles of neighboring Cambodia, a newspaper reported Monday.

Several minority tribal groups, collectively known as Montagnards, entered Cambodia in April and May following violent clashes with troops and police in central Vietnam.

They're hiding in the border province of Rattanakiri, about 200 miles northeast of Cambodia's capital, Phnom Penh, The Cambodia Daily said.

It quoted some of them as saying they had diarrhea and malaria, and lacked food or medicine.

Vietnam's government crackdown came when an estimated 10,000 Montagnards, many of whom are Christians, demonstrated over the April 10-11 Easter weekend to demand religious freedom and the return of their ancestral lands.

Cambodia views the ethnic minority tribespeople as economic refugees who must be sent back. More than 160 were deported from northeastern Cambodia in April, according to opposition party member Ahmad Yahya and news reports.

The Cambodia Daily quoted one of the refugees, Kaph In, as saying he fled his home because "the Vietnamese put pressure on our religion and took our land."

"We walked on foot across the border. We don't know how many days we walked," said Kaph In, 40, who claimed to have participated in the Easter protests.

Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak was not immediately available for comment.

The head of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Cambodia, Nikola Mihajlovic, said he couldn't confirm the newspaper report.

"We always hear of people hiding in the forest," he said. "It's nothing new."

(http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2004/06/07/state0321EDT0020.DTL)

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About NCVA
Founded in 1986, the National Congress of Vietnamese Americans is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community advocacy organization working to advance the cause of Vietnamese Americans in a plural but united America – e pluribus unum – by participating actively and fully as civic minded citizens engaged in the areas of education, culture and civil liberties.