ORPHANS and firefighters; a tattooed US convict;  buffaloes in Svay Teal; hotel workers in Siem Reap.  What are the common denominators?

The answer is NGO Active. These are stories you will have seen if you followed our regular monthly special supplement, and we want you to help us tell you more about the NGOs and their work in the Kingdom.

They are involved in every aspect of the life and lifestyle development of the nation: in health and social services; the environment; agriculture; infrastructure development; human rights; and in the education and training of its children, young people and adults, whether in areas as diverse as the financial sector, the hospitality industry or even firefighting.

They are here, and The Phnom Penh Post wants to know about them and tell you about them, their background, their aims, their achievements, their successes, their plans.

Each month, in our special NGO Active supplements, we report the news, the background stories and why these organisations are making a positive difference to the lives of the Cambodian people.

Local and international NGOs are an essential part of the progress and prosperity of a Cambodia as a developing nation. Humanitarian international NGOs began arriving in the Kingdom during the 1980s with the aim    of helping rebuild a war-torn country. They were followed by the establishment of local NGOs.

It’s about 30 years since Cambodia opened its doors to NGOs. Now, more than $100 million a year in funding is distributed by NGOs operating in every province of   the Kingdom.

Some are totally or partly funded by governments or government instrumentalities. Others rely on local entrepreneurs, fund-raising and donations.

Over the years, NGOs have provided vital services and injected billions of dollars in development aid into Cambodia’s emerging economy. Most of them have worked closely with the Cambodian government.

Tens of millions of dollars a year have flowed to poor and marginalised citizens of the Kingdom, and the areas of aid and responsibility covered are wide and varied, from small-budget, small-staffed operations to arms     of generously funded international operations.

And we at the Post want to know what they’re doing.

If you’re an NGO, work with one, represent one or are involved with one and its work, let us know your news, your story. On the first Tuesday of every month, we will publish our special, comprehensive NGO Active review.

You can contact the section editor, Charles Amery, by email at: [email protected].

We will tell it as it is.