VANDETH NOU

Vandeth nou - COuntry director

I was born in Cambodia into a household that struggled with poverty. After my father passed away when I was 6 years old, I grew up in a crowded home with fifteen other people including my mother, aunts, and uncle. No one had a stable income and we often went without food, electricity, or water. Despite these challenges, I was determined to create a different future for myself.

 

At 16, I worked as a truck worker with my uncle. The hours were long and the work was tiring. I often slept on the street or in the trucks and did not have time or money to study. Around that time I was introduced to God and church. I started to consider God’s love and spoke with Him each day through prayer. I prayed for an opportunity to have an education and a way to support my family. A few weeks later, a missionary hired me as a guard. The pay was enough to support my Mom and enable me to study. My prayers had been answered.

Over time, I developed a vision for holistic transformation, recognizing that poverty is at the centre of so many social issues. I had a plan: to become a businessman capable of funding ministry work and to influence government policies to create meaningful change in Cambodia. After 15 years, despite my success, God challenged me to question whether I was focusing on the right things. Did I believe this country would be transformed by money and power, or by the love of God?

His question led me to shift my perspective and rethink my work. I came to work with Flame in 2018. I discovered that the values and projects at Flame aligned with my heart. Here is a place where people help people, guided by the belief that lasting change is possible through the love of God. That is my journey to Flame and the reason I believe in the work we do here.