BANYAN BLOG

CATCHING UP WITH BUNLEANG CHANG

1/25/2015

Bunleang speaking at the Brown Annual Party for staff. Bunleang and his partners (who are all in their late 20s) own Brown Coffee and Bakery, Fox Wine Bar and Gong Cha. With multiple locations across Phnom Penh, these companies combined employ over 600 staff (full and part time). With more plans for expansion in the future, Brown (and company) will create more employment opportunities for young Cambodians. Photo courtesy of Brown Coffee and Bakery ©Brown 2014

Bunleang Chang, Managing Partner & Co-Founder of Brown Coffee and Bakery, was very busy last year. In 2014 Brown recently reached an important milestone, a 10th location in Phnom Penh. The company also added more outlets for Gong Cha and Fox Wine Bistro across Phnom Penh. The popular company is growing fast to meet the demands of an ever growing clientele seeking the perfect mix of ambience, flavor, and comfort in their coffee outing experience. I briefly caught up with Bunleang to see what the company has accomplished in 2014 and what big plans he and his partners have in 2015. I also asked him whom he thought was the person to watch in 2015 and here's what he had to say.

Q. What were your biggest challenges and achievements in 2014?

Bunleang: Brown's biggest business achievement in 2014 is that we have already roasted our coffee bean and we bring our number of stores to double digits (now 10 stores), quite a milestone for us. We recently opened 3 Brown, 3 Gong Cha, and 1 Fox in 2014. As for now we employ roughly 600 staff (part time and full-time). Professionally, it is to find the right formula to manage my business that is the most challenging work I had for 2014. Personally, managing work-life balance is actually quite a big challenge for me too, despite my habit of keeping google calendar and to-do-task list.

Q. What are your goals for 2015?

Bunleang: We now have 10 Brown, 5 Gong Cha and 2 Fox. We are planning to add another 5 Brown, 2 Gong Cha and 1 more Fox in 2015. We will keep the location secret first. Hopefully, we might go into the hotel sector in 2016 and there are some plans Brown already has in mind. We don’t have any particular plan to go overseas yet, but we are hoping to tap into the ASEAN market within another 5 years. We are hoping to grow the coffee one day but as for now, we are working on training our team to know more about roasting first. At the same time, we are visiting coffee plantations around the world. We have been to Thailand and Laos. Our next trip will be Vietnam and Indonesia. This April we are planning to go to the US and Central America (Costa Rica, Panama and Nicaragua). With that trip, we hope to learn about the coffee growing and processing technique and at the same build connections when we are ready to invest or finding partner to do so when we are ready. Overall, my goals for 2015 would be to spend more time with my family and again, organically grow the seed of Brown by hiring more talent and improving upon our concept.

Q. What are some key trends to watch in your industry [in Cambodia] in 2015?

Bunleang: Maybe another Aeon mall start construction or interestingly, more coffee competitors open in Cambodia. More food chains will open in Cambodia and cool Japanese restaurant concepts will also be here.

Q: Who will be the changemaker in Cambodia, in 2015 and why?

Bunleang: I am actually following His Excellency Minister of Commerce, Sun Chantol. He has been doing a great job of pushing Cambodia to bring in more Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and also doing good PR about investing in Cambodia. It is great to have people spending time, especially our ministers, to travel to publicize more about Cambodia. We had too many bad news about Cambodia and usually it is land grabbing, corruption and human right issues. We had a few good news like Cambodian rice won 1st place for world competition three years in a row. We need more positive news like this. He is doing this job now.

Click here to read Bunleang's first interview
Brown Coffee & Bakery: http://www.browncoffee.com.kh

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CATCHING UP WITH THE 2014 YOUNG LEADERS

1/19/2015

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It has been over a year since I first launched the popular Young Leader Series. Many people continue to be inspired by the younger generation's drive, vision, and determination to help create a better, equitable, and prosperous Cambodia. The road is difficult and long with many bumps, twists and turns, but this generation is tenaciously paving the way for a brighter future for our country.

In the lead up to the next group of 2015 Young Leaders, I decided to catch up with last year's group to see what they were up to last year, what goals they have this year, and whom they see are the changemakers in the country. One has moved overseas to work at prestigious international organizations, another expanded their entrepreneurial empire, and one even starred in a film that was screened at the Cannes Film Festival! There is no doubt that they have done some amazing things this year and will continue to reshape, and in their own way, redefine Cambodia.

The first person I caught up with is Dyna Heng, who writes from chilly Washington D.C.

Group photo of the new inductees of the 2014 IMF Economist Program (EP). Dyna (second from left, front row) was one of the 28 economists (out of the thousands of applicants from around the world) selected in this highly competitive program. This is the first year a Cambodian national was chosen. Photo credit © IMF 2014.

CATCHING UP WITH DYNA HENG

Dyna Heng has had an exciting year. The young economist was recently accepted into the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) highly competitive Economist Program (EP), the first for a Cambodian national. Now working at the IMF Headquarters in Washington D.C., in the Western Hemisphere Region, Dyna is learning about global best practices in economic and fiscal management. He hopes to apply this knowledge and experience to help with his country’s development in the future. Writing from chilly Washington D.C., Dyna shares with me some of the exciting changes in his life in 2014, his goals in the new year, his positive outlook for Cambodia in 2015, and whom he sees as the change makers of the country.

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REDEFINE CAMBODIA!

12/29/2014

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REDEFINE CAMBODIA: A LETTER TO THE NEXT GENERATION
First published in Milk Magazine. Reposted with permission.
December 2014, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
(Khmer Translation Below)

I have always wondered what my life would have been like had we stayed in Cambodia after the war. It is hard to fathom all the struggles my country faced as we tried to get back on our feet; limited water supply, rations of rice, no electricity and no running water. This generation grew up living under the threat of violence from rocket fire, grenade attacks and millions of landmines.

You were robbed of being able to learn from the many talented artists, musicians, filmmakers, and intellectuals who came before you. The country started over and the burden fell on the shoulders of your parents’ generation. Many conformed to the mentality of doing whatever it took to survive. You inherited all these remnants of war, and with it, a terrible legacy that defined your parents’ generation, and to many in the outside world, defined our country.

Over 30 years have passed since then. Much progress has been made. Much more needs to be done. Yet, in some ways, many still see our country trapped by the shadows of our past.

It’s time to redefine Cambodia.

The only people who can shape what the future looks like, is you, the next generation. As a collective, you are the majority cohort, comprising nearly 50 percent of the total population (between the ages 16-35). Our country will depend on your mental and physical strength for growth. No other generation before you, or perhaps after you, has this strength in numbers. You are a powerful force without even knowing it. But harness that power wisely. Don’t make the same mistakes of the generation before you.

It will not be easy to turn the page of history. The playing field is often uneven and in many cases, you lack the basic support system needed to make a future for yourself. But I’ve seen first hand the ingenuity of this generation, to create something from nothing. You have built a series of successful entrepreneurial enterprises, you have won awards at international film festivals, you have earned the first spot by a Cambodian in an elite program of economists at the most prestigious financial institution in the world.

This is only a small sample of the ones I have met. There are many stories like this, yet to be told, yet to be created. While it is imperative to know the past, you should refuse to be defined by it. The talent, innovation, intellect, and creativity of the next generation of leaders are with us now.

You can be a driving force in helping Cambodia turn the page, from a dark chapter into a brighter story of resilience, renewal, and revival. The past has held you back too long, but the future is yours to shape. There will be many obstacles in your way, and you will fail more times than you succeed. All the great ones do. But accept this challenge to work with integrity, to redefine Cambodia in a new era of hope, so that the world looks upon us with promise, and no longer with pity.

Sincerely,

Mitty Steele

*The next young leaders series will be launched in February. If you are a young leader (under the age of 35 living in Cambodia or a Cambodian overseas who has an inspiring story to share) please contact me. Deadline for nominations is January 17, 2015. Thank you!

*You can find other interesting articles about contemporary fashion, music, arts, film in Cambodia in the first issue of Milk Magazine at: http://www.milk-zine.com

ការកែប្រែ(មុខមាត់)ប្រទេសកម្ពុជា: សារជូនចំពោះយុវជនជំនាន់ថ្មី

ដោយ: មីធី ស្ទេលី (Mitty Steele)

ខ្ញុំតែងតែគិតថាតើជីវិតរបស់ខ្ញុំវាមានលក្ខណះយ៉ាងដូចម្តេចទៅនៅពេលដែលខ្ញុំរស់នៅក្នុងប្រទេសកម្ពុជាក្រោយសង្រា្គមនោះ។ វាជារឿងមួយដែលពិបាកស្ទាបស្ទង់និងវាស់វែង។គ្មានប្រព័ន្ធចែកចាយទឹកស្អាតមិនគ្រប់គ្រាន់

គ្មានទឹកស្អាតប្រើប្រាស់ របបអង្ករដើម្បីហូបចុកមានកំណត់ និងគ្មានអគ្គិសនីប្រើប្រាស់ វាពិបាកនឹងពន្យល់

អំពីការជំនះការតស៊ូដែលប្រទេសរបស់ខ្ញុំបានជួបប្រទះហើយត្រូវក្រោកឈរដោយខ្លួនឯងណាស់។

មនុស្សជំនាន់នោះធំលូតលាស់ឡើងដោយរស់នៅក្រោមការគំរាមគំហែងពីការបាញ់គ្រាប់រ៉ុកកែត គ្រាប់បែកដៃ និង គ្រាប់មីនរាប់លានគ្រាប់នៅក្នុងដី។

អ្នកបានបាត់បង់មនុស្សជំនាន់មុនរបស់អ្នកដែលអ្នកទាំងនោះគឺជាបញ្ញវ័ន្តដ៏មានទេពកោសល្យ

ដែលអ្នកត្រូវរៀនពីពួកគេមានដូចជា វិចិត្រករ ដ៏មានទេពកោសល្យ តន្រ្តីករ និងផលិតករភាពយន្ត ដ៏ល្បីល្បាញ។ កម្ពុជាត្រូវចាប់ផ្តើមជាថ្មី ហើយបន្ទុកទាំងអស់ត្រូវធ្លាក់ទៅលើមនុស្សជំនាន់ឪពុកម្តាយរបស់អ្នក។អ្វីៗទាំងអស់ត្រូវធ្វើឡើងទៅតាមអ្វីដែលអាចធ្វើបានដើម្បីព្យាយាមអោយមានជីវិតរស់។ អ្នកជាអ្នកទទួលដំណែលពីកាកសំណល់សង្រ្គាមដែលជាកេរ្តិ៍ដំណែលដ៏អាក្រក់ដែលបានចារឹកអំពីមនុស្សជំនាន់ឪពុកម្តាយអ្នក ហើយពិភពខាងក្រៅក៏ឲ្យនិយមន័យប្រទេសរបស់អ្នកទៅតាមនោះដែរ។

វាមានរយះពេលជាង៣០ឆ្នាំកន្លងមកហើយគិតតាំងពីពេលនោះមក។ មានការរីកចំរើននិង

អភិវឌ្ឈន៍ជាច្រើន ហើយទន្ទឹមនឹងនោះដែរមានការងាជាច្រើនដែលត្រូវសំរេចផងដែរ។ប៉ុន្តែមនុស្ស មួយចំនួននៅតែមើលឃើញប្រទេសរបស់យើងស្ថិតនៅជាប់ក្នុងស្រមោលអតីតកាល។ វាដល់ពេលដែលត្រូវធ្វើការកែប្រែមុខមាត់ប្រទេសយើងហើយ។

មនុស្សតែម្នាក់គត់ដែលមានឥទ្ធិពលក្នុងការកែប្រែអនាគតនោះគឺរូបអ្នកដែលជាអ្នកជំនាន់ថ្មី។ នៅក្នុងចំនោមចំនួនប្រជាជនទាំងអស់មនុស្សជំនាន់អ្នកមានរហូតជិតដល់៥០ភាគរយនៃចំនួនសរុប (ដែលមានអាយុចន្លោះពី១៦-៣៥ឆ្នាំ)។ ប្រទេសរបស់យើងនឹងពឹងផ្អែកទាំស្រុងទៅលើអនុភាពទាំង ខាងផ្នែកកំលាំងបញ្ញាស្មារតីរបស់អ្នកដើម្បីភាពរីកចំរើន។គ្មានជំនាន់ណាមានអនុភាពនៃចំនួនដ៏ចរើនដូចជំនាន់អ្នកឡើយមិនថាអ្នកជំនាន់មុនអ្នកឬក៏ប្រហែលជាជំនាន់ក្រោយរបស់អ្នកនោះទេ។

អ្នកគឺជាកំលាំងដ៏មានថាមពលគ្មានកំណត់មួយ។ ប៉ុន្តែអ្នកត្រូវចេះប្រើប្រាស់កំលាំងប្រកបដោយ ភាពវៃឆ្លាត។កុំធ្វើខុសដូចមនុស្សជំនាន់មុនរបស់អ្នក។

វានឹងមិនមែនជាការងាយស្រួលឡើយក្នុងការបើកទំព័រប្រវត្តិសាស្រ្ត។ ទីលានប្រកួតមានភាព

អយុត្តិធម៏ជាច្រើន ហើយនៅក្នុងរឿងមួយចំនួនអ្នកមានកង្វះខាតនូវប្រព័ន្ធគាំទ្រដ៏ចាំបាច់សំរាប់

ធ្វើការបង្កើតអនាគតដោយខ្លួនឯង។ តាមបទពិសោធន៏ខ្លួនខ្ញុំផ្ទាល់ឃើញថាភាពប៉ិនប្រសប់នៃ

ជំនាន់មួយនេះគឺអាចបង្កើតអ្វីមួយឡើងពីបាតដៃទទេ។ អ្នកបានបង្កើតជោគជ័យនៃគំរោងការ

ពាណិជ្ជកម្មខា្នតតូចជាបន្តបន្ទាប់ អ្នកបានទទួលជ័យលាភីពានរង្វាន់ជាច្រើននៅមហោស្រព

ភាពយន្តអន្តរជាតិ អ្នកបានឈរកន្លែងទី១ផ្នែកស្ថាប័នហិរញ្ញវត្ថុដ៏មានកិត្យានុភាពនៅក្នុង

ពិភពលោក ដោយជនជាតិកម្ពុជានៅក្នុងកម្មវិធីរបស់សេដ្ឋវិទូកំរិតកំពូល។

នេះគ្រាន់តែជាគំរូដ៏តូចមួយដែលខ្ញុំបានជួប។ វាមានរឿងបែបនេះជាច្រើនទៀតដែលត្រូវនិយាយ នឹងត្រូវធ្វើ។ ពិតណាស់ថារឿងអតីតកាលជារឿងចាំបាច់មួយដែលត្រូវដឹង ប៉ុន្តែអ្នកមិនត្រូវឲ្យវាជាអ្នកកំណត់អ្នកឡើយ។ ទេព្យកោសល្យ របកគំហើញថ្មី បំលាស់ប្តូរ ភាពវៃឆ្លាត និងការច្នៃប្រឌិតនៃជំនាន់ថ្មីរបស់អ្នកដឹកនាំកំពុងនៅជាមួយយើង។

អ្នកអាចជាកំលាំងជំរុញមួយក្នុងការជួយបើកទំព័រកម្ពុជាពីភាពខ្មៅងងឹតទៅរកភាពដើមដែលមានពន្លឺ ចាប់ផ្តើមជាថ្មី និងធ្វើឲ្យល្បីល្បាញបាន។ អតីតកាលបានរារាំងអ្នកអស់រយះពេលជាយូរ ប៉ុន្តែអនាគតកាលគឺស្ថិតនៅក្នុងដៃរបស់អ្នក ហើយអ្នកជាអ្នកកំណត់វា។ ការធ្វើដំនើរវានឹងមានការលំបាកហើយអ្នកនឹងជួបភាពបរាជ័យច្រើនជាងជ័យជំនះ។ ជ័យជំនះដ៏អស្ចារ្យនឹងកើតមាន លុះត្រាអ្នកទាំងអស់គ្នាព្រមទទួលពុះពារនូវការលំបាកដើម្បីកែប្រែប្រទេសកម្ពុជាឲ្យកា្លយជាសករាជ នៃក្តីសង្ឃឹមថ្មីមួយ ដូច្នេះពិភពលោកនឹងមើលឃើញពីសមត្ថភាពរបស់យើងនីងការប្រសិទ្ធពរ។

ដោយក្តីគោរពដ៏ស្មោះស្ម័គ្រពី មីធី ស្ទេលី

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SMOT

12/9/2014

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Eerie Art Form

There’s something about smot that gives me peace and calm. I close my eyes and at once I am in a trance. For most Khmer people, young and old, smot is an eerie type of traditional music, one that beckons the dead. Just saying the word is enough to give some people the creeps.

I did not grow up listening to smot. I only heard of it last year when my parents listened to it constantly as my father’s health was deteriorating. My mother would play the CDs of smot music for my father to comfort him, to comfort both of them. Since then, I have been fascinated by this unique traditional music. Though I have limited understanding of the verses, it’s the sound that captivates me the most. The melodies are melancholic and heavy, unlike most traditional Khmer music, which are upbeat and light. The voices of the smot singers are mature and hauntingly beautiful.

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THE JOURNEY: វិថីមួយ

11/14/2014

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I woke up today
In this country to me unknown
In a home away from home

The air is thicker here
Even sometimes hard to breath
Looking at my surroundings
Wondering what this life would be

ថ្ងៃនេះខ្ញុំភ្ញាក់ក្នុងប្រទេសមួយ
ដែលខ្ញុំរែងព្រួយព្រោះពុំស្គាល់
សែនឆ្ងាយពីផ្ទះរែងកង្វល់
ចិត្តសែនអំពល់រែងរិះគិត។

វាយោសែនហប់តប់ប្រមល់
ស្រមៃគិតដល់ផ្លូជីវិត
ថាតើដំណើរឆ្ងាយឬជិត
តើពិតនឹងក្លាយទៅជាអ្វី។

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A FINAL RESTING PLACE

11/11/2014

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"A SOCIETY CANNOT KNOW ITSELF IF IT DOES NOT HAVE AN
ACCURATE MEMORY OF ITS OWN HISTORY."
Youk Chhang, Executive Director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia
& Founder of the Sleuk Rith Institute.

Restless Spirits

For the recent water festival celebration, I decided to leave Phnom Penh for the beautiful beaches of Sihanoukville. I reluctantly booked a hotel that was rumored to have ghosts. A local once said to me, "don’t ever go there, it is haunted." I thought to myself, of course, I would never stay there. But I did.

As we pulled up to the Independence Hotel, (7 story hotel or Ghost Hotel as the locals call it), I was captivated by the beautiful ocean views and pristine modern accommodation. But part of me also felt extremely anxious about the rumors and questioned the sanity of my decision to stay in a haunted place. The hotel was rumored to have been used by the Khmer Rouge as a torture center. New windows, bright curtains, and retro decoration strived to erase its’ dark past.

Yet, I was determined to overcome my fear. The more I thought about it, the more I realized this tragic fact. The country is full of ghosts. Full of restless spirits wandering aimlessly without peace, without a final resting place to heal and move on. The sad reality of it is, there is no part of Cambodian land that is without the scourge of the Khmer Rouge brutality. These lost souls still ache for some semblance of justice, still yearn for peace, and still seek a dignified tribute.

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THE TRANQUILITY OF KEP, KAMPOT AND BOKOR

9/29/2014

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Over the Pchum Ben holiday last week, I visited Kep, a seaside town about a three hour drive from Phnom Penh. We needed a break from the noise of Phnom Penh and Kep was the perfect reprieve to escape. The lush green landscape, cascading mountains in the background, spectacular sunsets, fresh seafood, and laid back lifestyle was what we needed to break away from the urban jungle. Our time there was short, but it was just enough to remind us the beauty of nature in this resplendent retreat. Slow down, escape the noise and join me on this photo tour to get a taste of tranquility and nature in Kep, Kampot, and Bokor.

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INSIDE THE WHITE BUILDING

9/18/2014

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White Building, Phnom Penh, 2014. Built in 1963 by Cambodian architect Ly Ban Hap & Russian architect Vladmir Bodiansky, under the leadership of renowned Cambodian architect, Vann Molyvann. Residents of the building are mostly civil servants, artists, and shopkeepers. A historic site, now there are rumors the building will be demolished. See a slideshow of the building at end of the story. All images © Banyanblog 2014.

Part I: An Outsider’s Perspective

When I moved to Phnom Penh last year, I never heard of the White Building. We first lived in the Wat Phnom area and eventually settled down in the Chankarmorn district. Then the White Building was right in front of me, evoking a range of thoughts, fluctuating between seeing it as an eye sore, to a curious fascination of what life was like inside.

As it became part of my daily line of vision, I often wondered who lived there? From the outside it looked old, dilapidated, and unsafe. In the daytime, it seemed to be surrounded in a swarm of chaos with shopkeepers selling their goods, children running without shoes, friends chatting in makeshift cafes and barbershops, couples fighting, monks gathering alms, and scavengers digging the trash to find bottles or cardboard to recycle. At night it seemed to be shrouded in mystery, evoking images of unpleasant things happening beneath dark stairwells.

These images were all crossing my path, moving along to the rhythm of life there. The building served as a backdrop that seemed to symbolize to outsiders a negative narrative of the country, poverty in plain sight, in the midst of an up and coming area of the city. Icons of the new Phnom Penh are being propped up in a rampant effort to create a new metropolis, particularly in the Chamkarmorn/Koh Pich area, with rapidly growing luxury housing, fine dining, a new casino, and a new high-end mall. These are all in the vicinity of the building and illustrate the stark contrasts of economic inequality that are pervasive around the city.

As I passed by on a daily basis, my own ignorance wondered, why doesn’t the city just tear down this place? But that was before I went inside, before I spoke with Pheak Samnang*[1] and before I discovered another side of the narrative, which goes beyond what you see with the naked eye.

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FLASHBACK: PART II, BACK TO BATTAMBANG

8/28/2014

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Oak-a-bao, Battambang
February 14, 2004

Over 20 years had passed since my father buried my brother, Sakeda, and my grandparents, Kong Sreng and Yey Eng in Battambang. Before the Khmer Rouge, family’s of the deceased conducted intricate funeral ceremonies for their loved ones in traditional Cambodian culture. However, the Khmer Rouge did not allow any mourning or attachments to family. Tradition and culture was destroyed and humanity along with it.

My father had to bury his son and parents-in-law without any Buddhist ceremonies, without any monks to help guide them into the next life. There was nothing he could do to commemorate their death or provide any offerings to them in the afterlife.

Instead, he had to bury his family unceremoniously and carry on as if nothing happened. My uncle, Pa Om, felt he never completed his duty as the filial son in his parents’ death. Even though decades had passed, finding these bones meant they could finally give the proper rituals for their loved ones. More so, they could find peace and closure through this process.

My father thought if he ever had the chance to go back to Oak-a-Bao, he was sure he could find the bones to give them a proper burial. For years, he also wanted to go back but was concerned about the safety. My uncle Om Ngat, who had lived in Battambang since 1979, was uncertain whether it was still safe to go. Pa Om was determined with or without anyone’s help. Finally they all decided they would take the chance and go together.

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FLASHBACK: PART I, BACK TO BATTAMBANG

8/26/2014

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The sun was beating down on us that long February afternoon in 2004. Even though it was technically the “cool season” in Cambodia, being out in the open and dry fields for hours took a toll on our bodies. We were thirsty, hot, sweaty and disoriented. I wondered, what are we even doing here?

Then I looked around and realized the crossroads of fate was standing right in front of me. We were meant to be here. Destiny brought me back to Battambang, to Oak-a-bao, the Khmer Rouge camp I was born in over 20 years later. But seeing my birthplace was not the purpose of our visit. We were there to find the burial site of my family members who had died during the “bad times”. I will never forget my first visit back to Battambang, our visit back to Oak-a-bao. We were all looking for closure, all in our own way.

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CATCHING UP WITH BUNLEANG CHANG

CATCHING UP WITH THE 2014 YOUNG LEADERS

CATCHING UP WITH DYNA HENG

REDEFINE CAMBODIA!

SMOT

THE JOURNEY: វិថីមួយ

A FINAL RESTING PLACE

THE TRANQUILITY OF KEP, KAMPOT AND BOKOR

INSIDE THE WHITE BUILDING

FLASHBACK: PART II, BACK TO BATTAMBANG

FLASHBACK: PART I, BACK TO BATTAMBANG

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