The Templestowe Falcons and Senior Coach Jim Asimakopolous show their determination!

The Templestowe Falcons Australian Rules Football Team are twinned with the CNVLD Takeo ISPP Templestowe Falcons Standing Volleyball Team

Friday 2nd May saw the official handover of the unique ANZ Royal CNVLD Wheelie Grand Prix Tuk – Tuk to the legendary Mr Cha Hok, providing employment for one of Cambodia’s most experienced athletes with a disability.

H.E Sem Sotha, Under Secretary of State for the Ministry of Social Affairs, Youth and Veteran’s Rehabilitation and Mr. Gary Runcimann, Head of ANZ Royal’s  Business Financial Services Unit handed Mr. Cha Hok the keys to the ANZ Royal CNVLD Wheelie Grand Prix tuk-tuk in a ceremony at the ANZ Royal HQ in Phnom Penh attended by all the mainstream Khmer media.

During his speech, H.E Sem Sotha stressed the importance that the Government of Cambodia places on improving services for the Persons with a Disability of Cambodia and announced a number of new government-run centres around Cambodia. He also reminded the audience that Cambodia is now leading the way in international disability sports through ensuring legal parity for government provided prize money between able – bodied athletes and athletes with a disability who achieve success on the international stage, stating that “Athletes who win gold medals will receive US$20,000”

Mr. Gary Runcimann, head of ANZ Royal’s Business Financial Services Unit, congratulated Cha Hok on his new career emphasising that “ANZ Royal Bank is committed to giving back to the communities where it works” and said that he “looked forward to the results of the growing relationship between ANZ Royal Bank and the CNVLD.”

Resplendent in the Wheelie Grand Prix livery to match the Angkor Racer II chairs, the tuk-tuk drew admiring attention from all who saw it. Few would realise that the driver, Cha Hok is an amputee landmine survivor, the captain of a standing volleyball team, assistant manager of the 2007 Cambodian National World Cup team and the most experienced athlete with a disability in Cambodia.

On receiving the keys to the new tuk-tuk, Cha Hok said “I want to thank ANZ Royal and the CNVLD for giving me the opportunity to work as a tuk-tuk driver and to earn money for my family”. Cha Hok’s first job in his new career will be driving Mr Val Sutherland (ABV) to the Don Bosco Technical School every day during his six week tenure. In cooperation with ANZ Royal Bank, the CNVLD will also assist Cha Hok to open an ANZ Royal Bank account in the near future.

ANZ Royal Bank donated US$1000 for the Wheelie Grand Prix Tuk-Tuk and the fares Cha Hok earns from driving the vehicle will contribute to supporting his wife and 8 children. As well as once again demonstrating the leadership of ANZ Royal Bank in Cambodian Corporate Social Responsibility, the Tuk Tuk project also reflects the CNVLD’s commitment to providing employment opportunities for the Athletes with a Disability of Cambodia.

In his opening address, CNVLD Secretary General Chris Minko stressed the importance of the role ANZ Royal Bank is playing in Cambodia’s development and how “ANZ Royal is the leader of Cambodian Corporate Social Responsibility”.

The cooperation between the corporate sector, the Cambodian government and the CNVLD in support of the athletes with a disability of Cambodia is uniquely and exceptionally effective.  The Wheelie Grand Prix tuk –tuk project and Mr Cha Hok show the power of participation in league-based team sports to effect positive social change in the community for persons with a disability of Cambodia.
The CNVLD wishes to thank ANZ Royal Bank for their sponsorship of the ANZ Royal CNVLD Wheelie Grand Prix Tuk Tuk and H.E Sem Sotha and MOSALVY for their support for the project.

Watch out for Cha Hok and the Wheelie Grand Prix Tuk Tuk around Phnom Penh!

ANZ Royal Bank, the Ministry of Social Affairs, Youth and Veteran’s Rehabilitation and the CNVLD: Standing Up Together to Provide Employment Opportunities to the Athletes with a Disability of Cambodia.

The CNVLD was honoured to attend the Shaffalah Center for Children with Special Needs Third International Forum on Sport and Ability, 20-22 April in Doha, Qatar which stressed the key role of sport in bringing social change for persons with a Disability.

Keynote speakers over the three day conference at the state-of-the-art Shafallah Center included UK Paralympian gold medallists Deborah Johnson and Ade Adepitan as well as Cherie Blair and IPC President Sir Philip Craven, all of whom emphasised the immense benefits of participation in sport by persons with a disability as well as the human right of all persons to participate in sporting activities.

Over 250 delegates from all around the world attended the Shafallah Center Third International Forum on Sport and Ability under the Patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Bin Abdullah Al- Missned and Chaired by Ali Hassan Bin Ali.

The forum was also an opportunity to showcase the preparations for the Doha 2016 Olympic bid to be submitted in the coming weeks. Delegates watched an exhibition wheelchair basketball match in the Aspire Stadium (the world’s largest multi-purpose sports dome), a stunning 73,000sqm venue constructed for the 2006 Doha Asian Games which will form a central part of the bid.

The CNVLD, as one of the world’s leading sports and development programmes, was honoured to present an exhibition of its activities in support of the Athletes with a Disability of Cambodia during the International Sports Exposition session of the forum.

The CNVLD wishes to express its sincere gratitude to Her Highness Sheikha Mozah, Chairman Hassan Ali Bin Ali and the Shafallah Center for Children with Special Needs for inviting the CNVLD and congratulates them on their outstanding work.

The CNVLD and the Shaffalah Centre:
Promoting the Role of Sport in Empowering Persons with a Disability