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About us

The Archaeology and Development Foundation (ADF) is a British not-for-profit charity (n.1122750) and is registered as an international NGO in Cambodia. ADF scope is unique and exclusively focusing on the Phnom Kulen National Park, 40 Km north-east of Angkor World Heritage site.
Thanks to the financial support from several donors, our team is working jointly with national and local partners to implement numerous projects in the park. With an integrated approach, we focus on heritage research and preservation, local development and environmental conservation.

The organisation

The Archaeology and Development Foundation (ADF) is a British-registered, non-religious, non-political, not-for-profit organization that has been implementing the Phnom Kulen Program since 2008. It is a charity registered in England and Wales (1122750) and, since March 2016, an International NGO in Cambodia by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
ADF was set up to investigate one of the earliest capitals of the Angkor region and its later settlements. ADF’s main objective is to ensure that its archaeological preservation program is fully integrated with the conservation of the Phnom Kulen natural environmental and with the local population livelihood improvement.

ADF’s activities has a panel of three integrated components: (i) diversify the villagers’ economic activities through sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural practices (alternative crops and livestock), responsible tourism and handicrafts promotion; (ii) protect the parc’s biodiversity by zoning, demarcation, patrolling, reforestation and environmental awareness activities; (iii) improve education and health through hygiene, sanitation and infrastructures in remote schools.
These projects are benefitting the 4,900 inhabitants of Khnong Phnom Commune (Svay Leu District) and are implemented in coordination with local and national authorities.
It has since been recognized for its expertise and achievements in the region with its team of Cambodian and international experts, and its cooperation with APSARA National Authority for the Protection and Safeguarding of Angkor and the Region of Angkor and the Ministry of Environment.
ADF’s work is made possible by the generous support of international and local sponsors, both institutional and private.

 

Archaeology
Development
Environment
Operation
Coordination of mine clearance and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Hygiene and sanitation in schools and villages Zoning and demarcation of protected areas Administration
Research: Mapping, excavations, topographic surveys, post excavation studies, publications and lectures Alternative livelihood and income-generating activities:
-agro-ecology and animal raising,
-Community-based tourism centres,
-handicrafts promotion		 Training of Park rangers and community members; patrolling Finance
Training of archaeologists Promotion of education Reforestation Communication
Maintenance, conservation, restoration   Environmental awareness campaign; biodiversity surveys  

Our Strategy

Summary of ADF Strategic Plan – 2025 to 2027

Scope

The purpose of this strategic plan is to form the bases for the Archaeology & Development Foundation (ADF) to contribute to Phnom Kulen National Park (PKNP) knowledge, protection and development.

This strategy is reviewed annually to ensure it is relevant and its fits with changing circumstances and conditions. e.g. socio economic, environmental, etc…

Purpose

ADF’s multi sector approach promotes synergies between the heritage research and conservation, the diversification of the villagers’ economic activities, the protection of the parc’s biodiversity, and the improvement of education and health of the population, in this Cambodia’s most unique National Park.

Goals

Archaeology: to contribute, with key stakeholders & partners, to the exploration, research, preservation & restoration of Phnom Kulen National Park historical sites.

Development: to contribute, with key stakeholders & partners, to enhance the economic level of the villagers.

Environment: to contribute, with key stakeholders & partners, in protecting and rehabilitating the Phnom Kulen National Park biodiversity and ecosystems.

Management: a proper management of all ADF activities and team, with proper relation with partners and donors.

Implementation

ADF is implementing different activities to achieve the goals mentioned above. Each activity is “tailored-made” for the Phnom Kulen National Park situation, characteristics and problems. They are all linked together as they imply to deal with a growing population, living in a National Park with a rich archaeological heritage.
All these activities intend to reduce poverty, enhance the socio-economic situation of the communities, preserve the natural environment, and research and preserve the Khmer cultural heritage in Phnom Kulen region.
All these activities are implemented within memorandum of Understanding signed with the APSARA National Authority and the Ministry of Environment from the Royal Government of Cambodia, the District of Svay Leu and the local authorities.

Meet
the team

Since its creation in 2008, the ADF has been run by a small team of individuals driven by passion and wholly dedicated to their work. In addition to the core team presented below, the organisation is working with international and Cambodian consultants, and local staff living on Phnom Kulen.

The Core Team

The core team is made of international and local experts in charge of managing the organisation and implementing its activities on a daily basis.

Mien Mout

Agro-ecology and animal raising Supervisor, House Manager

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Mout is a Cambodian Childhood specialist who worked for ten years as a nurse assistant in a local health center in the village of Tbeng, near Phnom Kulen. She joined the ADF in June 2012 as Nutrition Health Officer and spent most of her time on Phnom Kulen implementing the nutrition project over the villages. Since May 2014, she has been reassigned to the Income Generation team, following up all the beneficiaries and encouraging families to implement alternative livelihood activities. She is fully in charge of this component and now works closely with all farmers and Agrisud team, to implement the alternatives livelihood activities.

Bis Cheung

Agro-ecology and animal raising Assistant

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Cheung is from Anlong Thom village. Previously recruited as ADF cook, she has shown a strong interest in the agro-ecology and animal raising activities. She is assisting Mout in transferring the technical knowledge to the local communities and she is closely following up all the beneficiaries of vegetable farming, pig and chicken raising. Since our collaboration with Agrisud international in May 2019, she follows up the numerous families growing black ginger, pepper and fruit trees.

Keo Sopheak

Agricultural Officer/ Agrisud International NGO

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Sopheak is a seasoned agricultural professional with 28 years of experience in sustainable farming, specializing in animal husbandry, crop rotation, pest management, soil health, and water conservation. His career began in 1997 as a technical veterinarian with AGRISUD International Cambodia. He later held roles with Japan Relief for Cambodia and American Assistance for Cambodia, and served as a program manager for Agri Cam Cambodia. In 2016, he returned to AGRISUD as an agricultural program officer in Siem Reap and Phnom Kulen National Park, where his work has significantly benefited local farming communities.

Seng Samry

Hygiene and School Program Supervisor

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Samry assisted the ADF Nutrition Officer in activities concerning hygiene and nutrition from 2015 and for 2 years. He made sure that target communities got benefit from ADF’s nutrition activities, including hygiene, nutrition and education. Since our nutrition program ended in July 2017, Samry focus on hygiene and work closely with the target schools on Kulen mountain to ensure that the school-children are able to study in a friendly and hygiene environment. Coming from the nearby town of Svay Leu, Samry has joined ADF since May 2015 and is leading the schools and villagers on the mountain to adopt a hygiene and healthy way of living, under the supervision of the Development and Environment Program Manager. Samry also supervises the Tree nursery project, the Library and English class project and the construction of infrastructures in schools.

Rit Saomoa

Tree Nursery Caretaker

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Saomoa is from Anlong Thom village. He is fully employed by ADF as tree nursery supervisor since June 2024. He is in charge of the 4 tree nurseries set up by ADF in the primary school of Ta Penh, Anlong Thom, Sangke Lak and Popel villages, in coordination with the teachers and students. Saomoa also assists locally all ADF activities and staff.

Loem Nimul

Hygiene Assistant

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Nimul is from Popel Village. She has been working for ADF from 2011 to 2017 as a Village Health Facilitator, during the Nutrition and Hygiene Program. Considering her experience and skills, ADF has recruited her in August 2018 to assist the implementation of the Hygiene and Sanitation program (WISH project) for the 7 primary schools and villages in Phnom Kulen.

Morn Pith

Hygiene Assistant

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Phit was recruited in June 2024 to assist Nimul and Samry for the Hygiene and Sanitation program in Phnom Kulen primary schools. She was born in Popel village, second of a family of 6 siblings. From 2016 to 2022, Pith went to the Kulen Outreach campus in Siem Reap town, during secondary school. After 1 year of university, she has decided to come back to help the Phnom Kulen population within ADF’s activities.

Em Lihieng

English teacher and library coordinator

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Lihieng was recruited in June 2024 to coordinate a new project supporting 7 libraries in 6 schools, and English classes in 5 schools. He is graduated from High School in 2018 in Siem Reap province. He stepped up to the university in 2019, majoring TESOL then graduated his bachelor degree at Pannasastra University of Cambodia in 2024.Lihieng used to be a volunteer teacher at SHCC from 2011 until 2014. Additionally, he taught English as a second language teacher at BC School for a year. From 2016 to 2023, he worked at BFOK NGO, providing English education to local students.

Nhoem Sophorn

Archaeology Supervisor

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Sophorn completed his undergraduate studies in Khmer Archaeology at the Royal University of Fine Arts (RUFA) in 2013. He subsequently obtained a Master’s degree in Prehistoric Archaeology and Physical Anthropology from the University of Bern in Switzerland. Throughout his professional career, he has contributed to numerous archaeological projects, including the notable 2018 excavation at the former Royal Palace (Banteay) in Phnom Kulen conducted by the Archaeology and Development Foundation (ADF). In 2025, he earned a second postgraduate degree – an MPhil in Bioarchaeology – from James Cook University in Australia. He has since re-joined the ADF team to contribute his expertise to the archaeological component of their ongoing work on Phnom Kulen.​

Sean Sreymom

Eco-tourism supervisor/ Sala Bai NGO

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Sreymom was born in Siem Reap province, Cambodia. She is graduated with two Bachelor Degrees in Marketing and English Language, and a Master Degree in Business Administration, majoring in Entrepreneurship Management. She is passionate to work on gender development issues and promoting gender justice in Cambodia. Sreymom started work in Non-profit organizations in 2011, promoting gender equality through research on gender norms, innovation and adaptation and community development. She also promoted empowering adult women in literacy and girls in education for prevention of sex trafficking, mainstreaming gender equality into early childhood education and development, empowering and inspire women and girls towards self-determination for their own future. She loves nature and travel, a hobby leading her to the promotion of Ecotourism supporting local communities in Cambodia. In October 2024, she was recruited by Sala Bai NGO, where she is in charge of the joint project with ADF to support the community-based tourism centres of Anlong Thom and Popel villages.

Chhouk Sreymom​

Handicraft Assistant

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Sreymom was recruited in July 2023 to assist Phirom for the Handicraft support project in Phnom Kulen villages. She is from Anlong Thom village and graduated high school in Svay Leu. She is in charge of identifying and following up the artisans, organising the trainings in primary schools and villages and promoting the products. ​

Chhun Phirom

Handicraft Supervisor, part-time and volunteer

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Phirom has been working with Terre Cambodge (TC) travel agency, one of the longest ADF partner and donor, since 2009, as a reservation manager. In 2016, she started helping our hygiene and sanitation project in primary schools, as a volunteer and as TC contribution to ADF’s work. In April 2020, when ADF and TC set up the Community-Based Tourism Centres in Anlong Thom and Popel villages, it was logical that Phirom joined the team as a part-time supervisor basis. Phirom was also in charge of supervising the patrols with the Popel and Anlong Thom Community Protected Areas members and the handicrafts project. She was in charge of these activities until December 2024, and now only focuses on supervising the ADF handicrafts project, developing Kulen Crafts.

Hoeung Hourapich

Administrative, finance and communication Officer

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Rapich graduated from the Cambodian Mekong University with a degree of Marketing, Business and Administration in 2016. She joined ADF in March 2017 for a new and essential position within the organisation: Administrative, Finance and Communication Officer. She spend most of her time at ADF office in Siem Reap, with some regular visits to the field in Phnom Kulen.

Dr. Jean-Baptiste “JB” Chevance

ADF Program Director, Archaeology Program Supervisor

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JB is a French archaeologist who has been working in Angkor since 1999 as an archaeologist for the Ecole Française d’Extreme Orient, INRAP and for the preventive archaeological unit at the APSARA Authority. Surveying Phnom Kulen since the early 2000, he completed his PhD on the occupation and mapping of Phnom Kulen during Angkorian and post angkorian time, at La Sorbonne, France. He set up the ADF in 2008 and is Program Director and Senior Archaeologist, running the “Archaeological side” of the ADF.

Chim Sopheap,

ADF Program Deputy Director, Development and Environment program manager​

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​Sopheap has been a birding guide since 2006 and has 18 years of experience with community-based development programs. In 2009, he joined the OSMOSE NGO team as an Ecotourism program manager, resulting in considerable development while maintaining morale and high expectations. Sopheap was nominated as OSMOSE’s first executive director in 2013. After resigning from this position in 2017, he remained a board member for OSMOSE and ran Buffalo Trails, a community-based tourist operator. From 2021 to 2024, he worked as a project officer and program manager at the Angkor Center for Conservation of Biodiversity (ACCB). ADF hired him in May 2024 as a Program Deputy Director/ Development and Environment program manager. ​

The
Supporting
Staff

Both from Anlong Thom village, Ming Thol and Leach are an essential part of ADF daily life and activities! They keep us safe and ensure we have good meals.

Lay Thol

ADF smiley housekeeper

Loch Leach

ADF very talented cook

Partners and collaborators

ADF work on a daily basis with a great number of collaborators and partners to implement numerous projects in Phnom Kulen. From the primary school principals and teachers to the Park rangers, the Community Protected Area members, the Popel and Anlong Thom Community-based Tourism Centre members, the APSARA guards, the Health Centre team, the Village Health Facilitators, village chiefs and commune chief, all are fully involved in all our activities.

The Archeo consulting team

The following people are still providing expertise on a regular basis: Bruno Fabry INRAP Surveyor, Maryline Gaudin Surveyor, Eric Llopis and Frédéric Conche INRAP Archaeologists, Nicolas Nauleau Archaeologist, Nicolas Josso Archaeologist, Armand Desbat CNRS Ceramics expert.

The Ex-team members

The following people have worked as consultant, student,
volunteer or staff with ADF, from 2008 to 2024

Accountant and secretary

PEN SARITHY, NGORN PANSYANA.

Architects

KATIA CHMIELCZYK, JULIETTE CAPDEVIELLE

Archaeologists

PIERRE BÂTY, BERNARD FARAGO-SZEKERES, EVELISE BRUNEAU, YANG SREYPICH, THOEURN SOKHON, VITOU AKPHIVATH, NORNG MANY, KANG SAMHOEUN, SAN KOSAL, LIM TENGHAK, SEN RENOVANN AND HEM MIKE (APSARA).

Archaeologist and Geomatics specialist:

CONSTANCE LABRUNYE

Bee specialists

CHHOIN PIENG, DANIEL JUMP

Cartographer, database and GIS specialists

STÉPHANE DE GREEF, PREY SOVANN AND NINA HOFER

Ceramic restorers

ADELINE BEUKEN, ELISE ROYER-CELLARD

Ceramic expert

HONG RANET

Development expert

ERIC GUÉRIN

Hygiene Assistants

KHEN SAVANN, SOENG SEATH

Income Generation Officers

CHHIN VANNA, BIN CHHAYLEANG (†)

Income Generation Officer and Nutritional Health Officer

CHEN PHEAKDEY ‘WAB’

Logistic

MING HAY AND POU SAROM (Anlong Thom former support team for ADF first base (2008-2013);
PICH SEU, Logistic and Liaison Manager (2008-2016)
SOM THOU, NUON SREY NATH, cooks;

Management

DAVID SANDILANDS, Development Manager
​SAKHOEUN SAKADA, Archaeologist, ADF National Manager, then Director of Phnom Kulen National Park (Ministry of Environment), then deputy director of Siem Reap Provincial Dpt of Environment.

Nutritional Health Officers

TEAM PHIROM, SAMRITH VICHET, YON SOKNIM, KHEN SOPHEA

Nutritional Health Assistant

PON SAMBATH

Students

Ensnp Master Student: ARTHUR LACROIX
Karolinska Institute Master Students: LOUISA CARPENTER, GIAMPIERO DE FEO
Medical student, Lund University: SEBASTIAN VON SHREEB

Translators and facilitators

TUY SOPHEA, KONG LEAKSMY

Tree Nursery Caretaker

YON SOCHEA

Volunteers

JOE BAYNAM, CLEMENCE LUTZ, CHRISTIAN PEDRINI, MILES ROUSSELET, SAAD NEZZAR

Volunteer Health Facilitators

CHHOEURN ROM (Sangke Lak VILLAGE), TOUCH PUY (Khlah Khmum), SUTH SA UM (Sangke Lak), KHEN TOUCH (Phum Thmey)