Meet Our Project Partners Catholic Mission partners with God’s faithful servants across the globe to reach out and give life. In Cambodia, we are blessed to have many such people to work with and walk alongside, as we build relationships and seek to be the hands, heart and feet of Christ in the world. Thanks to our Regional Mission Development Office, we are able to have presence on the ground and foster these relationships to achieve incredible results together. Bishop Enrique Figaredo Alvargonzalez SJ, Apostolic Prefect, Apostolic Precture of Battambang and founder of the Arrupe Centre Affectionately known as 'Kike', Bishop Enrique Figaredo Alvargonzalez has been living and working in Cambodia for more than 30 years. Born the seventh of eight children in northern Spain under General Franco's rule, Bishop Kike witnessed the realities of life in an authoritarian regime. Following a transformative experience at a youth synod in Taizé, Bishop Kike decided to dedicate his life to living alongside and helping people in need.
Above: Some 30 years ago, Bishop Kike (centre) discovered a great love for Cambodia and its people, which sustains him to this day.
In the late 1980s, Bishop Kike served as a member of Jesuit Services Cambodia (JSC), based in refugee camps on the Thai border in the aftermath of the Khmer Rouge. After his ordination in 1992, he returned to missionary service in Cambodia, settling in Battambang.
In recognition of his contribution to the region, Bishop Kike was appointed Prefect of the Apostolic Prefecture of Battambang in 2000. Since this time he has been actively promoting the rights, inclusion and empowerment of vulnerable people through a range of social initiatives and enterprises. Hang Sreyputh, Manager, Oh Battambang Hotel, Battambang Sreyputh is a well-known and much-loved member of the Arrupe Centre family. After gaining her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the National University of Management in Phnom Penh, Sreyputh began her career in Battambang, managing the guest house at the Arrupe Centre for children with disabilities. For over a decade, Sreyputh has worked in the development and education arms of the Church, including leading a team of eight to provide aid and support to 16 schools and 2,000 students in remote villages. From 2010-2011, she worked with the Jesuit Refugee Service in Rome in the International Communication and Financial Office. While working, Sreyputh has also volunteered teaching languages and traditional Cambodian dance, and translating Khmer to English and Spanish.
Above: Hang Sreyputh with a student of the Salesian Centre in Battambang.
Pisey Souern, Projects Officer (Asia), Catholic Mission, Phnom Penh Pisey works in Catholic Mission's Regional Mission Development Office, in Phnom Penh, facilitating Catholic Mission Immersions and visiting our projects in South East Asia for monitoring and evaluation. Born in Battambang to a farming family, Pisey is number six of eight children. He grew up in a Catholic-run centre in nearby Tahen, which allowed him to have a good education. At university, Pisey studied rural development, graduating with a Bachelors of Management and then went on to work for a micro-finance organisation, before joining Catholic Mission in 2018. A Buddhist who identifies closely with the teachings and values of Catholicism, Pisey brings a unique perspective to our work contributes valuably to Catholic Mission's interfaith dialogue and relationships in Cambodia. Above: Pisey is an avid soccer fan.
Cambodia 2020
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