About KDK

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About KDK

ABOUT US

Kdei Karuna is a Cambodian peacebuilding organization working to strengthen dialogue, social trust, and reconciliation in communities affected by conflict, violence, and historical trauma. For more than 20 years, we have worked alongside survivors, young people, educators, and community leaders to address the legacies of conflict and build more inclusive, resilient communities across nine provinces in Cambodia.

Our work spans survivor support - with particular focus on survivors of conflict-related sexual violence - gender justice, intergenerational dialogue, social cohesion, and the empowerment of survivors, youth, and local facilitators. A network of dedicated local facilitators anchors our presence in communities, ensuring that programs remain responsive to local needs and grounded in genuine local ownership.

OUR APPROACH

We place survivors at the center of everything we do. Empowerment runs through everything we do: we strengthen the confidence, skills, and leadership of survivors, youth, and local facilitators so they can drive change in their own communities. Those most affected by conflict should actively shape the processes of recognition, justice, and healing - not simply receive them. Drawing on transitional justice principles, we support communities through history education, memorialization, intergenerational dialogue, and community-led healing rooted in local culture and tradition, helping them address the past while building a more peaceful future.

OUR HISTORY

Kdei Karuna - meaning "compassionate action to heal" in Sanskrit - began in 2005 as part of the International Center for Conciliation, applying dialogue-based methods to support Cambodians in processing the deep wounds of the Khmer Rouge era. As our understanding of community needs evolved, so did our methods. In 2010, we registered as an independent Cambodian NGO - a step that reflected our commitment to locally led, sustainable peacebuilding. In 2023, our Executive Director was named a Champion of Prevention (Raphael Lemkin Champion) by the UN Office on Genocide Prevention, recognizing over a decade of Kdei Karuna's work on healing and atrocity prevention.

VISION

An inclusive peaceful society.

MISSION

To build a peaceful future in which dialogue and social trust are strengthened, and a collective transformation of the meaning of a just society achieved, based on understanding and reconciliation with the past.

VALUES

Diversity and Harmony Dignity and Equality Support and Collaboration Efficiency and Effectiveness Sustainability and Ownership

Our Team

OUR TEAM

Behind every project is a Cambodian team that lives and works in the communities we serve - from our office in Phnom Penh to two field offices in Kampot Province, in Angkor Chey and Traeuy Koah.

We lead with compassion, listen first, and build the trust that makes healing and change possible.

MR. TIM Minea
Executive director

Mr. Tim Minea earned a BA in Sociology from the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) in 2004 and a Pedagogy Certificate from the National Institute of Education in 2005, followed by a Master's in Sociology and Anthropology from RUPP in 2012. He joined Kdei Karuna in 2009, helping the organization establish its local roots, and since then serves as Executive Director. Minea stays close to KdK's communities, working with the team to create safe spaces for dialogue and takes part in conferences and trainings internationally, so that KdK both contributes to and learns from the wider transitional justice community. In 2023, the UN Office on Genocide Prevention in New York named Minea a Champion of Prevention (Raphael Lemkin Champion), in recognition of over a decade of work creating safe spaces for survivors and younger generations to confront the past and help prevent future atrocities.

Mr. Bun vuthy
Program coordinator

Mr. Bun Vuthy brings extensive experience across the private sector, government, and NGOs in program management, research, conflict resolution, and transitional justice. He first worked with Kdei Karuna from 2013 to 2015 and returned in early 2018. As Program Coordinator, he oversees Kdei Karuna's projects and provides programmatic leadership across the organization's work. He has contributed to many national and international forums on truth, justice, and dealing with the past. Vuthy holds a Master of Arts in Development Studies and bachelor's degrees in Sociology and Development Economics, and has been a member of the Robert Bosch Alumni Network since 2014.

MS. Khan bopha
administration & FINANCE OFFICER

Ms. Kan Bopha graduated from the University of Economics and Finance with a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and Finance in 2016. She joined Kdei Karuna in 2017 and has since been a core member of the Admin and Finance Unit. In this role, she manages the organization's day-to-day financial operations - from budgeting and expenditure tracking to donor financial reporting - with a consistent focus on efficiency, accountability, and transparency. Her work is the financial backbone that allows Kdei Karuna's programs to run smoothly and gives partners and donors confidence that resources are managed with care. Beyond her core duties, she connects with peer organizations to exchange experience in financial management and good practice, strengthening standards across Cambodia's civil society sector.

Board of Directors

OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Guiding Kdei Karuna's vision is a board that shares our commitment to peace and reconciliation in Cambodia. They bring experience across civil society, academia, and community work, offering the strategic direction and oversight that keep our mission focused and our work accountable.

Mr. Chhit Muny

CHAIRPERSON

Mr. Chhit Muny has been a dedicated member of Kdei Karuna Organization's Board of Directors since 2020. He brings extensive experience in peacebuilding, project coordination, leadership, capacity development, and the application of "Do No Harm" and community-driven approaches within both international and local NGOs. In addition, he serves as a lecturer in education, peace and conflict studies, and project monitoring and evaluation. As Chairperson, Mr. Muny provides strategic guidance and valuable insights into KdK's Strategic Plan, helping steer the organization toward meaningful impact, accountability, and responsible governance.

Ms. Chea Muoykry

Member

Ms. Chea Muoykry is a respected peacebuilding practitioner with more than three decades of leadership experience. She has served on KdK's Board of Directors, including as Chairwoman, for nearly a decade, contributing significant guidance since the organization's early days. Now retired, she previously held senior positions such as Executive Director and Program Coordinator at various Cambodian NGOs. She is a founder of the Youth Resources Development Program (YRDP), Youth for Peace (YFP), and Women Peacemakers (WPM), and the founder of the Cambodian Centre for Mediation (CCM).

Ms. Pouy Keang

MEMBER

Ms. Pouy Keang is a Cambodian peacebuilding practitioner with over 20 years of experience spanning journalism, the private sector, youth development, and conflict transformation. She currently serves as Program Coordinator at the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) in Phnom Penh, leading the Cambodia Program and a regional youth initiative that supports youth leadership and cross-border collaboration across Southeast Asia. Elected to KdK's Board of Directors in March 2026, she serves as Treasurer and is committed to advancing KdK's mission of fostering sustainable peace.