When Wings of Hope first began partnering with John Givonetti Giving (JGG), it was in support of an educational outreach program for students living in rural villages in Pursat Province, Cambodia. The program offered children of subsistence farmers — people who grow their own food to survive, not to sell at market — the opportunity to break out of a life of poverty by teaching them the two skills they needed to get into university: English language and computer skills. The older students were trained to be volunteer teachers to the younger students to gain the leadership experience and confidence they needed to succeed in university. JGG also built dormitories to house students during their time at university. At its height, the program served more than 700 students with about 50 student teachers.
“COVID brought things to an unexpectedly abrupt halt,” said JGG Founder John Pavese. “Our program was run in the schools — and the schools were mostly closed.”
John and his wife, JGG Chairman Sokhary Kong Pavese, split their time between North Carolina and Cambodia. During the pandemic, they weren’t able to visit Cambodia for two years.
“In 2022, we returned to a much different Cambodia — one that was working to get back to normal,” said John.
With so much uncertainty, JGG decided not to restart the English language program but remains committed to providing living quarters for all the former student teachers attending university in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap — and other students from across Cambodia.
As the final group of students age out of the dorms, many are pursuing their dreams in business, medicine, and other fields.
What Does the Future Hold for JGG?
In the simplest terms, JGG is returning to its roots.
“Once again, JGG will act as a foundation funding modest infrastructure projects — as it did when it first began about 15 years ago,” said Sokhary.
“Our hope is to do one project a year,” added John.
Its most recent project was funding the completion of a library/meeting building at Kok Khang Primary School in rural Siem Reap. Construction of the library had stalled as funding dried up during the COVID pandemic. JGG not only funded the completion of the original project but added covered outdoor seating to serve multiple uses for both students and the community.
The library opened on Jan. 17, 2025, with nearly 1,000 people attending the grand opening celebration — including 585 students and 350 parents.
Next Up: A Floating Medical Clinic
Earlier this year, John and Sokhary joined a group of 15 government officials on a tour of floating villages in the Tonle Sap flood basin. The purpose of the trip was to explore the possibility of funding a floating medical clinic to serve about 2,000 residents living in three of these villages.
The Tonle Sap is a flood plain for the Mekong River. During the dry season, it measures about 1,000 square miles and is 3 feet deep. In the rainy season, it grows to 6,000 square miles and an average depth of 33 feet. As the lake expands and contracts, the villagers raise anchor on their floating homes to remain close to the shoreline.
“Because of the annual flooding, nothing permanent can be built in the flood plain,” said John. “So the floating villages are always hours away from anything permanently built — including medical facilities.”
“These communities are in need of a floating health care post for checkups, vaccinations and, especially, maternal care,” said Sokhary.
One village already has a floating medical clinic. The government is asking JGG to fund a second, with the government providing two nurses. Stay tuned on the status of this project.
