Leadership
In 2022, we restructured our leadership team. We have an executive leadership team of eight persons; with people that have expertise in the four programs, an operational officer and three provincial leaders. In 2024, we added an additional role, the Communications and Sustainability Director. Two people of the executive leadership team are the executive directors; Mr. Peang Nareth and Mr. Peang Phay. The directors represent Fountain of Hope to the national government and to donors and partners.
The new structure puts us in a more strategic position long term. It raises strong leadership within the organization, while effectively utilizing the expertise of each leader for our programs.
Nareth PeanG,
Co-Executive director, Operations Director
Nareth started following Christ at age 17. He completed his studies at Phnom Penh Bible School, earned a bachelor’s degree from Build Bright University, and a master’s in business administration from National University of Management. Before coming to Fountain of Hope in 2014, Nareth served for over 15 years with World Relief Cambodia as a Bible trainer, provincial program leader, chief information officer and member of the senior management team. Nareth and his wife, Nary, have two children, Caleb and Jedidiah.
Peang Phay,
Co-executive Director, Life with Value and Our Strong Village Program Director
Phay earned a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Phumin Phnom Penh University. Before joining FOH in 2014, he served as a Community Development Facilitator with International Cooperation Cambodia and as a District Health Facilitator with RHAC. Phay wants to see the poor and destitute come to understand their own value. He wants them to experience God’s transformative love and learn how to share that love with those around them through FOH.
Sophon Monophal,
Takeo and Kandal Provincial Leader
Monophal graduated with his bachelor’s degree in management from a local university in Phnom Penh in 2010. He worked with World Relief Cambodia from 2000-2014 as a children’s teacher, provincial leader and director of programs in the Kandal province. Monophal is the Fountain of Hope provincial leader for the Takeo and Kandal provinces. He desires to encourage, pray for, and support his colleagues and to see vulnerable people empowered to live out God’s plan for them.
Ly Oin,
Pursat and Battambang Provincial Leader
Ly Oin received a bachelor’s degree in management from the University of Management in Pursat. He received biblical training from KFCI Bible School in Phnom Penh and KBS in Kompong Som. Before joining FOH in 2016, he served two years pastoring Borey Santepheap Church and two years at a prison ministry. He worked for World Relief Cambodia from 2008-2016 as a monitoring and evaluation officer, and a provincial leader. He now serves as the provincial leader in Pursat and Battambang provinces.
Touch Sophal,
Tbong Khmum Provincial Leader
Sophal was born in 1980 in Kampong Cham to a large family, making livelihood difficult. In 2001, he heard the story of Nicodemus. Through John 3, he understood he needed to be spiritually reborn through Jesus. Sophal then gave his life to God. He helped in Sunday school programs and later assisted in church planting in Takeo and Kandal provinces. He wants to see an end to domestic violence and drug addiction so that families will find happiness
and hope.
Ven Soknen,
Joy of Our Children Program Director
Soknen grew up in a poor Buddhist family and came to Christ in 2000. He now serves as the Joy of our Children (JOC) Director. His goal is to support, pray, and encourage teamwork among the staff to fulfill all that God calls them to do in serving the children in Cambodia. He desires to see the JOC program continue in sustainability and grow further throughout Cambodia.
Noem Channen,
Life of Hope Program Director
Channen graduated with her bachelor’s degree in management in 2016. She worked with Transform Cambodia from 2007 to 2023 as a center manager; encouraging staff, students, and guardians to experience Jesus’s love. Channen is a senior church leader at Transform Life Church. In March 2024, she started to work with the Fountain of Hope as a Life of Hope Program Director. Her goal is to see cell church members have a faithful relationship with God and experience spiritual growth.
Real Naleng,
Communication and Sustainability Director
Naleng and her family were captured during the Pol Pot regime, and only Naleng and two sisters survived. In 1993, a missionary witnessed to Naleng, and she gave her life to Jesus. From 2004-2007, Naleng completed a Master of Art in Intercultural Studies at the East Asia School of Theology in Singapore. After Bible school, Naleng served in various ministry roles in World Vision, as a Christian Formation Program Coordinator. Currently, Naleng serves part-time in the Sustainability Project with Fountain of Hope (FOH) and is a student of Christian Counseling (online) at Covenant Theological Seminary, USA.
Joke van Opstal,
country advisor
A registered nurse originally from the Netherlands, Joke (pronounced “YO-kuh”) began her missionary career working in a refugee camp in the early ’90s as part of Youth with a Mission (YWAM). She moved to Cambodia in 1993, joined World Relief in 1994 and established Hope for Cambodia’s Children. Before launching Fountain of Hope, she served in various leadership roles for World Relief Cambodia. Joke has completed studies at the Discipleship Training School, School of Biblical Studies and School of Frontier Missions. She is also a single mother of six adopted children.