Phuket Community Foundation

Members of the various visiting CFs arrive at the salt mine in Prešov.

Two members of the Phuket Community Foundation board have completed a four-day visit to two community foundations in eastern Slovakia, funded mainly by the Global Fund for Community Foundations (GFCF).

The two – treasurer Piyarat Kulvanich and board member-elect Alasdair Forbes – were part of a study tour organised by the GFCF and the World Bank to look at the work of the Prešov and Bardejov CFs, which are seen as shining stars in the CF firmament.

Other organisations on the tour were the Bangkok Forum and the Korat, Satun and Songkla CFs, as well as two people from the Lin Foundation of Vietnam.

Katka Minarova of the Prešov CF.

Apart from lengthy discussions during which the brains of the Slovakian CFs were thoroughly picked for ideas and insights into management, fund-raising and grant making, the visitors were also taken to see projects supported by the Slovakian CFs, including a 15th century salt mine, now a  museum run by the government (but almost unknown to anyone but the two government employees working there; the CF is attempting to help raise its profile as a tourist attraction) and a very successful school for autistic children set up in a former Franciscan Monastery, with CF financial and volunteer help.

The PCF would like to thank Jenny Hodgson and the GFCF for funding the trip; Jozef Jarina of the Bardejov CF; and especially the indefatigable, unfailingly cheerful, patient and amazingly energetic  Katerina “Katka” Minarova of the Prešov CF, who was our guide and mentor for most of the trip.

A more comprehensive report will be posted once we return to Phuket.