Scott Neeson

Scott Neeson is a Scottish-Australian film executive turned philanthropist, and Executive Director of the Cambodian Children's Fund.

Scott Neeson at Steung Meanchey

Early life & career

Scott Neeson on the set of Braveheart, 1995

Scott Neeson was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. At age 5, he and his family moved to Australia.[1]

He was raised in the industrial city of Elizabeth, South Australia, and never completed high school.[2] Delivering movie posters for a company that operated drive-in cinemas launched what was to become a successful career in the film business. He quickly climbed the ranks of the Australian film industry, and in 1993 accepted a position with 20th Century Fox International in Los Angeles.

20th Century Fox

Neeson spent 10 years at Fox, ultimately becoming President of 20th Century Fox International, and oversaw the releases of blockbusters such as Titanic, Braveheart, Independence Day, X-Men, the Star Wars prequel trilogy and more than 100 other films.[3]

Cambodian Children's Fund

Cambodian Children's Fund

In 2003, Neeson left Fox for Sony Pictures Entertainment but before starting his new role, he took a mini sabbatical through Asia.

Neeson was living the so-called American dream, but it took a trip to a Cambodian garbage dump to find his true calling. Neeson’s life changed at Steung Meanchey, a toxic landfill just outside Cambodia’s capital of Phnom Penh. Steung Meanchey was the city’s dump, but home to countless children, many without families, and families who made their livings sifting through mountains of burning, hazardous waste for plastic and metal to sell to recycling centres.

Stunned by the desperation and unlikely courage of the families and children there, Neeson spent the remainder of his 2003 Southeast Asian holiday laying the foundation for Cambodian Children’s Fund (CCF). He returned home, started his new role with Sony Pictures Entertainment but made monthly trips to Cambodia to continue to build on this dream. By 2004, he had resigned from his Hollywood job, sold his home, boat and cars, hired his first local staff member and moved to Cambodia as founder and executive director of CCF.

CCF was initially developed to provide a safe haven for 45 children in critical need. CCF offers education, medical treatment and leadership training to more than 1,500 children. Nearly two-thirds of these children once lived and worked atop the Steung Meanchey garbage dump and almost 63 percent are young girls. The dump was relocated in 2009, but the families remain and continue to rely on garbage scavenging as a means of survival, and instead wheel their carts into the city each day or night. CCF provides award-winning,[4] comprehensive care for these families and others from underserved rural regions of Cambodia

Neeson at CCF

Scott Neeson in 2013

Today, Neeson continues his evening walkabouts of the slum villages surrounding Steung Meanchey checking in on families he knows are in need, following up with students living in the area, visiting the CCF Satellite schools and rescuing young children who have been abandoned or are in desperate need of CCF services and education. His days are spent managing executive and international operations, fundraising and furthering relationships with sponsors and dignitaries around the globe. When he has free time, he takes part in student meetings and student award ceremonies at the many CCF facilities.

The organisation has several residential facilities, three satellite schools and a community center, plus vocational training at Star Bakery. The CCF Community Center houses a variety of educational classes, plus daycare, nursery and maternal care programs, a free medical clinic and an emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence.

The Star Bakery provides hands-on training and work experience for CCF students and unemployed youth in Steung Meanchey. CCF’s vocational training program supports the students’ transition into employment by giving them applied skills training in Office and Administration, Childcare and Early Childhood Education, or Cooking, Baking and Restaurant Services.

In addition to vocational training, CCF provides university education for qualifying students, and is invested in developing tomorrow’s leaders. Leadership Camps and ongoing classes provide students with ongoing training and tools. Students in the four-year Community Leadership Program get real life experience helping the very community they came from as they organise and run numerous CCF community programs such as the Granny Program, Food Program and the TOMS Shoes Program. CCF High School and University students also serve as teaching assistants in the evening classrooms.

Awards and Media

In 2007, Quincy Jones awarded Neeson the inaugural Harvard School of Public Health "Q Prize" in recognition of his extraordinary leadership in advocacy for children, calling Neeson's "selfless, remarkable commitment to the children of Cambodia" a "genuine profile in courage."[5] In the same year, CCF received the Rex Foundation Bill Graham award for creating a sanctuary for Cambodian children to thrive, learn and grow.[6]

Neeson was honoured with the Ahimsa Award in 2012, presented annually at the House of Commons to an individual who embodies non-violence and compassion.[7] Previous Ahisma recipients include Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama. CCF also received a 2012 WISE Award, recognising its transformative impact on education and society.[8] The WISE Awards identify, showcase and promote six innovative educational projects each year.

In 2014, Neeson was a finalist for Rotary International's The One humanitarian award.[9]

Neeson was featured as one of the “Heroes Among Us” in the December 2012 issue of People Magazine. Earlier in 2012, a documentary chronicling Neeson’s move from Hollywood to Cambodia, titled Streets With No Names, was featured on the TV show Australian Story, and CCF’s Star Restaurant was the focus of an episode of the Australian TV show Poh’s Kitchen. Neeson has also been ABC TV’s Person of the Week and featured in a 3 part series on PBS.[10]

His story has also featured in The Sunday Times, The Los Angeles Times, Variety, Reader’s Digest, The South China Morning Post, The Australian and other publications. CCF has featured in numerous media, including BBC News and CBS News, as well as Conde Nast Traveler, The Huffington Post and Elle Magazine.

References

  1. ↑ "CCF Board of Directors: Scott Neeson, Executive Director". The Cambodian Children's Fund / Phnom Penh, Cambodia. 13 July 2009. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  2. ↑ "Australian Story – Streets With No Names – Transcript". Abc.net.au. 16 April 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  3. ↑ Tibor Krausz (10 August 2012). "Scott Neeson left Hollywood to save children rooting in Cambodia's garbage dumps". CSMonitor.com. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  4. ↑ "Children's Fund Wins International Award". Pro Bono Australia. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  5. ↑ "Quincy Jones and Harvard School of Public Health Launch Global "Q Prize" to Spotlight Extraordinary Advocacy for Children" (Press release). Harvard School of Public Health. 22 January 2007. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  6. ↑ "2007 Grants << The Rex Foundation". The Rex Foundation. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  7. ↑ "10th Annual Ahimsa Day – Ahimsa Award Winner Scott Neeson | Jainpedia Project Blog". Blog.jainpedia.org. 29 October 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  8. ↑ "Children's Fund Wins International Award". Pro Bono Australia. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  9. ↑ http://www.theonerotary3450.org/?page_id=394
  10. ↑ https://www.cambodianchildrensfund.org/ccf-in-the-media.html

External links