Skip to Content

A Night for Philanthropy and Making a Difference​


From Commemoration to Transformation: The Pour un Sourire d'Enfant (PSE) 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner harnessed a poignant historical moment to fuel a transformative future. In light of the 50th Commemoration of the Fall of Phnom Penh, the event masterfully channeled reflections on resilience into direct action for Cambodia's children. Behind an evening of remembrance and community, a meticulously engineered fundraising strategy drove exceptional results, ensuring PSE can continue its critical mission to eradicate child destitution through education.


While the speeches honored the past, the strategy secured the future—demonstrating how professional fundraising can convert collective emotion into sustainable impact. The event sets a new standard for aligning commemorative purpose with actionable philanthropic outcomes.

Result

The event achieved outstanding success, significantly surpassing its fundraising targets and engaging a remarkable proportion of the audience in active giving.

The Gala raised critical funds, directly funding education and vocational training for underprivileged children in Cambodia. The fundraising strategy demonstrated exceptional effectiveness:

  • High Participation: 86% of registered guests either bid or pledged, with 46% placing bids and 39% making direct donations.
  • Host-Driven Momentum: Over 75% of all bidding activity was catalyzed by the Fundraising Host's strategic stage appearances.
  • Power of the Pledge: The dedicated 18-minute Power Pledge segment, primed by powerful guest speeches, concentrated 87% of the donations.
  • Strategic Auction Innovation: The multi-selling strategy on selected lots transformed auction potential into maximized profit.

The event proved that a strategically orchestrated programme—where emotional narrative, expert hosting, and data-driven tactics are in perfect synergy—can create a frictionless and compelling environment that transforms attendees into active, generous donors. 

 

Pour un Sourire d'Enfant (For a Child's Smile) is a non-profit organization operating in Cambodia with a singular mission: to help the poorest children escape destitution by providing education, vocational training, food, and medical care. The 2025 Gala Dinner, hosted at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, brought together 135 supporters, donors, and community leaders to mark the 50th Commemoration of the Fall of Phnom Penh and to rally support for Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education.

This powerful gala combined solemn remembrance with proactive philanthropy. While guests reflected on Cambodian resilience, the evening was strategically designed as a high-impact fundraising engine. Leveraging a full suite of professional services, the event employed digital gamification, emotional storytelling, and expert auctioneering to maximize participation and financial contribution for PSE's life-changing programmes.

The strategy transformed historical reflection into measurable educational impact:

  • Integrated Fundraising Platform: Provided seamless management for silent & live auctions, donations, and real-time gamification, creating a dynamic, competitive giving environment.
  • Expert Host & Auctioneer Programme: A dedicated Fundraising Host orchestrated the evening's energy, strategically appearing to catalyze bids and drive the critical Power Pledge moment.
  • Data-Driven Tactics: The implementation of a sealed bid and multi-selling strategy on key auction items directly increased charity profit.
  • Strategic Gamification: Live Table Rankings and Top Contributor displays fostered a friendly competitive atmosphere that sustained bidding momentum across all event segments.
  • Targeted Communications: A multi-channel notification system (email & SMS) built anticipation and created crucial urgency with timed "Auction Closing Soon" alerts, driving final surges in activity.