Angelina Jolie Sets Up Organization to Oversee Conservation Work  10/31/06

Angelina Jolie has set up her own Cambodian organization to oversee a conservation project in the north west region of the Asian country.

Jolie allocated $1.3 million over five years to a forest conservation program in 2003, which had been administered by Cambodian Vision in Development and US conservation group WildAid until this month (OCT06).

On Monday (30OCT06), it was announced Jolie had terminated the contract with Cambodian Vision and WildAid and had started up Maddox Jolie Project, which is named after her eldest child, Cambodian-born Maddox, five.

Philanthropist and political adviser for Jolie, Trevor Neilson, says, "A decision was made to spend the money in a new way that would be more effective for the people of Cambodia.

"No agreement was broken. There was no reneging on any commitment.

"Angelina has been funding projects in Cambodia for the last three years and is committed to doing her part to improve the lives of the Cambodian people."