Its is true that when you work in development in the third world not a day goes by without talking about toilets.My first meeting this morning is with Jan, a lovely Dutchman who is the Program Director fo r CAREs Rural Highlands Ethnic Minorities programs.CARE works with the poorest and most marginalised, and in Cambodia the ethic minority people around Ratanakiri province in thefar north-west are amongst the poorest.Khmers see them as second class citizens and they have little access to services.Their farming techniques are quite different to the lowlands people (mainly Khmers)where wet rice farming is the common practise.The minorities, living in the highlands as they do, have a much more transient approach to farming.
Jan and his team are planning to submit a funding proposal to an Australian based Foundation who funds water and sanitation programs in developing countries..CARE already does a lot of this sort of work in Ratanakiri province – the challenge is to find a specific project the Foundation can attach to that is innovative and sustainable.We brainstorm this morning with a water & sanitation consultant.Once the solution is developed my role will eb to work on the proposal.
The rest of the day is spent writing up the stories from the Koh Kong field trip.The women’s stories are inspiring.I just wish I could have got to a deeper level in terms of the impact on their lives – there is only so much you can get speaking through a translator.
Stock up the fridge at the supermarket after work then off to dinner at a great Indian restaurant by the river with Tim and his friends from the Embassy.Interesting conversation with the Australian Defence attaché.Australia’s defence role here is threefold:assisting the Cambodian military with training, anti-terrorism, and helping the Cambodian Government with marine border security – there is ongoing debate with Thailand about marine territories which will become a bigger issue as oil exploration becomes more established in the Gulf of Thailand.I didn’t appreciate the breadth of Defences role and am pleased to learn they play an active role in development.
Up early and checked the footy scores.Yeah Carlton – but what happened to the Swans?! Seems like they squandered an early lead – look like another stressful year for Swans fans………….
Did some email and admin in the office before heading off with Bindi & Moni for KohKongProvince; Cambodia’s most Sth-west area.It’s a rural area, one of the poorest in Cambodia.CAREs work here includes many women’s empowerment programs.The NGO sector is as good as any I’ve seen for acronyms – the We Bloom program is Women’s Empowering Bringing Lifestyle Opportunities and Options for he Marginalised.I wonder what the Khmers think of this – no surprises it was invented in CARE Australia!!
It’s a 5 hour ride including a few breaks.At our first stop we indulge in papaya, pineapple and coconut rice treats wrapped in banana leaf.Yum!The lunch stop is not so appetising.I pass on the pots of ready cooked choices and ask for a vegie fried rice – its OK.
At the office Suthkray briefs us on the village selection process for he women in business program.Its incredibly detailed.I’m surprised to learn that Cambodia has good Census data and coupled with a nationwide index called ID poor, CARE is able to identify the villages in most need of the program.36% of Cambodians live below the poverty line.CARE is targeting those that fall the furthest below, and also where there is a high school drop out rate, or a high incidence of never attending school.Discussion revolves around the areas of need, teacher identification and training, and the logistics of reaching some of the villages, especially come the approaching rainy season.
Finish work around 5.30 & check into a hotel on the river.I have a lovely river view room for US$18.Bindi (CARE Project Director for Women at Risk programs) and I head to a riverside restaurant to debrief.Its happy hour so $3 affords 2 lovely Mai Tais!We talk for hours and end up ordering dinner - stir fried prawns with the local kampot pepper for me.Coconut ice-cream to finish!I’ve eaten enough tonight to get me through the day tomorrow should the food situation be dire in the villages!
Off to bed around 10.15.
Tuesday 30 March
Village adventures
Awoke to a sunrise over the Koh Kong river.Not sure where else in the world you would get ahotel room like this for US$18.Breakfast on the river –local omelette, baguette, tea.Once at the office its straight out with Amsara & our driver to interview beneficiaries of CAREs programs in the Koh Kong provinces’ villages.Our first visit is to the village of Pak Klong1.It is over the Koh Kong bridge, a 2kim long modern structure and leads to an area with many tributaries.The ocean is on one side of the road, river system the other - beautiful indeed.Its high tide and the ocean is so close to the road that waves lap the car.Judging by the reaction of my Khmer colleagues I deduce that this is unusual.I do get a sense of how isolated this village must be in the wet season.
Sreypich ia a 16 girl who has attended CAREa LEAD & WE Bloom projects.They aim to empower young women by providing them literacy, small business, financial, and life skill training (mainly covers reproductive health matters).Sreypich is one of 7 children and her father sometimes works on local building projects.All 4 of the girls in the family had dropped out of school by grade 4 – this is standard.With CAREs assistance she has set up a small grocery store –its almost the first building you enter the village. By store I mean a loose wooden structure, tin roof, a table displaying goods, and a table and chairs out front.Coffee at 1000 riel (25 cents) is her most popular sale.Followed by alcohol (1500 riel 38 cents)– they call it gin – certainly not Bombay Sapphire!Its in a big screw top jar and its murky brown.Mum & Dad and her siblings all come and listen to our interview and I get the feeling I’m a bit of a novelty.At 16 Sreypich is marriageable age; so the business gives her some independence and choice.
Our next visit is to Chayhuon.She’s a 12 year old Mum whose husband, like most of the villagers, is a fisherman.She too has a small grocery store, but hers is more about the coffee and alcohol.Her “café” is a few poles covered by a tarp for shelter.Amongst all the dust there is a clean tablecloth and the goods are arranged neatly.Chayhuon is really shy but is animated when she nurses her baby boy.Like Sreypich, her ambition is to expand her business.Both girls are making about 50,000 riel/day , about US$6.
Chayhuon & her son Tonmeoun
Next it’s a walk to Pak Khong3.This village is set over water.The houses are on stilts directly over the ocean and the “footpaths” are timber walkways over water.Mostly they are not very solid, and being considerably bigger than the average Khmer I worry about landing in the filthy water.Many women in the village have been involved with CAREs programs, and Amsara is greeted warmly by many as we pass through.Lucky for me there is a wedding ion progress and the village leader invites me to look.The bride & groom appear very solemn, not smiling and staring ahead..The considerable crowd are far more celebratory.Its very colourful & loud.The bride and her attendants are painted like dolls and there are more sequins than the Brownlows!
In one of the over water houses Lyheang runs a sweets business.In the back of her mothers home she makes sweet treats with yellow beans, red beans. coconut milk and sticky rice. The kitchen faces directly onto the ocean and through the floor planks one can see the water below.I worry that the hot pots directly on the kitchen floor will burn through.It must be very difficult here in rainy season.There are many holes in the tin roof.
Lyheang the villages best sweets cook!
She finished school at grade 3, and prior to the CARE program 3 years ago she helped he mother in the house. She is one of 6 children and there is no father in the household.She enjoys cooking and assures me her sweets are very popular in the village.I buy a small juicy pineapple before leaving – its 2000 riel ( 50 cents), and despite the bargain price its artfully peeled and chopped and presented in a small plastic bag with a skewer to ensure mess free enjoyment!
Back to the office for lunch around 12.15 and to check some details that were lost in translation during my interviews.Satear kindly fills in the details.Amsara and I are doing OK on the communication – but I know I am not getting anywhere near understanding the details of these women’s amazing stories.
After lunch it’s off to another village, Ta Chat.Whilst Pak Khong was a seaside setting and all about fishing, Ta Chat is a lovely rural setting beside a channel.At the beginning of the village there is a very bright and new looking pagoda.
Sok Chea’s house is opposite.It’s a grocery store and they have a TV which makes it popular with the villagers.All of eh family is here to greet me – neighbours, cousins, parents and grandparents.Grandfather has lots of advice re what I should photograph – in particular he doesn’t want me to miss the baby chicks!With all these chickens running around my feet avian influenza does cross my mind!
Like the farming programs I saw in Prey Veng province, CARE teaches chicken farming in this area as well.Most villagers have chickens, the run around everywhere,but by putting them in pens they are more manageable.They can have larger flocks, keep track of them, and most importantly they don’t mix with other birds and the risk of disease is lowered.Sok Chea supplements her family’s grocery business with her chicken farming.She has load of chicks – no wonder Grandad is proud!
Grandpa's chicks
Offthrough the village to see our next program participant.I’m confronted with the most rickety 2 plank bridge I’ve ever seen!No rails, and every step seems to wobble!The fishing village bridges were well structured compared to these.At least the water here appears cleaner should I take a plunge.Our program participant has gone to the market, so I talk to her mother and aunty.All the women I have met are composed and have a undeniable strength.One of the core premises of development is to improve communities by empowering women.From the women I have met today I totally agree.
Tonight Bindi and I stay at the Oasis resort outside of town.Nice place run by Jason, an Englishman.Rustic ambience and great food.Its actually quite chilly tonight.Slept well.
Wednesday 30 – Seamstresses do Karaoke
Awoken around to load Khmer music – not a particularly melodic way to start the day.Apparently there is a wedding down the road – can’t believe the bride has to be ready at this hour!!
Breakfast of banana pancakes is delicious.Into the office at 7.30am and spend about 1,5 hours wring up my interview stories whilst Bindi attends one last meeting.With Sokree our driver we start the 5 hour drive back to Phnom Penh around.Lots of traffic on the road today – a bit scary however Sokree is an excellent driver.
Back in town I have the unique experience of attending the CARE PACE program graduation ceremony at Bright Sky garment factory.Its one of the 350 garment factories in town and has a reputation for being one of the better in terms of conditions.And yes – we have another acronym.PACE = Personal Enhancement & Career Enhancement.It’s a 12 month life skills and literacy training course for the garment industry workers and it funded by GAP who manufacture their jeans her in Cambodia.The garment industry employees many young women.None have education beyond primary school and most come from rural provinces and support families on their $US61/month wage.\
Ocean Sky, a Singaporean company runs this factory and management areal here for the graduation.
It’s a big event celebrated in true Khmer style with lots of Karaoke.201 girls are here and they all giggle shyly at any provocation.Obviously the speeches are funny – I wish I had more of an idea what was being said.After the 3rd karaoke number I’ve had my fill – however just being part of this experience is something special.The girls are proud and happy and I’m sure it’s the first time anyone has applauded them.Very special.
Quick snack for dinner at the local restaurant next door – fish cakes and chicken satay with a beer
Some of the garment factory girls graduating from the PACE program. Bindi is 3rd from left
Last night I visited Meta House - the German cultural centre. They screened an international short film festival - really good. Entrance fee was a pricey $2! Nice cafe & bar here too - I imagine I will be back. From what I could see of downtown Phnom Penh it looked like Earth Hour has not really caught on here.
Sunday up early to visit the Russian Market before the heat of the day.I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the weather, its certainly not reaching the high 30s that’s usual art his time of the year.The markets are a labyrinth of passages barely one person wide in some places.The aisles progress from clothing, silks & souvenirs, home wares (I buy an orange juice squeezer – from Thailand I’m told – very good quality!), Manchester, CDs, copy bags, copy wallets, even some copy shoes!, gems (authenticity guaranteed!), through to hardware and motor parts.In the middle is the food section it’s a cacophony of vendors sitting cross legged amongst their fruit, fish, vegies and meat of all varieties.Its an assault on the senses.I buy tuberoses and lotus flowers.The lovely vendor and her daughters wrap them in a banana leaf for me..
I spent the rest of the day exploring on foot, and finished with a treat late afternoon - a foot massage and facial at Spa Amret - divine. Did some washing and self catered at home.
Befroe the new week starts I should finish week 1. On Friday I presented my work plan to Stav & Bill. They were pleased with the my recommended approach. There is so much to do - the hard part will be staying in scope. During the week I've gone from feeling excited and challenged, to completely overwhelmed. Now that my approach and outputs are agreed I feel much more in control
During the evenings I discoverd a brilliant local restuarant right next door, did some reading, and spent some quality time with the wonderful Anne-Maree. Her house is a palace - just amazing! Its also nice to be amongst a family, and meet some more of their friends. The Friday after work drinks ritual pervails in Phnom Penh too. On Friday night Bindi, one of the CARE prorgam directors, invites me and some others from the office to her home for drinks and some divine food. Around the table we have Australia, Ireland, England, France, Canada and Russia represented. Everyone is really interesting and engaged in worthwhile work I bail at around 8 to see Anne-Maree - she flies back to Oz for a holiday on Sunday. A nice way to start the weekend.
Saturday afternoon - thank goodness for this pool. A swim was most welcome after the sticky streets of Phnom Penh. After getting lot serval times this week I had an orientation morning.walking around the area.BKK1 is a nice neighbourhood.. Probably the most westernised part of Phnom Penh,, but more local than touristy. So amongst the Khmer street cafes you can get a decent baguette. Dejuener a ”Comme de Maison” c'est magnifique. Je mange une soupe de tomate et le jiuice d'orange et ananas. Tres bien. You here a lots of French spoken here - just hope they don't read my terrible attempt!
Week 1 has been amazing.
On Monday I was collected from my apartment by the Assistant Country Director Bill at fora day trip to PreyVengProvince.This area is in south-east Cambodia towards the Vietnam border.It’s an agricultural area in the Mekong Delta.Rice paddies are abundant, however at this time of the year they are barren.They plant in the wet season which starts end May/June.Its strange to see dry rice fields- my perception was that they were always green like those gorgeous rice terraces in Indonesia.
I travelled with a few people from the office, and some other consultants.Michael is a retired Aussie businessman doing some voluntary consulting with CARE.Earling is a Norwegian living in Laos who is a security consultant to CARE.Then there is the German movie star!!Don’t know who he is – but he has those movie star looks and a strange Deutche/US accent!Apparently he is very very famous in Germany but its lost on us and the Cambodian villagers!.He’s am Ambassador for CARE Germany and is here being filmed for some promos.
The journey tales around 2.5 hours and includes a MekongRiver ferry crossing.The ferry is full of every mode of transport – buses, trucks, SUVs, cars, the ubiquitous motorbikes, bicycles, even a horse and cart.There are no other westerners around here and its buzzing with activity.
CAREs office is in Prabang Trabek.From this office CARE manages rural farming and village health programs.Acute watery diohreha is a big problem (that’s code for cholera – which we don’t say around here as it upsets the government!!).After a briefing from the staff we visit a local health centre and sit in on an information session for the local village women.They are learning about personal hygiene and how to keep their water clean and treat dohreaheNo-one here has toilets and they don’t dig latrines.(I am told toile discussions are inescapable on field trips with NGOs!The women listen intently, sitting on the floor on the veranda of the centre as .children crawl around.The women range in age from around 15 – 40 and many wear pyjamas!Yes – its nice to hang around in your PJs all day – however here its not driven by sloth or leisure.This is one of the poorest areas of Cambodia.In the dry season its quite dry and farmers will only get one cropand when there is no rain food shortage is a problem.
CARE is also working with farmers to improve their skills and give them more options.Pond fish farming can be done in a small area.They just dig a pond and populate it with fingerlings.Once grown the fish earn a good price and it also introduces more protein into the diet improving overall health.Another small scale farming option are chicken and duck pens.Usually the chooks run loose- CARE teaches to fence them in and feed them to produce healthier birds.The farmers we met were very proud of their work.Their whole family participated in the visit – along with most of the village. Perhaps they wanted to see the German movie star!!My favourite were the pigs – they were a lot happier than the terrible steel pens used by our industrialised pig farms in the west..
Its an inspiring day seeing this great work first hand.After the long drive home I grab a tuk tuk and meet AM & Tim and some of their friends at Metro Restaurant for dinner.We are very excited to see each other – its been 2 years.They can’t quiet believe what I’ve done on my first day in Cambodia!PreyVengProvince is well and truly off the tourist trail!Dinner is yummy Asian fusion washed down with a Sauv Blanc.Bit of a contrast to the day I’ve had.
Tuesday was my first office day.Stav, the Country Director, collects me in a car at .Work starts at .It’s a short drive to the office.CARE is on the crn of my St, St 63 and Mao Tse Tung Boulevard. ..We are briefed, shown around the office and introduced to everyone.About 80% of the staff are local.Everyone is very welcoming.My best is on eth 2nd floor amongst the programs team and near the comms unit.Seyda who runs the Program Information and Communications Unit will be one of my main contacts here.Now my workstation at Optus is not the tidiest – but its neat & tidy compared to this!The whole office is very cramped with desks everywhere and boxes of files wherever one can stash them.My desk is somewhat protected in a corner, and I do have good light.However the desk and chair are really low!After a quick recce I discover they are all the same!I am a bit taller than the average Khmer!This won’t be good for my new hip – so I use my laptop care a booster seat!!I spend the morning getting everything set up.Chris and I have lunch in the western café next door.A nice Chicken Caesar. Lunch is .Everyone sticks to these times here – quote different for me – a real lunch! The afternoon is spent reviewing existing communication materials
After work ( we finish at – what luxury!) Stav takes Earling, Chris and I to the rooftop bar at the Bouganvillier Hotel.It has a cruisey Indochinefeel and a nice view of the TS river.The sun sets around 6.30 and at 7 our driver takes us home.I’m exhausted, but grab a tuk tuk to Lucky Supermarket to stock up.Shopping takes ages as I inspect all the intriguing produce.There is a great selection of imported and Cambodian produce.Nice wine section too – I didn’t expect that.Cheese, bread, fruit, bran flakes, yoghurt and milk means I will be able to make breakfast at home.The WA Sauv Blanc and durian ice cream are treats.What should be a 5 min ride home takes 50 minutes!! My tuk tuk driver has no idea!!!Its frustrating at first and then a little frightening.Eventually we get home.Had a baguette with cheese and watched some TV – its looked like CambodianX Factor.Slept very well
Not the 80s Kim Wylde song, but real life last Sunday. I departed Sydnet at 9.15am, and touched down in Phnom Penh 5.15pm PP time. Phnom Penh, like Thailand and Vietnam, is 4 hours behind Sydney. so it was a decent day's travel. I'm introduced to Cambodian bureacracy at the airport via the Visa application process. Forearmed with the necessary US$25 and a passport photo I expected to sail through. I did - sort of. No questions asked, but I've never seen so much paperwork, stamps, and double handling. All the staff were intently focussed on their task - and there were a lot of staff all attending to just one element of the process! Eventually I get my Visa and I can enter!
The CARE Cambodia driver Sokry collects me as arranged. I'm glad the vechicle is comfortable because I'm in the car for a while. Its only around 12kms from the airport to the centre of Phnom Penh - but the traffic! It actually takes me a few minutes to figure what side of the road one drives on here!! Motor bikes are the transport of choice, and the family with 5 on theri bike wins the prize. I'm now on the lookout for 6 on a bike. I am definitely not driving here.
My home away from home will be Wonderland Villa. on St 63 in BKK1 area. This is the area where most of the Embassies and NGOs are located so its close to work. Its also where my friends Anne-Maree & Tim live. Despite the dodgey name, Wonderland Villa is a nice surprise. The security gaurds welcome me like a long lost freind, and my appartment is no 5 star, but its clean and spacious. My accomodation madatories were: aircon, a kitchen so I can self cater, and separate living and sleeping areas. A pool was also desireable; April is Cambodia's hottest month where temperatures regularly reach 40. WV has all this! Much to my surprise and delight AM has stocked the fridge with some basics and kindly left me some additional bathtowels. That's a very good thing as a serviced appartment here comes with nothing - there is linen on the bed but that's it. Now I don't expect Molton Brown toiletries, but some basic soap and toilet paper at least would be nice. ( I did get to the supermarket for these essentials). The final touch are the lovely flowers AM has left as a welcome - crimson gerberas and pink & white lotus flowers. True beauty. Apparantly they're the flowers favoured by buddha
I'm too tired to visit AM & Tim. Made a few calls, unpacked - plenty of cupboard space ( I couild have bought more clothes and shoes!) and coathangers. Even posh hotels usually don't have enough coathangers. I use them all!
