Field Tripping Across the Universe

The Kampong Speu Orange Moon at 4:30AM

This week has been an absolute cracker in terms of field visits. I have been out every day and unfortunately had to do my office work in the evenings or at home. Though it has been interesting work.

On Monday we had a joint visit of the Deputy Country Director of UNICEF and the WFP Deputy, Coco. The UNICEF woman was well, interesting. I think she was French and very easily distracted. She also had this annoying habit of disapearing for a cigarette or a coffee at critical moments. I was especially frustrated when at the meeting before the field visits I made some what I thought to be sensible ideas we can work better together and she poo pooed them. Although by the end of the two days she made her grandiose statement which pretty much included everything I had said the previous day so I felt a bit vindicated.

UNICEF and WFP technically work together, with WFP providing the school breakfasts and UNICEF working on what they call their "Child Friendly Schools" initiative (improve teacher quality, textbooks, latrines, water sources etc.) but at the moment the relationship is more a hindrance than a benefit for us so hopefully things will change.

We visited one school in the afternoon which UNICEF were a bit embarrassed by because most people weren't really aware what UNICEF were doing there. But thats a bit harsh because I guess a hot breakfast is more tangible than teacher quality improvement. The next day we had a early morning visit (at the relatively luxurious hour of 5am) even then the UNICEF people turned up late (having stopped to have a coffee) and missed the cooking activities!
These kids were interesting because even the small kids who are not yet old enough for school come with their older siblings and they share the breakfast because their family cannot provide it.
On Wednesday I travelled up to Kampong Chnang to try and write a success story for our annual report. Srae Ouk is a particuraly impressive village so I thought I would head out there to write it because it ticked a few boxes donors will love.

We went to one school which had both the girls scholarship program (food provided to families to encourage them to send their girls to school instead of work) and the general school breakfast program. Although it was a nice school, we had to abandon that plan once we learnt they divided the scholarships among all girls, not just the poorest targetted by WFP.

The next school was the one I wanted to write it at originally. The school is over 90% Cham (Muslim) and is supported by a Japanese NGO we work in partnership with. The school really does well with the program, for example growing vegetables to add to the breakfast. In this area around 80% of families do not produce enough rice to eat the year round so they usually pull their kids out, especially girls, to work or to care for younger siblings while the parents work. School feeding means one less meal they have to worry about.

We have also built a road near the school which allows students to come to school in the wet season as the old road used to flood. Parent's didnt used to like sending their kids, especially girls, before.

I also observed the first mixed soccer game of girls vs boys I have ever seen in Cambodia, normally girls play seperately.

My final field trip this week was to see a support for people living with HIV and Orphans and Vulnerable Children run by Save the Children Australia (SCA) in Takeo Province. Although there is some problems regarding WFP requirements (record keeping, targetting etc.) it is an amazing project.

It is run almost completely in the Pagoda and the monks administer it. Beneficiaries come every month to receive WFP food (30kg rice, 1kg oil, 500g salt) as well as other items provided by SCA
(such as soap, enriched soy milk, washing powder, toothepaste etc.).

It seems like a really great project and its great to see when different partners come together to combine their efforts. Interestingly, the project is also supported by the Elton John AIDS foundation.

The first pagoda was called Prasat Nieng Kmao (literally Pagoda of the black girl). Back in ancient times the King built the two pillars you see in the middle of the below photo as monument to his (black) daughter. Interesting to see Angkorian aged stuff hidden away.

We have also received a whole lot of vegetable oil from the USA which is great and makes them a big donor now, but check out their discrete packaging (most countries co-brand with WFP).

And this kid insisted on having his photo taken :)

So this weekend is Australia Day and i have a few parties and bbqs to attend in Phnom Penh which should be fun. But next weekend MUST be a weekend at home!

Oz and Back

Hi Everyone.

Ok so I had an eventful (to say the least) holiday in Oz. Enough said. Anyway highlights were a ferry on the harbour and taking Pushpa to the Zoo (and seeing the most beautiful city on earth)

And the hunter valley trip spending lots of time with my niece and nephew.

On the way back I had a few moments that sapped the good karma bank. Despite thinking i would be returning to Cambodia with very little luggage I ended up with more than 37kg of luggage! Through a complicated web of deception and smuggling I managed to get it all on (including 3kg of Weetbix in my hand luggage). And in Phnom Penh airport I was about to have my bag searched by customs (and i had 4 bottles of wine i didnt declare) but I told the guy in Khmer that it was all clothes and food because I live in Kampong Speu and there wasnt much there. He had a chuckle and let me through. I popped home (saw a cow get hit by a car which was a pretty messy affair) had a shower and went straight into work for training on a new Monitoring and Evaluation toolkit so that day was murder.

The office was meant to have their new years party in December but they postponed it so I could join which I thought was very touching. My boss saw me and he said 'you look exactly the same'. I am not really sure what he was expecting!

Marie-Helene and her family are now settled into Kampong Speu. They are so nice they came over and cooked me dinner the day after I got back (although they used the thai curry paste so it was too hot for them to enjoy - but i did!). They speak okay English and are improving rapidly but their kids speak no english which makes things interesting. I , of course, speak very crappy French.

We are going to house swap. My big house is now empty so I will move into the top floor of my landlady's house and they will move into the big house. They are only across the street from eachother and I figure i need as much social contact as possible to stop me turning too crazy so I think this year I will have better contact with a Khmer family.

Oh and I pimped my ride. You can't really see it but I have a mud guard now, a tacky Australia bike bell and a light so I don't have to ride blind in the dark when i work past sunset!

I was a bit hesitant on returning back to Cambodia for a new year. On the flight in I was reflecting on how although this job has been amazing for me, it has cost me a lot as well in many different ways. But as soon as I stepped back onto that dusty, noisy National Highway 5 to catch my taxi I felt happy which was a big relief.

To get back into the swing of things I agreed to go on an early morning school visit at 4:30AM. Unfortunately I forgot and was awoken by the guard banging on my door and the loud hum of the car idling outside. Shellshocked i leapt out of bed and straight into my clothes and out the door. School visits are always interesting because in many cases there are hidden corruptions which you have to ferret out (like inconsistencies in record keeping and physical count).

I also got a chance to observe a flag raising ceremony. It happens every morning but we are almost always too early or too late. Its interesting cos everyone sings the national anthem and does their morning stretches and exercises.
The next day I was in Phnom Penh for the monthly management meeting and me and the other Assistant Heads met for dinner and a drink...and another drink...and another. I think by the time the meeting started the next morning I was still a little intoxicated and paid a heavy heavy price in hangover throughout the day. I had to leave the working lunch at one point to have a ten minute nap in one of the spare rooms! I spent the rest of the weekend in Phnom Penh and have quite a good international network of people to hang out with now which is great.

I brought back some Australia hats for my colleaugues and its been astounding the reaction. Everywhere i look somewhere is wearing some bit of Australia paraphenalia (i brough pins and stick on Koalas last time). I feel sorry for my replacement if they are not Australian!