Day 12: Friday 30 October 2009 - New Hope Community Centre, Siem Reap

I spent this morning correcting Wednesday’s math’s tests but given the atrocious results, I’m too scared to give them back to the students.  Word has it that they take poor results so badly that they’ve been known to burst into tears in class.  I couldn’t take that under the best of circumstances and don’t want to be responsible for destroying their confidence any more than it already is. 

‘Cha (Teacher) received flowers yesterday.  Today it was a HUGE shiny black bug of some description which one of the little monkeys devilishly placed on my stomach.  It would have made a brilliant accessory (last season doesn’t count in Cambodia), if it hadn’t sunk a claw into my stomach and been flicked across the room with a mighty shriek, much to the delight of those watching.   Gross! 

It was fun day today which meant more drawing (introducing patterns and textures).  I got my  older class to scan magazines, cut out pictures and write stories to describe them.  They loved it and I loved watching them laugh like the true teenagers they are, describing ‘handsome boys’, ‘cool jeans’ and mobile phones.   They were so proud of their results, asking whether we could put them up on the walls in the classroom and to do the activity again next week. 

Day 10: New Hope Community Centre, Siem Reap

Another confronting day which began with a hospital visit to check up on the villager Sherry took there yesterday.  The condition of the hospital was pretty much as I’d expected.  Over-crowded and filthy with no sense of urgency.  ‘Our’ lady was in a shared room with three others, who were in varying stages of near-death.  I think it must have been an Emergency ward as it was supervised by hospital staff (a desk in the room servicing six or so people, all wearing masks, and clearly not doing much at all!).    The local hospitals have no nurses.  They provide the physical space for beds but the patients’ families are required bring the bedding, to nurse the patients, provide their meals.  The doctors monitor their medical needs and that’s about it.  They simply don’t have the funding or the trained staff to provide the care that we expect in the West.  The test results for our lady hadn’t come back yet but she was a little better, managed to sit up and thank Sherry, but she’ll be in there for at least a few days.  Lucky for her she will be as it means that her medical expenses will then be covered by another charity which works in line with New Hope. 

As we were walking to the car in the hospital grounds, a police jeep pulled up with three armed policemen in the back.  They brutally pulled a clearly unconscious man out of the back of the jeep and dumped his body on a stainless steel trolley which was then wheeled into ‘Emergency’.  The story was that he had stolen something from someone who in turn had sought vengeance by beating the life out of him.  I’m not actually sure whether the beating was conducted by the robbery victim or the police.  Guess I’ll never know.

At New Hope today I was greeted by a little girl with a bouquet of wild flowers (weeds).  It was the sweetest thing you could imagine.   These kids never cease to amaze me.  Their home lives are just terrible; filth, starvation, frequently abuse, yet they turn up at school each day with the biggest smiles and gifts such as these flowers.  It truly melted my heart.

Speaking of hardship at home, today I learned the story of one of my students, which made my blood boil, and brought tears to my eyes.  She is 17 years old and has only just started coming to school at New Hope.  Apparently one or both of her parents died several years ago and she was sent to live with her aunt and uncle.  Basically she became their domestic slave, cleaning the house and helping to raise their younger children who in turn were allowed to go to school when they turned five.  This girl is absolutely beautiful with the most gorgeous demeanor.  The New Hope staff are monitoring her closely as they don’t trust the motives of her aunt and uncle, believing that they will try to sell her into prostitution.  Her lack of power and absolute devastating luck in life is so unfair.  I pleaded with Dessa to monitor her family closely to prevent this from happening.  In the meantime, I’m going to tutor her a couple of times a week to try to bring her up to what is probably the level of a ten year old child.  At home she’d be getting ready to graduate and go to university.  Here she lives with the threat of being sold as a sex slave.  

Day 9: New Hope Community Centre, Siem Reap

Today was relatively non-eventful, at least by New Hope standards.  The little ones appear to have ‘learned the rules’ and are actually becoming well behaved.  It’s amazing what can be achieved in just one week!  Those still nicking the pencils and crayons are frequently dragged up to me by another student and forced to hand over their stash.  “Teacher, teacher”, they say as they point at the pencils, fully dobbing in their ‘friend’.  It’s hilarious.

Charlie will be thrilled to know that we introduced her “Five little monkeys jumping on the bed” today.  Needs some work but we’ll get there. 

Apart from that, I administered first aid on a toddler with burns on his little hand, while Sherry raced off to hospital in our makeshift ambulance (a la jeep) with one of the women from the villages.  We’re visiting her in hospital tomorrow, I really hope she makes it. 

Tomorrow is Math’s day so I’m madly cramming.  (Can’t face being outdone by  these little things!). 

Day 8: Tragic news from Siem Reap

Today’s entry comes from Kerry and Khemsour, Directors of New Hope, announcing the tragic news from the weekend.

I bring extremely sad and tragic news to all our friends, supporters and carers, the drownings of two little angels yesterday, in a pond at Mondul 3.  

Two sweet girls, aged 8 and 12 years, both from different families, were found still clinging to each other in the water after drowning.  The village locals were searching into the night late last night for the bodies.

The first darling had no father, mother had HIV and Hepatitis, the second no father, mother had TB.  Apparently when they awoke yesterday morning, there was no food to eat for breakfast, which we all know is common for these families.  So both girls in their school uniforms on their way to school Saturday morning, decided to stop at the pond and catch some fish to eat.

Their funerals were today, one was buried and one was cremated.  I do not yet have the names of the families, but both girls attended New Hope.  

Please, I beg each and every one of you to envisage the critical situation of these humble but desperate families, and implore you to please help.  We need to do more.  We need more sponsored families, as 99% of sponsored families are flourishing, we need more funds in general for rice for unsponsored families, we need tarpaulins, mosquito nets, mats, we need schoolbooks, funds for teachers.  We are planning to build our new medical clinic, to treat more people before it's too late.

Recently we have had deaths of many fathers in particular, a 42 year old dropped dead after cutting rice to support his young family, a 52 year old died of Hepatitis B, a 28 year old father died of stomach problems, leaving a young family, mainly because of no free medical for adults whatsoever in Cambodia.

New Hope Clinic treats approximately 200 patients per week, out of one small room, most of which would receive no care otherwise, from minor to critical illnesses.

This village is starving, you will all remember only a few months ago our little 7 year old died from eating poisonous toads.

My whole being is completely crushed by the news of 2 young lives thrown away for no reason whatsoever, we have a formula and the facilities to stop this waste of human life. All we need is funds, if everyone could open their hearts and give just a little, it would not alter your lifestyle in western world whatsoever, but could stop these disasters from happening in Mondul 3.  We need funds for our new clinic, which will treat more adults and children, who perhaps would otherwise die. We need funds for seeds and fertilizer for families to start farming, we need more bicycles for kids to get to school.  

I would like to thank the sponsors that have donated funds for school uniforms and bicycles recently, and rest assured every dollar is spent on the children and families.  I apologise for not personally responding directly to each and every one of you to thank you for your wonderful input.  Personal letters are still on my to do list, and our Newsletter is more than 2 months overdue. 

Believe me, the work here is endless, but the rewards are great when we look into the eyes of both the children and the mothers or fathers.

Briefly, we have taken our 8th child in crisis into our shelter home, we have called her Sok Somnang, meaning lost child with no father or mother or family, and with very good luck and good fortune in being found.  Somnang is 3 years old, her mother is a karaoke worker and is dying of Aids, no father known.  Somnang used to sit in the street all day every day and would receive a bit of food from neighbours.  She is the size of an 18 month old western child with skin infections over her scalp and her body.

I have attached a recent photo, sent to me by Doctor Chong from Singapore, a visitor/photographer and supporter, and even he recognised her desperate situation weeks ago.

A gracious thankyou to everyone from around the world on this very sad day,

Kerry and Kemsour. 

For anyone interested in contributing to New Hope, please visit www.newhopecambodia.com .  So far my friends and family have contributed five bikes, $20.00 from Sam and Amelia (they raided their piggy banks), and an offer from Nick to provide tools from his company, Irwin Tools, to help build a new clinic. 

Thank you all.

Day 6: Siem Reap and Auction Day in Sydney

I woke at 04:00 this morning, filled with anxiety, the result of the auction of my Sydney apartment which was scheduled to start in an hour (09:00 Sydney time).   At 04:30 Katarina called me with an update on the weather, then at 04:50 my estate agent called with an update of registered buyers.  I can’t begin to tell you how surreal this experience was, given where I was, in Siem Reap, in pitch dark, before the sun had even risen, and particularly after the incredibly challenging and emotional week I’d had at New Hope.  So, as the bids took off, and rose and rose, I sobbed down the phone to Kat, reduced her to tears and then practically collapsed with relief when it actually sold, getting a price well beyond what I expected.   

In the afternoon I cycled with three other Globalteer volunteers, hundreds of Khmer locals, and western NGO volunteers to Angkor Wat for Worldwide Climate Change awareness.  It was amazing to be part of, even in the ridiculous heat, the chaos of poor bike skills (the Khmers have no understanding of basic road rules, lack peripheral vision), and with such poor equipment.  One Khmer teenager had the gall to laugh at my rusted up machine – not that I blame him in the slightest. It’s a shocker!

The ride culminated in a photo opp in front of Angkor Wat, with a helicopter buzzing overhead.  We’re hoping that this will make part of the international coverage which is being broadcast in Times Square, New York.  Look out for us on CNN and BBC (though they never, ever cover anything on Cambodia – a major gripe for the local expats).   

Day 5: New Hope Community Centre, Siem Reap

Well, it appears that the mud is beginning to dry out and we discovered that the slush that we were plucking through did in fact include used condoms, stripped corn cobs and whatever else … 

The recent floods have produced an abundance of frogs of which many have ended up skewered and deep fried, selling road side, five per stick.  Tiny roasted snails too.  Danni, a volunteer from Perth, is waiting for the deep fried tarantulas to come into season, she’s determined to try this local delicacy.  The thought of their being tarantulas any where near Siem Reap sends me into a frenzy but then this is a town when snakes and frogs sit comfortably alongside chicken and fish on everyday menus. 

Today was ‘fun’ day at New Hope reserved for art, craft and sometimes sport.  An previous volunteer is organizing a big fundraising charity ball in his home town in America and requested that we get all the kids to paint pictures of their home life which can be auctioned off to raise money for New Hope.   A great idea but give me the task of organizing a charity ball for 500 people over organizing four hours of painting in 40 degree heat any day!

Actually, it was a brilliant day that produced some really good results and big smiles.