Cambodia

Rotarian and World of Difference Committee Chair, Bronwyn Stephens has recently been in Cambodia where she met with Rithy Lay.  Many of us would remember Rithy from the District 9800 Conference in Albury last year.

 Bronwyn writes: 'I have spent the last two months volunteering in Cambodia and return with Cambodian Rithy Lay to Australia.

Rithy (member of the Rotary Club of Phnom Penh) has been accepted to study biogas sanitation solutions for 3 months via a Royce and Jean Abbey Scholarship. He will take the knowledge back to a community in Kampong Speu province.

Via two District international grants and now a global grant we have worked in the province since November 2010 in three neighbouring remote villages. Six deaths from Cholera, Typhoid Fever and Malaria in the week before Rithy introduced me to the people tell the tale of the destitution and disease and starvation in the community of 800. Since then emergency food was required for 12 months while we implemented sustainability measures. Two years later the villagers are healthy and gowring their own crops. They have not required emergency food for 6 months. This story and its completion in 12 months time will tell a story of economic sustainability, education and sanitation.

Rithy introduced me to another area. This time 100klms north of Siem Reap. 1600 hectares of land is invested  with landmines which makes the land unusable. The people comprising 5000 families have plenty of water via rivers and ditches but none of it is safe. Water filtration and demining are desperately needed and will pose a huge challenge.…….we can share in Rithy's moving words our journey and what hopefully lies ahead....if we can mobilize assistance. Rithy also has a very comprehensive, understandable and succinct understanding of the current political situation that "his poor people" face.

…….we can share in Rithy's moving words our journey and what hopefully lies ahead....if we can mobilize assistance. Rithy also has a very comprehensive, understandable and succinct understanding of the current political situation that "his poor people" face'.
 

Chair:  Noel Halford