HFHC Expands Reach to Bati and Kirivong

HFH Cambodia reaches out to more families through a new partnership with World Vi-sion Cambodia of building standard housing for the poor in Tonle Bati and Kirivong,Takeo Province.

The 3-year project is under the Bati and Ki-rivong Area Development Program with an overall goal of improving the livelihood of the poor and poorest households and their children through the provision of appropri-ate shelter. As an established housing orga-nization in the country, HFH Cambodia was approached by World Vision to part-take in the housing component of the project by building 30 houses each year for 10 years.

This new development also opens up new build opportunities for Global Village teams coming to Cambodia.

“This project allows us to expand our target area. More importantly, this will lead to new opportunities for HFHC to provide Con-struction Technical Assistance (CTA) to or-ganizations serving the neediest sector of the society,” according to the program leader - Iv Bonnakar, Southeast Program Coordinator.

The project is funded by World Vision Singa-pore and building kicks-off in April.

The Battambang project on Strengthening Civil Society-Government Partnership to Deliver Land Tenure Security (SCSGPDTS) continues to move towards accomplishing its goals. Habitat for Humanity Cambodia has formally opened the bids of potential suppli-ers to work on housing kits distribution and the construction of road and drainage system within the project area. The opening of bids took place at the HFHC National Office in Phnom Penh, joined by various construction companies.

Through this pitch, successful bidder for housing kits distribution will be responsible for the distribution of 60 sheets of zinc to 300 families, while the successful bidder of road and drainage construction will proceed their work on building eight lines of Double Bitu-minous Surface Treatment (DBST) roads, and

Bids Opened for Battambang Project

Public opening of bids with representatives from bidding companies

730 meters of drainage system on 6 hectares of land for the communities.

In an interview after the activity, Thoeun Sina, the Construction Supervisor for HFHC in Battambang said “It is very important to search for the most capable suppliers that are able to deliver the construction and distribu-tion jobs efficiently and cost-effectively with-out disregarding quality. Timely delivery and completion is also essential. Hence through this bidding, we are able to find the right sup-pliers without any bias.”

After the completion of infrastructure, the project looks forward to the delivery of secure land tenure to all the land recipients, which will be followed by house construction ser-vices.

I ssue 38 | 1 | March 2012

Bringing more than just houses to home partners, HFH Cambodia Community Organizers conducted a Leadership and Management Training in SenSok village on March 12 and 13.

23 villagers from SenSok, KorkKleang, and Andong attended the training to understand more about leadership and management skills and facilitation skills which they can use to solve problems effectively in their communities. The training also offered the participants the chance to learn how to create develop-ment plans to advance their communities and help improve their situations.

Ms. In KimSreng, Habitat home partner shared after the training, “this is a very good training, and I’m very happy to learn how to react to the different situations that affect the way we cooperate with each other in the community. I am also able to learn the qualities of a good leader. I’m very inspired by this class and I’m going to share and practice what I learn with my family at home, my relatives, including my neighbors. I now strongly believe that we can also make big changes.”

Ms. Tech Theavy, the trainer said, “I can see that villagers really pay attention dur-ing the class. They freely ask questions based on their day-to-day experiences within their respective communities.”

Building More Community Leaders in Phnom Penh

Practical fish raising activity

27 members of Sanitation Action Group (SAG) and 8 members from School Water Sanitation and Hygiene (SWASH) joined to-gether in a Participatory Hygiene and Sani-tation Transformation (PHAST) training in Angkor Chum District, Siem Reap.

The PHAST training led by CLTS Special-ist was formed to bring community people to understand about participatory sanitation and hygiene transformation method and identify sanitation status in their villages.

Samrith Sophat, CLTS Specialist for HFHC said, “Improving sanitation behaviors in ru-ral area is a great challenge, because villagers

Livelihood plays an important role in im-proving the housing condition in Cambo-dia. To support home partners in improving their livelihood opportunities, HFH Cam-bodia organized trainings on relevant topics including family financial management, fish-raising in plastic pond, and chicken-raising to 73 participants in Phnom Penh and 23 in Prey Veng.

The trainings were conducted in order to help individuals and families to effectively manage their income and expenses and to improve their life chances through the new skills they acquire in the technical training on fish and chicken rising.Mr. Keng Virak, the Project Officer of HFHC shared, “This is a very important support to our home partners. Through this kind of training, participants can further improve their living standard and teach other fam-ily members the importance of developing simple home-based business to maximize the opportunities presented by their new homes.” The program has successfully guided home partners in developing their home-based businesses. Some families now raise chick-ens and ducks and sell basic merchandise and are able to save money from their earn-ings.

PHAST Workshop in Siem Reap

EHOPHHS Livelihood Trainings in Phnom Penh and Prey Veng

have developed their own habits. Through our constant efforts to educate them, we can now see that they are able to gradually adopt the proper practices and include them in their daily lives. ”

All participants were encouraged to join dif-ferent activities during the training such as practical hand washing exercise, and identi-fication of good and bad sanitation behav-iors to ensure that trainees are able to take-in proper Water, Sanitation and Hygiene practices and enable them to transfer their learning to other members in their families and villages.

I ssue 38 | 2 | March 2012

Highlights

Understanding more about WASHUnderstanding more about WASH

Global Village Wrap UpFebruary18 to March 2: A fifteen-member Global Village volunteer team from Japan Joined HFH Cambodia in building a house and a latrine in Pouk District, Siem Reap Province. After completion, the team also went to visit the kids in the orphanage and donated some study materials. They also generously donated $613 to HFH Cambodia on the last day of dedication ceremony.

February 18 to 28: Foundation of two brick houses along with serveral layers of the walls, in Vimean Trung Community, Phnom Penh, were built by an eighteen-member Global Village volunteer from Kobe Gaidai Habitat High School, Japan. Aside from building, volunteers also took time for a city tour and a visit in an orphanage, where they gave chil-dren some study materials.

February 26 to March 06: Another Global Village volunteer team from Japan formed a group of eighteen members to build a core house and one family toilet for families liv-ing in Siem Reap. After the very exciting volunteer experience, the team was joined by home partners, skilled workers and local authorities for a memorable farewell lunch especially prepared by the community mem-bers.

February 27 to March 08: The eighteen-member GV Team from Japan volunteered to build one brick house and one latrine in Pouk District, Siem Reap. On the dedication day, the Japan together with home partners and skilled workers celebrated an unforget-table dedication where the team came up with a mock Traditional Khmer Wedding.

Ready for the build!

Can’t miss out on lunch!Peace!

Can’t miss out on lunch!

“Without the team’s support, I cannot have the

beautiful house I live in. I hope the team will

come back again and visit our family one day.“

Doung Sokporn, HFH Cambodia home partner.

GLOBAL VILLAGE TEAMS

Viva VolunteersViva Volunteers

Issue 38 | 3 | March 2012

A volunteer tries her luck on hand wrestling

Keeping them straight Working on the steels

Home partners in Japanese Kimono A visit at the Bayon Temples Bonding time with home partner

Clothing Donation!

Thanks to our Global Village volunteers for donating clothes to villagers and an orphanage in Phnom Penh and Kandal province.

5 March: Clothing from Global Village teams were shared to many families in Kandal Province. The clothing distribution was done by the Baptist Russey Keo Church in one of their mission trips. About 100 received decent clothing through the kindles of our volunteers. Thank you!

P H n O M P E n H K A n D A L

Issue 38 | 4 | March 2012

February 27 to March 08: Last but not least for March 2012, fourteen Global Village volunteers from Japan worked together to build one brick house and repaired one house in Pouk District, Siem Reap. During their break time from work, the team took the chance to visit an orphanage and Tier Banh Komrou Primary School where they donated some study materials for the stu-dents there.

If you would like to make a difference and volunteer with Habitat for Humanity Cambodia as a Global Village volunteer,

visit this site for more information:

http://www.habitat.org/gv/

Volunteers hand a book to the home partner

A boat trip along Mekong River Group posing!

Volunteers’ Voice

Our Khmer wedding! House dedication celebration

26 February: A group of Global Village volunteer team from Ja-pan went to visit Cooperation for Peace Orphanage along with the Volunteer Program Coordinator of HFH Cambodia. Dur-ing their visit, the team brought with them study materials and clothes which they distributed to around 30 children living in the orphanage. Thanks to the team for placing huge smiles on all the children’s faces!

“It took us a while, but now we are settled in,” Thin Soklin said as she greeted us in their home. It took them a while to adapt to the change of environment but it was well worth it.

With her husband Nob Nak now working as the farm guard, Thin Narin is more at peace. “Our family moved to live here three weeks ago after clearingall the work we have in Phnom Penh. We are ready to start new lives here. I am now preparing the application for my child to go to the school nearby.” After moving to live in the New Holistic Hope Community, Nak and Soklin immedi-ately register to work in the farm. Nob Nak

KHB Family Update

is happy that he is able to start working, be-cause as a guard. For him, his job wilI give him the chance to learn to become a farmer. “With patience, I believe that I will be able to run my own farm business pone day.”

Starting a new life with fresh air can reduce the high risk of being weak and sick due to the pollution around the area where they used to live. Their family used to experi-ence health problems when they lived in the crowded and polluted area in Phnom Penh. “During the past weeks, no one in my family got sick. The surroundings is clean and we are able to breathe fresh air. My children can run and play around the house with other children without us worrying about them”

Khmer Harvest Build

Thin Soklin having lunch before heading back to work at the farm

More from HFH Cambodia!

2011: A Look at Our Successes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zML50zj_I6k or http://www.habitatcambodia.org/news-room/

I ssue 38 | 5 | March 2012

Nob Nak at the planting area

Now that they are truly home, Thin Narin and her husband are ready to work hard and build a better future for them. They will show commitment to their new job and en-rich whatever they will learn.

Watch the Hang Meas TV feature story on

Khmer Harvest Build. The story was aired

on March 10, 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLVO

rvPgVoY&context=C4a5a65aADvjVQa

1PpcFMlnLmx5Y6MBC2dGFSiwxlQf-

wt3xlYAJY=

I ssue 38 | 6 | March 2012

26 – 30 March Hands and Hearts Build in Phnom Penh

26 March – 04 April Global Village Team from Japan in Siem Reap

30 March – 08 April Global Village Team from China in Phnom Penh

31 March – 8 AprilGlobal Village Team from China in Phnom Penh

1 – 7 April Global Village Team from Singapore in Takeo

13 – 15 AprilKhmer new Year

1 May International Labor Day

Special Feature

Upcoming EventsThe Kong siblings are optimistic. They have set their hearts to overcoming the cycle of pov-erty and providing their mother Sok Sophan with a home she can call her own.

Their father and mother fell ill. Determined, the siblings pulled from each other’s strength in supporting their sick parents. With proper consent, they helped sell their properties in-cluding their small farmland to provide for medication. Having exhausted all means, they decided to bring their parents to Phnom Penh to reach out to a government-owned hospital for free medical check-up. The VCCT test results showed that they were both positive. The couple’s psychological health worsened as they were without proper access to HIV support services. Weakened by her circumstance and by her husband’s death, Sok Sophan felt more ill.

Her children did not allow the worsening situation to greatly affect them. Aware of the im-plications of HIV, they also underwent HIV tests and found that they were not infected, “we had more reason to believe that things will get better,” said Sinat, second child among the four who is now a fourth year university student. They began receiving welfare support of 20 US dollars for food and 15 US dollars from Maryknoll which helps them pay for they monthly room rent, as well as schooling for the 2 elder children.

Surrounded by her children’s positive stance, Sok Sophan’s physical and emotional condition improved and she took the opportunity to start a small business of selling grilled fish to two markets in Phnom Penh. They were able to apply for a small grant which afforded them a second-hand motorbike they used for transporting grilled fish to other buyers. The other younger children were also able to continue with their schooling.

The effects of HIV amongst families are unremitting. In their case, Sok Sophan is currently confined at the hospital fighting her disease and for her dear life.

“We could not avoid feeling ashamed at first about our parents’ situation. We were isolated from the rest. However, we realized that we had to accept things as they were, especially when we saw how hard my mother tried. She worked very hard every day to support us for our education. I still feel very lucky.” Sinat said with a smile. “We are even luckier now to know that our application for a house from Habitat for Humanity will soon come true. We thought we will forever be in a rental house, but life has been very good to us. With our own house, we will be able to save about $40 every month. We look forward to living in our house with our mother.”

*The names in the story are not their real names.

Hope for the Future

new Faces

Please join HFH Cambodia in welcoming Vong Chhim Vannak our newest Housing Finance Officer based in Phnom Penh. Van-nak brings with him ten years experience working with private companies and NGOs.

Please contact Vannak at chh_vannak@habitatcambo-dia.org

Welcome Seng Sovannary, who joined Fi-nance team as a finance volunteer. Sovan-nary is a forth year student from Puthisastra University, Cambodia.

Or Kun!

Join HFH Cambodia’s Social Media network! Become a Fan or join our Cause on Facebook http://www.causes.com/causes/260473-habitat-for-humanity-cambodia

Follow Habitat Cambodia Tweets http://twitter.com/#!/HabitatCambodiaJoin our Group on Angkorone http://www.angkorone.com/groups.aspx?grp_link=HabitatforHumanityCambodia

Visit our website http://www.habitatcambodia.orgHFH Cambodia address: #35Bis, St. 478, Phsar Duem Tkov Commune, Chamkar Mon District, Phnom Penh City, P.O Box: 2452 Phnom Penh 3

Tel/Fax: (855) 23 997 840E-mail: info@habitatcambodia.org

Habitat for Humanity AUSTRALIA

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Habitat for Humanity Cambodia says thank you to our corporate and international partners and our affiliate tithe donors.

Together, we will continue improving lives and building communities in Cambodia.

The Charitable Foundation, Elton John AIDS Foundation,

International Children’s Care Australia, World Bank,

Japan Social Development Fund, Asian Development Bank,

Paul and Aileen Munn and Activate Church

Pannasastra University of Cambodia, norton University,

Build Bright University, Royal University School of Social Work,

Logos International School, northbridge International School,

University of Cambodia, Collaborative Studio

U n I V E R S I T I E S A n D S C H O O L P A R n T E R S :

A F F I L I A T E D O n O R S :

I n T E R n A T I O n A L P A R T n E R S :

C O R P O R A T E P A R T n E R S : AnZ Royal Bank, Khmer Solar, Davies Paints Philippines, Hotel

Cambodiana

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WEST PASCO Habitat for Humanity

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Habitat for Humanity GUAM

Daimler Financial Services, GERMAnY