And WHY am I here? well, I am here with HOPE International Development Agency. HOPE exists to extend Christ's compassion to the neglected poor, and to educate North Americans about issues of poverty and development overseas. hmm.. why I exist? pretty much! :)
I've been working with HOPE since January as the Understanding Needs In Other Nations (UNION) Program Coordinator, and this is one of our summer trips for Canadian volunteers to visit and live, work, and serve alongside people in need in another country. The UNION program is intended to give people from our privileged society - like ourselves - an opportunity to live and learn about the people and development in a small struggling community. As the name implies, the purpose of UNION trips is to gain awareness and the needs of the poor, to encourage them with our presence and support, and to carry out work side by side with the people who live in these communities.
So, our team of Canadians will be here in Cambodia, experiencing life and, among other things, working to help construct a primary school in Pursat Province.
I'm also here a week and a bit early to (a) learn the ropes before our team gets in :) and also, (b) to monitor and write an evaluation report for some of our "Innovative Projects" here. which, by the way, are AWESOME and i'm looking forward to seeing them in person. HOPE has been working in Cambodia since 1991, and done a LOT of good work here and helped many many families journey out of poverty and towards self-reliance. Check out out this page about HOPE's work in Cambodia, and also a video on our website about HOPE in Cambodia (just scroll over to Cambodia 2004). But they've also been doing some special pilot projects in recent years and these are the ones I get to have a look at more closely: dry season rice farming, animal banks, biosand filters for clean water, composting toilets, and solar lights. anyways, I'm looking forward to seeing these!!
I've been meaning to get this up onto HOPE's website, but haven't had the chance yet - but, until then, here's a nifty newsletter about this Cambodia 2010 UNION trip. Go check it out, if even just for the fact that I made my first electronic newsletter, haha! :)
Anyways, just a little glimpse of what I'm doing here - I'll share more soon when I get the chance!
For now... WELCOME TO CAMBODIA! :)
More to come later - some friends are picking me up to take me out and around town! :)
xo
rainbow =)
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