Mud and Midwives!

So what is going on with the VSO work I came out to Cambodia to do?

Last week my VA Thol and I arranged to go out to the remote health centre at Chankaleu in the west of the province. It’s the rainy season here at present but the Health centre chief assured us the road was still passable.

First we drove along the Mekong River bank to the ferry port.

Photo of the ferry just arriving at the port.

Then with motorbike safely loaded we crossed the Mekong River and set off on a 30k journey.

Photo of Thol on the Ferry -it leaves when there are a minimum of 3 motos on it.

The road started as a rough gravel surface which rapidly deteriorated into mud and streams. I must have jumped off and pushed about 20times, dragging the motorbike(moto) out of muddy streams or more often walking round while Thol paddled through with the moto.

Photo: Yes this is the road!-Now I need to find a way across.

Almost 3 hours later we crossed the final stream and arrived covered in mud and wet up to my knees at the tiny wood shack –the Health Centre where about 20 women a month give birth.

Photo: Chankaleu Health Centre

The four amazing young midwives who cover the Health centre 24/7 were pleased to see us and we then had a teaching session on Haemorrhage, Shoulder Dystocia (when the head is born but the shoulders get stuck)and recognising infection in the newborn. They then made us lunch of Fried egg, Omelette and rice –I think this was because I’m a foreigner and might not like Khmer food.  Then it was back to the mud and wet road for 3 hours home again.  I did wonder if it had been wise setting off in the rainy season but then what do the women in labour who need to transfer to the hospital do? They take the same road of course on the back of a motorbike too.  I also thought it might help avoid a transfer if the midwives are well trained in emergencies.

Later the same week, two hospital midwives and me again ran the same full day workshop as in June on Helping babies live. (Previous post) This time an amazing 27 different midwives turned up instead of just 14 last time which was great.

Photo: midwives practicing resuscitation.

Then last week I had another much easier trip to Kompun Health Centre 20k away and did skill drills again.

Photo of the lovely Kompun midwives with Thol joining in the skill drills for Shoulder dystocia.

Photo  Health Centre grounds complete with local buffalo that wandered in followed by kids.

After the drill we sat and chatted; one of them told me that last year they had a baby where the shoulders got stuck. They didn’t know what to do so transferred her to the hospital where the doctor managed to deliver the baby. The baby had a paralysed arm (a side effect of poorly managed shoulder dystocia) and died after two days. They said they did not know what to do to help get the shoulders out –they had never been taught before. They have asked me to go and teach suturing next time.

After that I stayed working with staff on the ward –two health twin girls were born at 1.8kg each the midwives gave them lots of advice about feeding and keeping warm and I gave them a cardi each, for the nights, that my friend Pauline brought out from England –thanks to all the knitters!

Photo –Twins in Cardis!

Women's Development Center Stung Treng

 

On Monday 13^th August I was invited to attend the official launch of the Women’s Development Center in Stung Treng.

 

 Tucked away over a rise, on the higher ground above Stung Treng town, I had no idea the place existed until I visited and must admit I attended not knowing what actual event I was going to witness. This happens quite a lot to me –

Chris you are invited to attend tomorrow at 8.00am.

Thank you, what am I attending?

- Yes tomorrow!

- Yes, but what?

- What?

- Yes, what?

- Tomorrow you attend.

(The person issuing invite now answers their mobile phone or drives off on motorbike)

Yes, thank you, I will.

So I attended and found I was to witness an important event, surprisingly, but in possible anticipation, I had dressed up a bit (Chris you look handsome today- male Kamai colleague).

I was particularly interested to see His Excellency Carlos Blasco Villa, Spanish Ambassador to Cambodia as guest of honor.

On listening, or more correctly, reading the speeches, all became clear:

Under an agreement between Peace and Development (PYD), an NGO, and The Ministry of Women’s Affairs, the Women’s Development Center (WDC) of Stung Treng was built from February 2011 and completed on 12^th October 2011 taking some 8 months. The money was provided by the Government of Spain through the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development (AECID).

 

The WDC comprises two buildings:

 Building A is 25m x 13m and has two floors. Inside are four training rooms and one meeting room, five offices and two storerooms.

 

Pic of reception area

In the reception area, some nice furniture inviting you to relax, and I think the plan is to offer refreshments in the future.

 Building B is 25m x 11.2 m, again has two floors and is the home stay of the trainees coming from rural areas to receive training. Inside are a dining room, two rooms for preparing food and sleeping dormitories.

 

It became apparent how generous the Spanish people have been, the construction costs were

$ 246,047 in total including chairs, tables and equipment for the training rooms.

The WDC will be used for vocational training; teaching skills such as sewing, weaving, food processing, computer skills, accounting, marketing, leadership and other skills. The centre is to  be used to support the service delivery to rural poor women that aims to uplift their living conditions and their status and to move them out of poverty and to give prosperity to their lives. They attend the Center for six months as residents and leave with manufacturing skills but also business awareness to be able to start up a small business in their home village.

The speeches finished (finally! thankfully!) with the four gems of Buddhist blessing:

 Longevity, Nobility, Health and Strength.

After the ribbon was cut, everyone was invited to tour the WDC and look at the training rooms and samples of the produce in the small shop area.

 

 The display area where items made at the Center are on display for sale.

Photographs of the construction were posted on a large display board. Curiously, I was the only person looking at the photos; why was nobody interested to look at the shape and number of steel reinforcing bars in the concrete pad foundations?

Why weren’t they interested to see how the reinforcing bars for the vertical concrete columns were tied into the reinforcing bars of the ground ring beam? - Your Excellency: Ambassador Sir: have you seen this detail?

I think it is a lovely Center and the buildings are the nicest I’ve seen in Stung Treng and possible Cambodia. It is light and airy and gives a positive, happy feeling to be inside.

 

Another view of the Sales area. Nichol , Angela and our guide.

Initially I thought it was designed by a Spanish Architect along the lines of:
Spain is providing the money so they would wish to give the project to a Spain practice as a challenge to design a project in Cambodia. I have since been told the initial ideas and scheme were advised by Spain but a Cambodian Architect was employed and designed the Center. So my considered opinion is Well Done and the Construction team can be proud. I never took my camera on the opening day, why would I, not knowing what event I was going to.

However I have been back taking Angela and Nichole to show them around.

 

The weaving training room. On the day of the opening there were four women demonstrating their skills.

We were very lucky to meet a member of staff who showed us around the whole complex including living quarters.

 

Women's dormitory

 

Clothes made in the training rooms and on display for sale.

Angela bought a bag:

 Bag: $5, made from Bamboo. Lots of different sizes and designs to chose from

 and blouse and Nichole ordered some made to measure work clothes.

 

The training room for sewing. The sewing machines appear to be second hand and of the foot treadle type.

The challenge now for the department of Women’s Affairs is to move forward and make full use of the facilities. It stands at the top of the town but do the residents or visitors to Stung Treng know of its existence?

In the shop the stock levels are low and the display cases are gravitating into the corners, there is litter on the floors. I hope it will prosper not stand still.

 

Equipment in the weaving room