Background

Khan Mean Chey Situation

TASK have been working in one of the poorest area calls Mean Chey district which has population up to 200,000.These people majority is Khmer, some are Vietnamese and Charm. They are speaking their own languages. Mean Chey district located south urban area of Phnom Penh. It is 70% lower land divided in two parts by BASAC river. Many people settling their houses along river bank and living with very low hygiene such as using unclean water, low quality of food & lack of access to heath care..etc..

TASK (Formerly Servants to Asia’s Urban Poor) in now continuing to implement 8 projects in aiming to respond to the needs of people suffering poverty & diseases. our work is to serve these people and change their lives following our vision and mission statements.

The royal government of Cambodia is planning to expand the capital city by another 20km by the year 2010. As part of this plan, a big lake in Niroth has been filled up to build a new stadium. It affects people living around the lake because it used to provide them with income from fishing and farming. The land price is dramatically increasing; much new building is taking place. The poor people have to pay more money for accommodation as the rent price is going up as well.

TASK Management reports

TASK has become localized for almost two years since 01 Oct 2004. All management structure is 100% led by Cambodian staff. There are more and more blessings from God project have expanded, funding has increased more staff since TASK has become localize.

The management is now led by two Co-directors & one Deputy director and supported by the management team. At least one representative was chosen from each project to be a member of the management committee. All these position are elected not appointed or nominated.

By The constitution states that every three years one of the Co-directors has to step down automatically and remain one. This situation a new one must be chosen from the team by election to replace the one who step down.

The management committee also has rotating roles. There will be a new election taking place every two years to select new members of the management committee.

TASK now is preparing the election for new management committee which will be scheduling in late Oct 2006. and the Co-directors & deputy director will also be re-elected in Oct 2007.

The reasons TASK formed structure this is to mobilize and encourage young staff to gain experience area learn how to lead TASK Organization, and allow them to share their leadership within TASK.

Overall Objective

Our Vision (The CSD Project):

1. We want to see the poor and their communities in Khan Mean Chey having good health through improved personal and community hygiene.
2. We want to see every family and every child have knowledge about and access to decent sanitation, and every school providing safe, clean space for children to play.
3. We want to see the poor and their communities transformed by experiencing the best possible health (physical, social, mental, spiritual).

Our Mission (The CSD Project):

1. We will build latrines in cooperation with poor communities.
2. We will provide good health education, especially about latrine use (cleaning and maintenance) and hand washing (with soap).
3. We will help communities develop themselves by providing the health knowledge and skills that address the causes of poverty.
4. We will assist the children of Khan Main Chey to grow and develop by assuring that every school in the district has adequately drained land and a children’s playground.
5. We will build good relationships with the poor, the community, and all stakeholders.
6. We will network and partner with all groups that can help provide training, skills or resources to help improve the health and sanitation of the poor.

Our work is an integrated approach to health and development, and includes work in

• Child Health: Community nutrition; children with disability; immunization; children and youth at risk from HIV/AIDS and from drug abuse; health education, sanitation and playgrounds in schools.
• Women’s Health: Savings cooperatives; birth spacing and antenatal care; commercial sex worker outreach; traditional birth attendant training.
• Public Health: grass roots community sanitation and drainage; HIV/AIDS education and home care; support to government TB program; cooperation with Health centre and District authorities for special campaigns - e.g. Dengue Fever, emergency relief.

Throughout the community SERVANTS-TASK has built up an extensive network of community relationships (e.g. Women’s Association members, Group Leaders etc) and is committed to mobilizing and nurturing community volunteers and community workers to assist in the development of their own localities (presently over 100 such community workers work alongside us).

It should be emphasized that all of the health and development projects are interrelated, work in cooperation with one another and cross-refer to one another. This allows an integrated approach to addressing the communities health and development needs.

C S D Project Background

Community Sanitation and Development Background (C S D)

a - CSD Project had its origins in May, 2000, Under Servants to Asia Urban Poor following research in Prek Pra Commune, Meanchey District. The majority of these people were poor families not able to build toilets to use. So they passed stool near theirs houses or in ponds and in rivers. The majority were Khmer people with significant minority population of Viet Names and Cham (or Moslem) whose houses were along side the river, ponds or swampy area.

b - CSD made the plan to reduce disease and poverty in the Community by helping to build family toilets for poor families and give health education teaching and providing skill training about how to build and maintain. These toilets poor people to help and support themselves. This enables growing in dignity and better health.

c - before building of a family latrine, C S D meets with UNCHS (United Nation Community Heath Sanitation Organization based Phnom Penh, adopting their toilet model.

d- The Community participates in the planning and contraction of their toilets and contribute $ 10 per toilet, as well as their labor.

Background of family toilet project area

Description in Thnot Chrum Village

Thnot Chrum was the poorest Village and was located in the lowest areas BoeungTumpun Commune, Mean Chey District. In the raining season, flood water flowed heavily and flooded the area for 2-3 days at a time. The population was living this water was very unsanitary.

TASK Community Sanitation Development project found that people had many needs for health assistant such as rainage, toilet, pure water and hygiene knowledge .

During the observation and discussion with the head of the village, they request to TASK to help develop their area with drainage and family toilets as well.

Statistics

Thnot Thrum has population 9942 persons, 1721 families, 1533 houses and 18 groups.

Community request family toilets amounting to 30 toilets for poor families, there had following this, TASK contacted the local authority and checked for other places with similar needs and made a Baseline and follow-up questionnaire in surrounding villages.

Situation and Activity Family Toilet

Currently we help to provide families toilets to poor families amounting to 12 toilets in month October, 2006 to March, 2007.

After we build the families toilet, we chose one family to interview such: Chan Rom, a female ages 65 years old, She is head of the family of 12 persons living in Thnot Chrum village . She told us last year, that her family lacked toilet, some times passing stools near her house or in plastic bags thrown into ponds and rivers. but now they told us that they can easy use her toilets and are experiencing less Diarrhea, Dysentery, worms and other diseases, when saves money their not buying medicines, they have good health in their families and experience greater happiness.

Number of poor families receiving toilets

Available for download:

Budget of a family toilet and a financial report of the project.

Picture of completed toilets

Khan Mean Chey Situation:

TASK have been working in one of the poorest area calls Mean Chey district which has population up to 200,000.These people majority is Khmer, some are Vietnamese and Charm. They are speaking their own languages. Mean Chey district located South urban area of Phnom Penh. It is 70% lower land divided in two parts by BASAC river. Many people settling their houses along river bank and living with very low hygiene such as using unclean water, low quality of food & lack of access to get medicines,… ect.

TASK (Former Servants to Asia’s Urban Poor) in now continue implemented 8 projects in aiming to respond to the needs of people suffering of poverty & diseases. our work is to serve these suffer people and changing their lives following our vision and mission statements.

The royal government of Cambodia is planning to expand the capital city by another 20km by the year 2010. As part of this plan, a big lake in Niroth has been filled up to build a new stadium. It affects people living around the lake because it used to provide them with income from fishing and farming. The land price is dramatically increasing, many flats are building up. The homeless people have to pay more money for their accommodation as the rent price is going up as well.

Latrines built with monies raised by the community clinics:

TASK Management reports:

TASK has become localize for almost two years since 01 Oct 2004. ALL management structure is 100% led by Cambodian staff. There are more and more blessed from God. more funding, more staff since TASK has become localize.

The management is now led by two Co-directors & one deputy director and supported by management team. At least one representative was chosen from each project to be a member of the management committee. All these position was elected NOT appointed or nominated.

by the constitution stated that every three years one of the Co-directors has to step down automatically and remain one. This situation a new one must be chosen from the team by election to replace the one who step down.

The management committee also rotating roles. There will be new election is taking place very two years to select a new members of the management committee.

TASK now is preparing the election for new management committee which will be scheduling in late Oct 2006. and the Co-directors & deputy director will also be re-elected in Oct 2007.

The reasons TASK formed this is to mobilize and encourage young experiences staff learn how lead TASK Organization. Also open way for them to share their leadership within TASK.

General Activities:

School works: ( Pre school & Primary Scholl) Assist Red soil, playgrounds, rubbish bins, block toilets, food for student for International children day, drainage system, water tanks, wells, clean water …ect.

Community works: Build drainage, family latrines, basic health teaching, Clean water system, , building road… ect.

Progress & Future plans:

• Provided red soil 6 trucks & sand 2 trucks to Chack Angre Krom Primary school.
• Provided red soil 6 trucks & sand 2 trucks to Chack Angre Krom Primary school.
• Provided 4 trucks of red soil to Rusey primary school.
• Provided 3 truck of red soil to Rusey Sros Peimary School.
• Provided 3 trucks of red soil to Chbar Ampouv 2 Primary school.
• Provided 2 trucks of red soil to Chbar Ampouv 1 Primary school.
• Provided 2 trucks of red soil & 1 trucks of sand to Chamreun Phall Primary school.
• Provided 7 trucks of dirt & 1 truck of sand to Tombok Khpors Primary school.
• Provided 2 trucks of red soil & 1 truck of sand to Sansom Kosal Primary school.
• Provided 2 trucks of red soil to Steung Mean Chey Primary school.
• Provided 3 trucks of red soil to Prachhom Vong Primary school.
• Provided 1 truck of red soil & 1 truck to Preah Ponlear Primary school.
• Provided 1 trucks of red soil to Prek Pra Krom Primary school.
• Provided 1 trucks of red soil to Prek Pra Leu Primary school.
• Provided 2 trucks of red soil to Chack Angre krom Phhom 2 Primary school.
• Provided 1 trucks of sand to Chack Angreleu Pre school.
• Provided 75 rubbish bins to Primary school & pre-school. 5 rubbish bins for each school.
• Equipped one set of playground to Sansom Kosal Primary school, 1 set of see-saw & one swing.
• Equipped one set of playground to Wat Kamsan Primary school, 1 set of see-saw, one swing & one slide.
• Equipped one set of playground to at TASK Children Centre, Prek Pra for Sunrise student play, 1 set of see-saw, one slide & low rotation.
• Equipped one set of playground to Chack Angre Leu Phom1 Pre School, 1 set of see-saw, one swing& one slide.
• Provided 15 boxes of instant noodle to 225 students at Chbar Ampouv2 Primary school at International Children day 01st June, 2006.
• Repaired one block old toilet at Chbar Ampouv2 Primary school for student use & for people moved from flooding places.
• Contacted with school directors discussed about general hygiene with schools, how to maintain, rubbish bins, block toilets, playgrounds, provided by TASK.
• Negotiated with school directors to intergrades student back to school.

• From October 2006 to December 2006, built 7 family latrines to 12 poor families at Group 5 & 4 Thnot Chhrom village, Beung Tompon Commune, Mean Chey District. These 7 toilets can serve 84 people.
• From June 2006 to September 2006, built one line of drainage 775m at Preah Ponlea. This drainage flows wasted from 500 houses.
• Educated community people at Thnot Chhrom about General Hygiene, how to maintain drainage, how to keep toilets clean, and 100 people joined.
• Gathered people in community & village leaders discussing about future plan for connecting clean water, build more drainages, more family latrines.
• Communicated with Commune leaders & district leader discussing how to identify the need of communities.
• Continue to negotiate school directors to identify the of student in school, as playgrounds, block toilets, red soil, rubbish bins.
• Continue to have good cooperation with school directors to intergrades more students back to school. These students quit school for some reasons.
• Continue to educate general hygiene and basic health to all primary & pre schools.
• Seek a need of poor student in order to support them as school supplies, food, cloths.
• Mobilize & advocate school teachers to stop taking money from poor students.
• Encourage & mobilize student mothers to sent their children to school.
• Engage other organizations to gather more supports for poor student in school.
• Visited Rain Water Project run by the Organization in June 2006 to learn from them how to keep rain water to use in the family.
• Continue to research the need of Communities, as family latrines, drainage, and clean water.
• Continue to negotiate with local authority to involve building drainages, water system.
• Encourage community people to share their contribution, as labor, some money in building more latrines, more drainage.
• Continue to communicate with Commune leaders, district leaders & municipality to discuss of future community development projects.
• Continue to search about building big water jar for poor community use rain water.
• Will visit Rain Water Organization in order to learn how make big water jar for people in community.

Staff Activities:

• Mr. Chea Lin, Project coordinator, attended 1day workshop with Maryknol & World Vision about project implementing in the same locations to avoid double services.
• Attended half day workshop at Municipality hall about supporting poor community development & poverty reduction plan.
• Attended 40 hours course of Computer training at ICS (International Computer School) from 10th July to 10 August 2006.
• Continue to attend English training.
• Will visit other Sheila Organization project about how to work better in building drainage.

Other TASK projects:

TASK
As a local NGO, TASK is experiencing great favor and blessing. In general, funding seems to be quite forthcoming and this year a major donor has funded the building of a children’s centre which will house all the children’s projects in TASK, such as Project HALO, Sunrise School, The Little Conquerors, Kids Plus, and the Nutrition Project. This gives them room to expand their programs and reach more children, more effectively.

The TASK co-leaders have risen to a number of challenges, including uncovering a case of fraud and subsequently implementing a new, tighter financial system to avoid problems in the future. There are currently over 30 full time staff.

Servants relationship with TASK

Expatriate Servants team members continue to work alongside TASK staff in some of the projects and provide advice and encouragement where needed. Kristin helps with the new drug users initiative and the AIDS education, Additionally, they are all board members, along with four Cambodians.

Here is a summary of progress in the various projects: Please note that although these are described as separate programs, there is a lot of liaison and networking between the programs. In particular for the Nutrition Program, they work very closely with Project HALO with the Kids Plus program (same staff as Nutrition) and now with the Women’s Health program. The local Government Health Centre sends staff each Tuesday morning to the Nutrition clinic to do immunizations.

Nutrition

Half of all children are malnourished in Cambodia. We treat the most severely malnourished fewer than 5 year olds in our district. A clinic is held in the community once a week, followed up by home visiting. Community workers help us locate children and carry out health and nutrition education.

“Kids Plus” - HIV positive children

The mushrooming AIDS epidemic in Cambodia has meant that increasing numbers of children are being born with the HIV virus. TASK works passionately to keep these kids as healthy and happy as possible for as long as possible.

Project HALO (Hope, Assistance & Love for Orphans)

TASK has helped Cambodian communities care for over 900 children affected by AIDS, through extended families, teen-headed households and foster families. We also mobilise Christian young people to take on the role of “big brother or sister” to one orphan each, visiting and encouraging.

Childhood Immunization

While much of our work is treatment for diseases and disabilities we must also attend to the fence at the top of the cliff. By carrying out the unglamorous task of extensive immunization for babies and children we prevent thousands of future cases of disease, disability and death.

Women’s Health

Lack of access to reproductive knowledge is one of the key factors keeping women and their families poor, sick and in danger of early death. Working alongside village midwives, we hold regular clinics in the community providing health check-ups, education and family planning.

The Little Conquerors - disabled kids

In a karma based society like Cambodia, disability is often a shameful and hidden problem. TASK treats disabilities and trains the families to carry on the therapy at home, we try to bring families together for mutual support. TASK also mainstreams as many kids as possible into local schools.

HIV/AIDS Homecare

TASK has mobilized an extensive network of community workers (mainly from local churches) to visit people living with AIDS and offer a helping hand a listening ear and an encouraging prayer. TASK medical staffs follow up with compassionate counseling, pain-relieving medication and support.

Brothel Clinic

TASK runs a clinic in the heart of one of the slum brothels in our district. We supply condoms, AIDS prevention education and treat STD’s. During the clinic the sex workers are encouraged to attempt escape from the brothel lifestyle and go to a Christian safe house where they are cared for and learn new skills.

AIDS Education

The answer to halting the onward march of the AIDS epidemic is not cure but prevention. And the best hope for prevention lies in changing human behaviour. TASK reaches out to the most vulnerable groups in Cambodian society with straightforward facts and education about HIV/AIDS.

Emergency Relief

At times, the only Christian response to an urgent need is to provide emergency relief. Cambodia suffers from flooding on a yearly basis and several slums have been wiped out by major fires. People who are already struggling, lose everything and TASK is often called on to provide emergency supplies.

Teenage Drug User Rehabilitation (TDUR)

This new initiative is progressing well with cooperation from local authorities who are keen to help us make a difference. They have donated a number of locations to TASK to use for training and agriculture with the boys. It is early days yet in this ministry and the main focus is on building relationships and research.