Health and Cambodia

（日本語↓）
Some work updates. As in my previous entries, I’ve been trying to incorporate some life skill lessons in some of the programs that our organization offers to girls. Some possible topics in the course include health issues, job counseling, and management skills. A big issue is health since many girls in Cambodia do not get adequate education revolving this topic.

I had the opportunity to shadow Carol, one of the directors, to our organization-run orphanage. Carol, who is also a certified nurse, visited the site to educate the staff on HIV/AIDS as there are a few children at the orphanage who are infected. The good news is that all the positive children are receiving regular medical treatment. Nevertheless, we held an information session as there have been many misconceptions and worries from the staff surrounding the disease.

There were many interesting issues that were raised during the lecture/discussion session but the most eye opening topic of all was when one staff member raised the incident of “health government officials” arriving at the orphanage a few weeks ago. They mentioned that they were informed of HIV positive children living in the orphanage and that they must be taken to an HIV specific institution. Moreover, they insinuated the orphanage of being a threat to the other children who are not infected. 

This situation is alarming and dangerous on many levels. First, why did these “health officials” know about this fact? And second of all, why would they demand to take these children away?

 Our orphanage is run under our organization, legally and successfully for many years. Unlike many of the orphanages in Cambodia,  the children here in fact really do not have parents and many come from troubled backgrounds. But most importantly, our orphanage is NOT run under a volunteer orphanage business– in fact volunteers are generally not allowed on the grounds unless they are major donors or come for specifics needs (mostly professionals to train staff on particular issues). Our entire staff is fully qualified and all the children are getting their expectations met. The HIV positive children are fairly and equally taken care of as the other children and their medical needs are met.

I was livid as it not only degrades the infected children but also our staff and organization who have been working so hard to make the orphanage sustainable. Nevertheless, why the fuss? There is only one simple answer: it's a threat. In other words, they want a bribe (standard is $10/child). As preposterous as this sounds, corruption is ineluctable and a reality in everyday life in this country. 

Another concern is that the privacy rights are not respected. Each HIV/AIDS positive individual has a right to make their status private. Disclosing this would be a breach of international law. Nevertheless, these rights are outright ignored. It's pedestrian for an Asian country where tight knit community and family is prioritized, and privacy is a hard concept to grasp. It will definitely take time for people to understand but it is critical issue for sensitive issues such as this. More importantly, these insular and libertine "high ranking" government officials need to end their unscrupulous actions and mishandling dire issues that the country faces.

It gave me some insight on the topics and issues to be raised at my own workshops I will be designing with the girls and this is going to be a difficult one for sure

Thanks to the many donors, our kids lived in a self-sustained gated community

Project coordinator (and paparazzi/redbull coke lover) Ven. Loeurm

Roundtable session with the kids

Little kids and big kids live together in several group homes

Water filter system given by donors. There is no electricity in this area so everything is solar paneled at the orphanage, also donated. 

Old school kitchen! Like my grandma's place in Japan before we renovated it.

Most of the vegetables and fruits eaten at the orphanage are all home grown

Lunch time!

Lunch time for the staff...man these kids get fed so well.

School bus, Cambodian style. No joke.

カメラを向けたら恥ずかしがりやのカンボジアの子供にしては珍しくしっかりと顔を合わせてくれました。強い目をしています。一番お気に入りの一枚

Off to afternoon session class

Lecture/discussion with the staff

Wonderful and hardworking staff. Thank you for having us!

先週働いているNGOが経営している孤児院を訪問してきました。
ここ数年カンボジアでは観光客を孤児院でボランティアさせてお金を取るという「ニセ孤児院」が問題となっている中、ここはちゃんと認可されている上、カンボジアでは珍しく経営もちゃんと成り立っている模範的な孤児院。スタッフはもちろん全員トレーニングを受けたカンボジア人。約４０人の子供たちがグループホーム式で共同生活をしています。

今回の訪問目的は当NGOのディレクターであるキャロルの補佐。入所児童の数名がHIV患者のため、スタッフへのHIV/AIDS指導・および生活指導の講義を行うのでその手伝い及び視察に付き添わせていただきました★

と いうのもあたしは裁縫学校の生徒たちのカリキュラムの一環として健康・生活指導の授業を設けようというプロジェクトを進めているので、今カンボジア社会がどう HIV/HIVが受け止められているのか生の声を聞くためにも日々HIV感染者の子供たちと向き合ってるスタッフの意見が聞けるいい機会となりました。

ここ１０数年でカンボジアでのHIV感染率は減少しているものの、まだまだ誤解も多くて正確な情報がカンボジア社会で浸透していないのがが現状。特に政府内での誤解がその引き金となっているのも事実。

ス タッフとの話し合いで一番びっくりしたのが数週間前に「政府機関の役人」と名乗る人が数名孤児院を訪れてHIV感染の子供を別施設に移すよう要請しに来たこと。理由を聞くと、他の子供たちへの感染の恐れがあるからとのこと。うーん・・・うちのスタッフはHIV/AIDSの知識はちゃんとある上、そもそもHIV感染者と非感染者との共同生活の中での感染率は極めて低いんですけどっっ！その上感染している児童は全員治療を受けているので他の児童への感染率の更に低くなるはず。その知識もなくて恥ずかしげもなく「政府の人間」と名乗る事自体おかしい。

そして一番気がかりなのがどうやって役人クラスの人が孤児院にHIV感染の子供がいるという事実を突き止めたのか。基本的にはHIV・AIDS患者は個人のプライバシーが尊重されるため、誰が感染しているかしていないか病院や医療施設以外で公表されることはない。

つまりは誰かがタレこみをして、それに対して政府側が孤児院を脅しているということ。

日本や途上国では考えられないけど、脅しや賄賂はここでは日常茶飯事。政府側も多分お金を渡すまで引き下がらないので今後どうなることやら・・

ま、 その問題はさておき、それ以外では楽しい訪問となりました。スタッフや子供たちを放したり、敷地内を案内してもらったり、とつくづくウチのNGOのお坊さ んたちはすごいなーと関心しっぱなしでした。カンボジアの子供たちは本当に無邪気でかわいいんですよ~♡ 癒されました (*^_^*)。入所している子供たちの多くは情緒不安定なのでそれも考慮した上で一般ボランティアは受け付けてないのですが、また機会があればまたぜひ訪問したいです。