First Post

I began work as Research Manager of the i-REACH Project on August 7, 2006. That was a year after I first met the team during their pre-project workshop in Phnom Penh and after a series of panel interview and written test that followed.

As the title suggests, my work is to make sure that all research activities are implemented according to schedule and documented for project evaluation purposes. To me it sounded vague, there was no further information to fill me with details but, at the same time, I thought it covers a huge scope.

So tomorrow, I will be moving to Kep to commence the research and community work there while negotiations are still on-going between the i-REACH Management Team and a prospect NGO. I will leave friends and the comforts of Phnom Penh behind to live in the community.

The district authorities in Damnak Chang'eur, through its Governor Tep Yuthy, generously provided us with two rooms (in the district office where he is holding office) for our use. These rooms will be renovated soon to accommodate an office, a community hub for computer, internet and VoIP use, and a community radio.

I will be staying temporarily in a guesthouse in Kep town. The project doesn't support my accommodation, but will provide for transportation expenses. That should be okay. But between the guesthouse and the office in Damnak Chang'eur is about 25kms of well-paved roads and hectares upon hectares of rice fields, so I'll have about 50kms of traveling distance to and from work. Add to that several kilometers more of travel from the office to the other project areas. It sounds tiring, but we will see how I will cope with the work and the traveling.

I am preparing to meet with the district officials, and fortunately for me, my Project Manager had given me a name to talk to when I reach Damnak Chang'eur. It is important that I meet with authorities as they are important actors in our project. Sometimes, it's good to be on the side of these authorities, especially when the project is just in its early stages.