Sparkling in Kamchai Mear community in present

Ms. Khorn Sokunthea is a twenty-five-year-old person who lives at Pongror village, Kronhong commune, Kamchai Mear district. Her province along with Prey Veng province is the priority areas of Informatics for Rural Empowerment and Community Health (iREACH). Ms. Khorn Sokunthea is a second child among six children of Mr. Phann Kea and Ms. Nai Som Aun. Their standard of living is average as they mainly depend on rice as their main crop for farming. On her younger years, she studied hard and wanted to be famous in the society being a community developer. But she had to stop studying in grade 11 at Kamchai Mear high school in 2004 to help in her family’s livelihood and went to work in Phnom Penh as a garment factory worker. With this job, she got a little money to support her family in her hometown and the rest were used for her daily expenses such as water and light bills, food and house renting, etc.

In 2005, she got interested with Mr. Tha Bun who was a farmer and also lived in Pong Ror community. They were married through their own parents’ agreement. As life and jobs for them were difficult, her husband decided to leave his family and worked in Thailand. But Ms. Sokunthea got no information from her husband along time because the information network service was not available in their community. It was difficult and costly to go to Phnom Penh or the other provincials just to make overseas calls.

Until 2006, her life and wisdom in the past were step by step beginning to be hopeful because iREACH project started their program in Kamchai Mear community which aimed to improving life through information and communication technology (ICTs). It also provided important service network to community such as computers, internet, e-mail and community sound information program which related with health, agriculture and education…etc. There are three main objectives of iREACH project in Kamchai Mear district. First, for informing information and communication technology (ICTs) to the country area in the community; second for changing or developing community’s standard of living in the country area that follows by providing ICTs; and third for informing in preparing the ways of government policy. ICTs are gone quickly to Kamchai Mear community because of having iREACH project, which introduced information to the country area in the community.

Ms. Sokunthea always used the project information hub that was introduced and supported by Mr. Pich Rotha is a community facilitator in Pong Ror information hub. Because of the information and communication technology (ICTs) is not yet modern in the community and they still lack knowledge, she met difficulty in her first time of using such the Khmer typing is poor, searching to find the information who want to know in internet is not possible….etc. But then, she used it more often to be more knowledgeable until she could use ICTs by herself and didn’t need support from community facilitator of iREACH project. Three month later, because of her hard work and careful using of the network service of iREACH project‘s information hub, Ms. Sokunthea can now understand ICTs. She could fluently type (Font Khmer) by using Khmer UNICOD, prepared administrative document such as festival, wedding invitation, and other ceremony in village. She could also search other information from the internet system that related with agriculture, health, education, communicate with her relative or friends in inside and outside of country by e-mail. Furthermore she could help and share her idea to the other people in community who wanted to know the information and communication technology (ICTs). This action was referred to by someone as “STEP by STEP” no someone was born wise, they have to study hard for getting success in the bright future.

Relating with iREACH information hub, Sokhuntea spent a bit time with the whole family in her free time from work to use Pong Ror information hub for finding knowledge and information and to setting them to practice in her own family especially relating with agriculture, education, health that are the important information for practicing her own family such as rice crop methodology, vegetable, fruit tree, feeding, and understanding about domestic violence, safety of immigration, traffic law, health prevention, cheating……etc. Now, she has been using information hub of the project which is all the service of iREACH project and community in developing area. Moreover, she also shared lots of her experience on ICTs to the other people conscientiously. Because of her hard work and struggle, she now lives around Pong Ror community information hub and become friendly and sensitive to all villagers in using the information and communication technology. Moreover, iREACH Project appointed her the lead person in the community in ICTs for developing knowledge. Now, she will be trained by iREACH Project for sustainability.

iREACH has made ICTs accessible and understandable to the people in the community who had no ICT knowledge in the past. It also helped them develop their source of livelihood by using information and communication technology from iREACH information hub as being shown by Ms. Khor Sokhunthea as their model. She got knowledgeable and successful because of ICT system which we believe all community can be the same using ICTs system. With that, information which can be readily accessed from project information hub and could be of great use in their daily work and could improve community livelihood as well as its social being.

Computer Orientation in Angkaol Commune

The orientation meeting was scheduled to start at 8am, but only 4 people were present at that time. The vice commune chief suggested that we wait longer for more villagers to arrive. At past 9am, around 11 villagers (composed of the vice commune chief, commune clerk and villagers from Tuol Srangam and Ampeang villages), with only one woman present, gathered in the commune center for the much-anticipated computer orientation session. The participants were notably all old people.

Being told that no other villagers would arrive, the Research Manager (RM) decided to start through a short introduction. Aside from the RM, also introduced were Hay Him, a student volunteer who agreed to do translation as needed by RM, Rob, who volunteers to work with the project and the moto-dop driver, who also joined the orientation session. RM noted that the villager from Tuol Srangam (Mak Khorn) who requested for this orientation session in the previous week’s commune (introductory) meeting was not present.

Before starting the orientation, RM asked the villagers if they knew what a computer was and if they had seen one. RM also asked if they knew what a computer was used for. The villagers were shy to answer to RM’s question, but one villager said that they knew the word but they didn’t know what a computer was like. Just a note, this orientation meeting was done out of a request from one of the villagers as a follow up to the commune introductory meeting. The villagers agreed on this because they wanted to see what a computer looked like. All in all, the villagers seemed to understand the concept and meaning of the word “computer” but, until the meeting, they hadn’t seen, touched or used one.

RM gave a short presentation on the kinds of computer (desktop and laptop), basic features of computers and how they function, and some features such as photo, video and audio storage/playback. Using two laptops, one from the RM and another from the MVU student, the different parts of computers were shown – from turning the computer on, to the function of the mouse, to computer programs and special features. RM occasionally consulted the MVU student-volunteer for some translation.

First demonstrated was preparing a document in a Microsoft word program. The villagers were pleasantly surprised to see that they could use the Word program because it had a Khmer font installed.

The vice commune chief was especially interested in the Microsoft Word program, he said it would be useful to him in his work. He said he prepares documents for submission to the commune chief, district and municipal authorities, as well as other organizations. RM didn’t notice any typewriters at the office, and when asked how they prepared their documents, the vice commune chief said that they wrote them on paper, then took the paper to Kampot to be typed and printed. He said that it takes time to produce commune documents because they have to prepare all the documents needed and then go to Kampot at a designated time. Urgent documents are a different matter though. Travel time is between 45mins to 1hr by motorcycle from Angkaol commune.

Other programs demonstrated were Microsoft Excel, the DVD/CD player, and a photo album. The villagers were encouraged to use the computers. They were hesitant at first, but later on, one by one, they started to loosen up a bit. After some explanation, the villagers familiarized themselves with the computers and took turns in moving the mouse, flicking through a file of photos (zooming in and out), watching a short video and trying out other programs.

The first question asked was how much does a computer cost. RM explained that some are expensive (like laptops and branded computers) while some can be bought cheaply. One old villager asked RM if the computer would turn off or break down whenever a wrong key was struck. Another villager was also curious about how long it would take to learn how to use a computer, and whether they needed to learn English to do so. RM explained that computer only breaks down if it’s used improperly or gets infected with a virus. RM added that a computer suddenly goes blank (turns off) when there is no electricity (in case of the desktop) and when there are electrical problems inside the CPU. The enumerator then explained what a virus is and how it affects the computer and talked a bit about CPUs. At this point, I am unsure if the villagers understood the concept of “virus” and “CPU”.

The villagers were delighted to see how a computer works and had fun having hands-on practice. One villager (the commune chief of Tuol Srangam) commented that there were lots of new things to memorize/remember and to do to be able to use a computer, which would possibly make old people more inhibited to use them.

The vice commune chief also said that if the villagers don’t know computers yet, they won’t be interested, and suggested that iREACH put computers in place so that it will attract more people. To which the vice commune chief added that we should be patient in teaching them, as most of the villagers in the commune have low levels of education, some none at all. He added that technology was difficult for them to understand and he urged that we should go slowly and not rush the villagers. He also added that it would take more meetings or training sessions before the villagers would be able to understand computers in particular, and the project in general. RM said that these comments would be noted.

Before the group wound up, RM asked the villagers whether their perceptions or ideas of computers had changed. An old man said that “now that I have seen a computer, I want to know more how to use it”. The village chief of Tuol Srangam said that after the presentation, he still didn’t understand computers, but he would still like to learn how to use a computer (very interested to learn how to use).

The vice commune chief asked if the computers would be placed in the commune center and if there were problems, who would help. RM said that it wasn’t decided yet where to put the computers but iREACH would employ local staff to man the computer centers and take care of their maintenance. The vice commune chief also asked where would the computers be located. RM then took this chance to explain about community ownership and the creation of a committee which would decide, among other things, where computers would be located.

One old man said that he wanted the younger people to be involved in this kind of activity because it would give them new skills which they could use when they looked for a job when they left school. The vice commune chief thanked us for starting a project like this in their commune and suggested we have more sessions next time and they would invite students and other villagers to participate. He reiterated that in their commune, technological skills are rare and the capacities of the villagers, both old and young, should be built.

RM then asked them to discuss among themselves a date which would be convenient for all to conduct another meeting. Before the group separated, the vice commune chief said they would set the date and give a call to RM.

***

The computer orientation session ended, but RM stayed a little longer for pleasantries and had a chance to talk to the vice commune chief about the problems his village-mates are facing.

There is an existing community fishery in Angkaol commune, which was established in 2004-2005 (he can’t remember which year) through the facilitation of DANIDA (the staff’s name, according to him, was Lav Bunrithy). During that time, DANIDA assisted them in creating the community fishery group and in drafting their by-laws.

The problem in Angkaol was that there were big boats, owned by private companies/businessmen from Kampot and other areas and invading their fishing space, thus, leaving the fishermen in the village less fish catch. Sometimes confrontations ended up in violence.

So when the community fishery group was established and recognized by the fishery department, the fishermen cooperated in protecting their fishing area. They created an underwater fence made of coconut timber nailed together to prevent the big fishing boats from coming to their fishing area. However, as these boats are bigger and apparently have connections from the powers that be, Angkaol fishermen easily got defeated. But not only that, also some CF members themselves, perhaps due to frustration and hopelessness, turn to their old ways of using illegal fishing methods and ignore the very law that they have agreed on. So now, the members have lost their interest at all because their problem is still unsolved. Now the group remains inactive.

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.