December Report

First of all I would like to appology for late to post the up date information of KCM.


Monthly Report of December 2007

I. General Information
Project title: Informatics for Rural Empowerment and Community Health (iREACH)
Funded by: International Development Research Center (IDRC)
Executive Agency: Ministry of Commerce (MoC)
Implementing Agency: Maharishi Vedic University (MVU)
Project Duration: August 17, 2006 to April 2009
Prepared by: Long Dimanche
Date of Report: December 31, 2007
II. Summary
December is the last month of the year but for the project it’s not yet. In this month KCM staff pay their best to perform their work with the good results such as we have completed the network security by established firewall, recruited all CFs to handle the hubs. For multimedia team they produced 7 audio productions on pig and chicken raising, seed storage, new traffic law of Cambodia (a continue topic), diarrhea and typhoid fever. In term of research division the RC completed two more iREACH note on Radish and Watermelon Method, three minutes of meeting and ongoing on processing documents. This month the project employed 6 more CFs to fill the spare hub, this can be done also because of the commitment of center in delivering the equipments to KCM.
III. Detail Activities and Results:
ICTs Infrastructure: on December the technical supporter of KCM project completed the configuration of wireless infrastructure and established the firewall for the whole system of the project. A part of the reconfigure wireless infrastructure the technical supporter spent his time in testing the software for the video conference with yahoo messenger and the open sources (access grid) software. But unfortunately, this task was failed because of limited of time and corrupted of the internet access (the internet was cut off while down loading the software). Beside of the regularly training on the internet and email for public, this month the project conducted training on computer maintenance for all project staffs for two days. This training covered on how to work with window vista home premium, computer maintenance and networking with windows XP and VISTA home premium.
Research Activity: this month the activities of research division in KCM are mostly focus on the documenting of project meeting, Management Committee Meeting and produce iREACH notes. This month the RC spent some of his time to verify the process of Needs Assessment and Management Committee Election Process also. As the Result of RC commitment there are three minutes in both version were produced and two iREACH notes on Radish and Watermelon Planting Method. Beside of these activities, the RC has spent time to prepare the logistic for the workshop on presenting the result of baseline survey to strategic partner in advance.
Content Development: with missing of Multimedia Coordinator, the Content Developers in KCM just only continue their work on producing audio for broadcast at Pagoda. As the result, CDs produced new 7 audio productions and recorded to cassette and distributed to 11 Pagodas. Those audio productions were produced regarding to the needs and resulting from management committee such as: New Traffic Law of Cambodia (the continuo topic), Safe Migration, Typhoid Fever, Diarrhea, Chicken Raising, Pig Raising and Seed Storage. All CDs attended the training on computer maintenance and collaborated with RC in distribute the iREACH notes to community also.
Service Accessing and ICTs Training for Community: Up to the end of December, there are 98 students were trained on computer literature and internet access in three village hubs (Tean Pleung, La’ak and KCM Cheung) and iREACH headquarter. For December 2007, CF in 4 Locations of project earned more than 30 000 Riel from services providing to clients both in HQ and hubs.
Project Staff and Management Committee Meeting: in arming to build team work and following up the daily work of the project, in every two week on Friday, all staff come and sit together to share and discus on results, difficulty and find solution of difficulties or any problems if have. For the first meeting on December 21, 07 KCM staff conducted the first meeting which presided by PD, this is the first meeting which all CFs attended also. In this meeting the new CF have time to learn about the project through sharing of activities by the project staff especially the old CFs. On December 31, 2007 the project conducted the second meeting to sum up the results that have been done by all staff which presided by PD. With this meeting, the new CFs expressed their impression after practice and field study with previous CFs in three hubs and HQ also.
Beside of meeting with the project staff, the PC spent time to facilitate in meeting of management committee for two times. Once on the December 3, 2007, this took for November meeting and the second hold on December 31, 2007 which is the monthly meeting of December. During the meeting the PC presented the result of the project to the management committee and management committee also sharing information from community.
Attending meeting and Workshop: this month PC attended in third Global Knowledge conference in Malaysia with KEP PC, RM, PM and SA. For the period of stay in Malaysia we also have meeting with Maria and Sean to discus about next priority work especially for visioning workshop and project launch. With GK3 I met many new thing both working with community and ICTs technology, it really interesting and useful conference.
Staff Recruitment: after returned from Malaysia, PC recruited 6 more CFs to work in other 6 hubs. Among those there are 4 CFs is just get success in the recruitment process of mid December, 2007 they are Mr. Heng Sambo, Mr. Mao Phanin, Mr. Chhoem Pov and Mr. Moen Mai. The previous success 2 CFs are Mr. Chou Samuth and Mr. Pich Ratha, so mean right now, we have all staff to implement the project. After success in recruitment, all CFs attended in computer maintenance and networking with windows XP and VISTA and they also have time to trained more on internet access and email at headquarter. To ensure their capabilities to manage their own work at hub, they were dispatched to the field practice with previous CFs at Tean Pleung, La’ak and KCM Cheung to learn on daily processing at hub.
IV. Conclusion:
With all above result, we can say that even this month is the busy month of the year but the project staff still committed to finish their own work successfully. Just only a few things that not yet complete because of their personal case of busy. This month is also the first time that all project staffs attended in training together and also the first time which all see each other and sharing knowledge together.
Best Regard,

Dimanche

Feedback Survey on Audio Broadcasting and Connectives

The first, I want to say hello everybody, in the third week of the November, 2007, I conducted a survey feedback on audio broadcasting through loudspeaker in community in arming to get feedback and find out the additional methodology in broadcasting the information to reach the Community.

This survey feedback have cooperated with Contend Development (CD) term and Community Facilitator (CF) to colleting information in 10 target areas which are Damnak Cham ber, Our Krasa (two place), Phnom Leav, Ampeang, Kos Sam, Prey Takoy, Chamkar Bei, Angkoal and Head Quarter and has 100 sample were selected for interview, this sample were divided 10 samples for one target and this survey report was finished of analysis data and waiting for interpret data from Mr.Bunthoeurn (MC) after this report and commune profile will post on the Beasecomp.

The process of this survey are some mistake from data collector (CD and CF) because they are missing questions during interview by not completed at all in questioner and so spend time for data entry into SPSS program.

The last week of November, I am so busy to Quide the Gateway Company for connectives, the gateway company arrived Kep on November 24, to connect internets and repair error in the left 7 hubs: Cham Kar Bei school hub, Prey Takoy commune hub, Toul Srangam School hub, Phnom Searser Pagoda hub, Chak Riyavong School hub and City hall. After the Gateway technicians worked in Kep four day the nine village hubs and HQ can accessible to internet. ( let me talk about the Community Facilitator (CF) that they work in the village hub to facilitate villager come research news, writing letters and leaning but our FC lack capacity to access the internet because before in the local don’t internet. This is one of the key lesson learn is that it is necessary to focus on training CF to use internet (ICT) to develop their capacity). For Solar Panel Company came on November 25, 2007 to repair the solar error in Phnom Leav Village Hub and Prey Takoy Commune Village Hub to remove the solar panel to new place. Right now, we can say that the connectivity and infrastructure are completed in the pilot Kep area.

Best Regards,

SENG Dara

RC in Kep

Experience from GK3 in Malaysia

I went to Malaysia for attending one week conference of the 3th Global Knowledge (GK3). I enjoyed with conference because I can get some ideas like telecenter, e-Turkturk, community radio… which we can apply to i-REACH. I was happy to meet with Mr. Huor, Brian, Zarah, Sean, Maria and Dimanche for discussing the project plan and it has kept telling me that i-REACH is a research project, so everything that related to the project THE TEAM HAS TO RECORD/DOCUMENTATION.

When I came back I was afraid at the airport/in the plane because I did not want something wrong was happen to me/all passengers because I going to marry with Dary soon (24 Dec.2007). But now it is fine. Hope to see you all at my wedding.

Best regards,
Sokleap

New experience with our daily broadcasting

Hi everybody in this blog. How are you doing? Now i am starting to be better for my health after i was absent work for a last couple of week. After back from sick leave i dreamed new initiative idea for being active in audio broadcasting. Oh sorry i am jocking. I would like to share our experienced in audio broadcasting in Kep pilot area.

With a beautiful song through loud speaker that we installed in front of the office of Damnak Chang Oeur district, you will hear a sound of a man shouting the program ''Samleng Sahakum Krung Kep'' means Voice of Kep Community. After that presenter say hello to the audience who are listening to the program. This is the program which we are trying to inform our audience in Kep to aware and get daily information.

While we do not have an own station to broadcast the program, it of course is difficult to inform to the audience. Eventhough, we are broadcasting by loud speaker 2 times a week in a pagoda, village, and cafe shop but it is suitable only the topic like feature and it could not for a hot news.

For a new idea but it is not too technical is install the loud speaker system in the office, which include loud speaker, microphone, amplify, and computer with using a program cool edit pro or audacity, and allow us to broadcast daily information to the audience.

The question is that what topic should be broadcast? and where can we get it when we don't produce on time? It exactly get from a newspaper and download from VOA and RFA and some topic we produce by the team. For instance, in the morning we gather information in the target area then write it and in the afternoon we broadcast it. For the topic we broadcast related to health, agriculture, education, and general issues.

How do we do?

First we play the music to attract their attention then play the main sound of the program or OBB call Voice of Kep Community. Then presenter say hello to the audience with announce a topic we are going to broadcast and get it from, then play a song for 10 seconds after that reporter report their news, sometime are getting from newspaper, and then play the topic that we download from the VOA and RFA. In the end of the program the presenter say now it is time to say good bye and thank you for your attention to our program today and will see you again on tomorrow at the same time then play the music, finish. Three or four topic a day is enough.

This is not too technical and allow us to broadcast a daily program to our audience in Kep. They hear our program everyday.

This is a new idea that we have done. You will learn more, if you visit our work here again.

We are welcome to see you and tell you briefly.
With best regards,
Bunthouern, Kep MC

November 07 Report

Monthly Report of November 2007

I. General Information
Project title: Informatics for Rural Empowerment and Community Health (i.REACH)
Funded by: International Development Research Center (IDRC)
Executive Agency: Ministry of Commerce (MoC)
Implementing Agency: Maharishi Vedic University (MVU)
Project Duration: August 17, 2006 to April 2009
Prepared by: Long Dimanche
Date of Report: November 30, 2007
II. Summary
According to the master plan from project meeting in KEP, our KCM staff committed to perform all their best to reach the milestone of the project. This month we do not have MC to coordinate the multimedia work, so the CDs try to work by themselves with support from the PC. Within the good team work KCM pilot achieved some of activities such as: In term of multimedia production we had completed 4 audio productions (Domestic Violence, Seasonal influenza, Brown Plant Hopper and Pregnancy Health Care) and recorded into cassette for disseminate to pagoda. An audio production on Composting was produced and waiting for other two audio productions (New Traffic Law and Typhoid Fever) to record to cassette. Beside of these, the CDs also wrote up a new script on Chicken Raising and preparing to make an audio. Most of the minute of project meeting and Management Committee meeting is produced. This month the RC and CDs conducted the survey on feedback of community on broadcasting in pagoda and the report of this survey is still in developing. Three i.REACH notes (Composting, Soil use and Harvesting & Storage rice) produced but still not yet publish. By the way, the infrastructure of KCM pilot is mostly completed installation. The Solar power was installed at all hubs and the internet connectivity hope to complete on December 1st, 2007. In term of Connectivity in HQ we use AP 523c with Omni and P2P 2218 at Hubs.
III. Detail Activities and Results:
Infrastructure: On November 13, 07 the people from KC Solar Company arrived KCM pilot site to install the Solar Power in left 6 hubs such as: Pong Ro hub, Chamkar Check 1 hub, Prey Thom hub, Kum Num hub, Prey Plorng hub and Beuk Touk hub. Five sets of Solar Power installed by KC Solar Company and the other one is the Solar Power that used as temporary in Headquarter. This Solar Power is moved by KC Solar people to install at Beuk Touk hubs in Smaong Cheung Commune. Up to the present, the power for support to the project is already in-place, in HQ have 2KVA, 8 hubs with 220Wp and Only one hub with 150Wp (the one which moved from HQ to hub). For connectivity in KCM, right now, we can say that all locations is accessible, this work have been done by Gateway technicians. On November 29, 2007 Gateway technician started their work at HQ first, before they installed Trango but now the installation at HQ is AP 523c with Omni. With this, they installed P2P 2218 to get the signal from HQ at 6 hubs. Those are Pong Ro, Chamkar Check 1, Prey Thom, Kum Num, Prey Plorng and Beuk Touk hub. Beside of the installation of this connectivity KCM Technical Supporter worked closely with Gateway technician in managing of the whole network. As the result, Gateway Technician suggested to our TS to remove the previous system with the new system which secure and easy to manage because now the connection is possible at all location. So in term of infrastructure, I would say that, mostly of the system is completed.
Research Activity: this month the project staffs conducted a survey on audio broadcasting through pagoda in arming to get feedback and find out the additional methodology in disseminate the information to reach the Community. This survey was conducted on November 7, 2007 at 11 areas surrounding the pagoda which received cassette from project. 110 samples were selected for the interview; this amount was divided by 10 samples for each location and the report of this survey is still in developing. The i.REACH note (leaflet) is another way in disseminating the information to community and this has been wrote up by RC in October 07 on Composting. Up to the end of November 07, the i.REACH note is developed three topics (composting, soil use in Cambodia and harvesting & storage method). But unfortunately, these notes not yet published because it still revise and edit for the final version by RC. For the process of Needs Assessment and Management Committee Election is still in progress, these works have been done and responsible by RC with assisting from CDs. Beside of these, the RC was dispatched to Prey Veng Province and Phnom Penh city aimed in building relationship with the other NGOs, Institution and Government Department (Provincial Department of Agriculture, Department of Agriculture Extension, CARDI and VSF). He came back with the good result and also gets some books for the reference in developing the contents.
Content Development: November is the month that all Content Developers produce media without Multimedia Coordinator because the MC was resigned since the end of October. With strong commitment of CDs in their work 5 audio productions were produced those are Brown Plant Hopper, Seasonal Influenza, Domestic Violence, Pregnancy Health Care and Composting. Among these 5, except only composting audio that not yet recorded into cassette for broadcast because we need to record three audio in one cassette, so it’s waiting for the other two audios which is finalizing (New Traffic Law of Cambodia and typhoid Fever). A script on Chicken Raising also wrote up and for all scripts was comment and edited by PC, PC also assisting in comment on the audio production before recorded into cassette. Based on my observation, the CDs, right now, developed their skill in writing script and producing audio by themselves but they still need to train on some more technical term to produce their products in a high quality.
Service Accessing and ICTs Training for Community: in the end of November, there are 87 students were trained on computer literature and 221students were instructed on Internet Using. Due to this is the new initiating for the community, the accessing/using the services is still in low condition. But even though we found that there are some businessmen come to use project service in finding the information on exchange rate. Other users come to find the information from website and contact to their friend and relative, those users mostly are student and teacher. As the result, project earned 22 000 Riel from services providing to clients both in HQ and hubs. This month the member of Management Committee tried to in Skype from hub to HQ as their first time and they were happy because they can see each other with project staff.
Project Staff Meeting: in arming to build team work and following up the daily work of project, in every two week on Friday all staff come and sit together to share and discus about the result, difficulty and find way to solve the difficulty or any problems if have. For the first meeting on November 15, 07 KCM staff conducted the first meeting presided by Mr. Chea Sokhuor the Project Manager of i.REACH from Phnom Penh city. During the meeting the project staff reported the result that have been done by their own to the PM and the PM also give some comment to all staff in aim to implement their own works with successfully. Regarding to the management system and the information flow of the project, PM also introduced his experiences in working with many firm both in Cambodia and Oversee for all staffs to keep the quality of work and flowing information smoothly. On November 30, 2007 the project conducted the second meeting to sum up the results that have been done by all staff which presided by the MVU Project Director. During the meeting beside of presenting the result project activity, MVU Project Director Mr. Pin Vannaro also mentioned about the work performance and the evaluation of all staffs in the end of October, 2007.
Attending meeting and Workshop: On November 12, 2007 I attended in the meeting with the Resources Person of IDRC from Canada at Seim Reap. In the meeting we have three presentations One by i.REACH presented by both PCs and RM, One by PAN Localization presented by Mr. Chea Sokhuor and the last One by APSARA Authority. On November 16, 2007 the i.REACH project get a high honor to facilitate a workshop on Unicode and Its application to the students of MVU in both faculties. This workshop presided by Project Manager of PAN Localization. This workshop was separated into 2 groups one in the morning and other in the afternoon, and attended by more than 300 students of MVU. Based on my observation, this workshop was very satisfactory and useful for the students and the student also express their proud our own Khmer script in computer, and they very happy with the result of PAN Localization.
IV. Conclusion:
In short, for the whole month of November 2007, all of project staff in KCM pilot performed their best in implementing to achieve the plan. Even though this month Cambodian people have some national holidays such as Independence Day from the colony of France and water festival day but we still can completed the plan that was submitted. In general, we can say that with the close cooperation of all project staff and also the strong support from the central our activities plan was achieved 90% because it still has some report and process that not yet completed. The left few activity shall be completed at the beginning of December, 2007.

Best Regards,

Dimanche Long

The Fourth Week Journal

The Fourth Week Report

In the fourth week of November, 2007 the KCM pilot completed some activities as below:

Infrastructure: this week the person from Gateway Company came to install the left Hub such as: Prey Thom, Kum Num, Prey Plorng, Beuk Touk, Pong Ro and Chamkar Check 1. For this installation the Gateway technician installed AP 523c and Omni in the HQ and in Hub they use P2P 2218 to get the signal. To make this work run smoothly and easy for KCM pilot to manage all network, the Technical Supporter were delegated to work closely with them. As the result from this cooperation the TS mentioned that we need to re-arrange our network because Gateway changed equipments so the best way in controlling, managing and make it more secure the whole network have to be replaced. This work will be done by KCM TS in next week.

Audio Production: Referring to the plan, multimedia team have to finish 6 audio productions for broadcast in Pagoda and write new three scripts. As the result of their performance, the multimedia finished 6 audio productions and among those there three audio productions (seasonal influenza, brown plant hopper and domestic violence) were distributed to pagoda. The other three audio productions (Composting, New traffic Law and but typhoid is still in finalizing) just finished in this week and recorded in cassette but not yet distribute to pagoda. The script on chicken raising among of three scripts in planning was finalized.

Research Activity: for the research division, this week is busiest in preparing the report of the survey on feedback of pagoda broadcasting. Within this work one of three CDs involved to analyses and makes the report, this report is still in editing by RC and hopefully to finalize by next Monday.

Project Staff Meeting: this week is the second meeting of KCM staff meeting and this is the first time that all CFs attended in the meeting. The meeting was discussed on the result of the activities of the project both in HQ and Hubs. For the result of the HQ as mentioned above, based on the report of CFs, in the three hubs that have been running there are businessmen come to the hub and search for the currency exchange rate and access to other website especially everyday.com website.

With my best regards,

Dimanche Long

Third Week of November 07 Journal

The Third Week Report:

For the third week of November 2007, we are all in KCM performed our own activities regarding to the plan. As Mr. Neth Sovann the Multimedia Coordinator resigned from project at the end of October, 2007, the CDs is lacking of the supervisor on their script writing and also sound editing. So this week I spent some of my time to assist them in editing scripts and comment on audio production; up to the end of the week 3 topics of audio production were produced. Those are Domestic Violence, Seasonal Influenza and Home Composting, based on my observation, the CDs improved their skills in writing script but eventhough they still need some supervision to make their script better enough. These scripts produced according to the result of needs assessment and baseline survey, also based on commenting of health key person in the community. But unfortunately, these products not yet convert to the cassette for distribute to Pagoda because it take long time to recording into cassette. The pagodas that have to distribute to broadcast are 11 so it’s taking at least 2 days so that why they can not distribute to pagoda.

The Research Coordinator was dispatch to Phnom Penh and Prey Veng to contact with project boundary partners like the Provincial Department of Agriculture, Department of Extension of Ministry of Agriculture, CARDI (Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute) and also with VSF organization. The mission of the RC is to build collaboration between the projects with those partners and to ask some technical books and leaflet or magazine for the reference book for content development.

Beside to these, I spent my time to look at the CV of candidates for the position of Community Facilitator (CF), as result we get 6 candidates who fit to the need of the project. In fact, all CFs were recruited since the end of 2006, but because of the delaying of the employment some of recruited CFs have other job to do and some endeavors their study. Up to present the project have 6 CFs which 4 already employed and other 2 not yet, so to fill all the Hubs the project need 4 more CFs to fill in the spare places. Hopefully all CFs will be employed to work at the beginning of December, 2007.

With my best Regards,
Dimanche Long