Takeo Excursion
Chris Snyder
On the 23rd and 24th, Paul Truelove, Richard Clarke, Norma and Widit Maclean,Tom and Doreen Sears and Chris Snyder flew from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh where they were met by bus and taken to the village of Takeo to look at some landmine survivor projects. Lisa McCoy of RC Gravenhurst co-ordinated this visit (she worked with our teams last time at BTC) and is currently helping with other volunteers in the area.
The most fascinating was the Chicken Raising Program sponsored by the Canadian Landmine Foundation in association with A Mine Free World.
AMFW was represented by Pauline Johnson, Lisa McCoy and Hanoi! a Buddhist nun from Australia and Saeroum, a Rotarian from Battambang.
To date 10 landmine survivors have been trained in chicken raising by Van Bay, a local farmer. He was most successful at this and has been able to breed and sell enough chickens to earn $500. This may seem like a small pittance but combined with his other income it puts him above the poverty line which is about $600 a year. This means his wife no longer has to work long hours in a tough demanding garment factory. He lost his leg while with the Cambodian army some 30 years ago. He is really agile, getting along on one leg and a cane. It was interesting to watch him ride a bicycle while carrying a cane and a small platform connected to his bike.
Back to the chickens – with inoculations the death rate of the chickens has been reduced to almost zero. Van Bey has received special agricultural courses in Japan which allows him to teach others. The goal is to train more farmers and eventually form a co-op to avoid the middle man who takes a huge percentage fee revenue.
We also sent time at the Banyon school which provides extra educational training to the landmine survivors. Huge strides have been reducing landmines remaining to 5 million to 10 million and reducing accidents to 77 year to date. This is largely due to the education programs over the years.
One difficult scene was while driving seeing a lot of trucks filled with upwards of 15 people, men, women and children, standing solder to shoulder in the pouring rain, having come from working 10-12 hour days in one of the dozens of garment factories.
In summary, a good experience and look-see at the world of landmines and their continued impact on people in this part fate world.
Sour Sdey
we are reading and enjoying your blogs- Don’t be too hard on Joyce for missing a spot, she is ding her best!!
Lots of wonderful memories. HATS OFF!! to the whole team- photos are welcome too
love from the Fishers
Sour Sdey we are reading and enjoying your blogs- Don’t be too hard on Joyce for missing a spot, she is ding her best!! Lots of wonderful memories. HATS OFF!! to the whole team- photos are welcome too love from the Fishers – See more at: https://makeanimpact.ca/2013/11/27/takeo-excursion/#comment-58