Bringing Help To Flood Victims
Tourism to Volunteerism
On November 5, 2011 we travelled as a group by long boat to a floating village on the edge of Tonle Sap lake. The original purpose of our trip was tourism and to explore the region more fully – the lake, and its associated rivers are known for its floating villages, where local residents literally rise and fall with the tides. But through good, on-the-ground connections we were forewarned of a desperate situation ahead.
2011’s Cambodian Floods
Sharing school supplies and goodwill
In this area Cambodians live a natural ecological cycle of fishing during normal flooding and farming during the dry season. But with such an excess of water this year, this balance has been thwarted – exposing a
population with little or no alternative sources of food or livlihood. Thailand has received much of the news attention this year on its own flooding, but Cambodia, as reported on November 3, 2011 in the New York Times, will experience longer term effects from its own flood.
The Khmers living on the stilt village that we visited had a particluarly hard time. Many of them having to raise the floors of their homes by over 6 feet to avoid the extra water, and often that was not enough. Many died in these floods, and children were most vulnerable to drowning. With no where else to go, and their fishing/farming cycle badly interrupted for this year, it is a real crisis.
A Change of Plans to Help Out
Jim Stewart, our Rotary group leader, quickly organized the inclusion of dozens of school packs for the local children and dozens of boxes of noodles to provide some relief.
Rotary at Work in Cambodia
Rotarians sharing school supplies
We arrived at the stilt village and we warmly greeted by the school children and local officials. With a few shared speeches and good will, we all enjoyed handing out our modest gifts, providing us an opporunity to connect with the people.
Above all else in the day, it was those conversations that so many of us had during our short stay that impressed us most – all we talked about on the way home. While their stories were often heartbreaking, once again, what shone through was the patience, gentleness and optimsim of the Khmers – a gift back to Rotarians that has no price.
Hey Dad looking good. Glad to see you have your hat on. All is well back home.
Love you,
Kim