Moul Matte vol. 46 May 2012 1

Volume 46 May 2012

Child Health Now is also for World Vision Cambodia

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Savin’s New Life for Her ChildrenBy: Outh Sopheap, Project Coordinator of OGDPYC project based in Samlot District

Kevin Jenkins Brings Voice of Youth to Prime Minister

Kevin Jenkins meets with Prime Minister Hun Sen and shares about World Vision’s work in Cambodia. Special emphasis was placed on the role of youth in building a better future for Cambodia... > Page 4

The Maternal & Child Health Issue

The Breast or the Bottle (Formula Milk)?

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Ly Savin, 25, married with two sons, lives in Battambang province. Her husband is a farmer.

When Savin was pregnant with her first child, ADP staff, the village health group, and health centre staff in her community tried to educate her on the prevention of communicable diseases such as drinking boiled water, personal hygiene and sanitation and sleeping in mosquito nets.

Despite their best efforts, she chose to ignore them.

“I delivered my first baby after being only seven months pregnant by a traditional birth attendant at home in December 2006,” says Savin.

“I had gone twice for ante-natal check up at the health centre to get iron tablets and receive tetanus injections, but I did not consume all the tablets. I ate normal food during pregnancy, and did not increase the quantity and quality of nutritious foods.”

After delivering her first baby, she slept in a bed heated by fire to keep warm, drank traditional medicine and wine. These practise were based on traditional beliefs that they believed could lead to good blood circulation, looking younger, have good skin and avoid rheumatics. Savin’s mother had passed down these practices to her.

“My baby did not receive any vaccinations,” Savin says. “I fed drops of water to my baby within three hours after birth and I began giving him food when he was three to four months old because I saw he was very small and also my breast milk was not enough. I did not prepare nutritious foods for my son. I practiced poor hygiene in caring for my child so he became sick often with diarrhoea, fever and respiratory problems.”

After facing so many challenges in caring for her first born, by the time Savin became pregnant again in January 2009, she had learned her lesson.

I brought my child to get all the necessary vaccinations and I

exclusively breast fed my child for six months

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“During pregnancy my husband always brought me to the health centre for ante-natal check ups and encourage me to take iron tablets. The village health support group would also come to visit me at home,” says Savin. “You know, after my second son’s delivery, he was breast fed immediately and I no longer gave him drops of water like my first child. I received vitamin A, IFA tablets and mebendazol and I did not sleep in bed on top of the fire or drink wine medicine as before. I ate meals with nutritious food.”

As Savin ate better, she noticed her health improving. She no longer had pale eyelids or hands. She felt full of energy.

“I brought my child to get all the necessary vaccinations and I exclusively breast fed my child for six months,” says Savin.

“I also had better understanding of birth preparedness such as saving money, thinking about when and where I would go for delivery, by whom and what I should do after delivery,” says Savin who received training on birth preparedness from village health support groups and health centre staff supported through Samlot ADP.

Savin also received advice and education on sanitation and personal hygiene. She joined many activities like World Breast Feeding Week in 2010 and a sprinkles consumption campaign and cooking demonstration. These events helped change her cooking practices with local foods, especially in preparing borbor, a special porridge.

Borbor is a mix of rice with green leafy vegetables, pumpkin, egg yolks, meat (fish, chicken, or pork), and oil. Savin no longer added seasoning containing MSG and she mixed in sprinkles every two days for her children.

“Both of my sons like to eat special bobor so much. They are in good health and clever. They have no diseases,” says Savin.

Given Savin’s dramatic transformation, she was selected to be a model mother by her village leader, village health support group and health centre in June 2011. She trains on infant and young child feeding and encourages her neighbours to use health centre services. She also shares with her community on child nutrition and chicken raising.

Agnes Ting Makes First Visit to Cambodia as Regional Leader for East AsiaBy: Albert Yu, Communications and Media Relations Manager

Four months into her new role, Agnes Ting paid her first visit to Cambodia as the new Regional

Leader for East Asia. Before ascending to Regional Leader in January 2012, Agnes was the chief operating officer for World Vision Hong Kong and had worked for that office for over ten years.

During her four-day visit in April, Agnes visited the Trauma Recovery Centre, street children night outreach

at Orresay market, and Boribor II ADP, funded by World Vision Hong Kong.

“I was impressed by the World Vision Cambodia staff, especially with how they are working to provide hope and dignity to the children. Knowing that there is a future for children in Cambodia, that is important,” said Agnes.

“We are given targets to measure our child well-being outcomes, meaning children are well nourished, are educated, are well loved by God and

know their rights and can participate. I can see World Vision Cambodia is doing all this.”

“I want to encourage World Vision staff to be more focused. In whatever ministry you are doing, remember child-well being and how we want to impact children.”

“I am sure by 2014, World Vision Cambodia can show us all these good measurements.”

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Child Health Now

“ Child Health Now” for World Vision Cambodia By Nav Chantharith, Office Assistant for Writing

World Vision Cambodia’s Health and Nutrition Programme is working to

raise awareness on the importance of breastfeeding for World Vision staff.

Dr. Mary Mohan, Senior Manager for Health Nutrition HIV and AIDs and WASH and Anna Penttinen, Nutrition Advisor recommends “During the first six months, mothers should breastfeed infants exclusively, as it helps to achieve optimal growth, development and health.”

According to the findings from a recent survey conducted by the Health and Nutrition team together with the Advocacy team, only 14 % of World Vision’s female staff exclusively breastfed their babies during the first six months. Around 73% of the female staff at National Office and Area Development Programme (ADPs) offices had supplemented breast milk with formula milk, during the first six months. As the mothers are expected to return to work after three months of maternity leave, most of them said, giving formula milk was inevitable as they had a heavy workload at work, some had frequent travel to provinces, and others lived a long distance away from the office.

“As World Vision Cambodia is committed to raise awareness among people in the community on breastfeeding, we also want to promote this practice in our office. As a result of the findings from the survey, the health and nutrition team will plan to train our staff on breastfeeding in order to help them understand the importance of breast feeding and encourage them to practice it with their babies,” said Hok Phearom, Mother and Child Health Capacity Building Officer.

Yin Sophors, a mother of a 11 month old baby girl and a World Vision staff exclusively fed her baby breast milk for three months. She started on baby formula when she resumed working after three months leave. “I pumped and stored my breast milk for my baby before I left for office, however my milk was not enough for my baby. Then I decided to feed her with formula up to six months of age.”

“Actually, my baby grew well when she was exclusively breastfed during first three and stay relatively more healthy compared to when I introduced formula,” she says.

Sophors adds, “I want to see all field staff breastfeed their babies. And there should be a nursery room for field staff. And there should also be refrigerator for storing breast milk. World Vision policy should set specific guidelines for women to encourage them to exclusively breastfeed babies during the first six months.”

“The Advocacy Department’s Child Health Now campaign plans to raise awareness on breastfeeding for female and male staff and request World Vision leaders to consider the results of the survey. I hope World Vision will motivate female staff to pay more attention to breastfeeding,” said Mrs. Nop Vanty, Senior Manager of Advocacy Department.

Kevin Jenkins visits a children’s club in Leuk Daek ADP where he learned how youth are making an impact for their communities.

Kevin Jenkins meets with the Prime Minister Hun Sen and shares about World Vision’s work in Cambodia. Special emphasis was placed on the role of youth in building a better future for Cambodia. Kevin passed on four letters and a painting written that produced by youth leaders from World Vision projects.

Kevin Jenkins meets with four youth leaders who wrote letters addressed to the Prime Minister, and an artist who created a piece of art for the Prime Minister. Kevin would represent these youth the following day during his meeting with the Prime Minister. The youth wrote letters expressing their hope for Cambodia and the challenges they face in their communities.

Kevin Jenkins and Chinhoe Chee visit with Mrs. RIN Saren and her family who have benefitted greatly from their VisionFund loans in Leuk Daek ADP. Today, they have a successful battery charging business and are also raising piglets.

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Kevin Jenkins Brings Voice of Youth to the Prime Minister

Kevin Jenkins stopping by a corn harvest in Leuk Daek ADP.

Kevin Jenkins joins the Street Children Transformation Project during a night outreach to share with children on how to protect themselves, especially from strangers and people who might want to harm and abuse them.

Kevin Jenkins visits the Trauma Recovery Centre and hears stories of hope from survivors of trafficking and from a survivor who is now living a fulfilling life after being re-integrated into society.

Kevin Jenkins shares his speech to WVC and VFC staff during Chaple service in World Vision National Office.

Our Guest

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Kevin Jenkins Brings Voice of Youth to the Prime Minister

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Youth Voice

What Youths Say to the Prime Minister

“We have a child protection network which is comprised of youth volunteer team, children, parents team and all of levels of authority with support and cooperation of civil NGOs. To respond on time to all problems that happen, there are supports from all level of authorities and NGOs. That motivates me and other youths to participate in many activities in serving the community such as educating people, parents, youths, and children about domestic violence, rights, child protection,” writes Noeun Hun, 20, a youth leader of Peam Raing Youth Club, Leuk Daek district, Kandal province.

“On behalf of the youth volunteer team who are serving the community, I would like to inform you that we always gain a lot of knowledge via trainings organized by World Vision Cambodia. We are always able to show our ability such as facilitating children and youth clubs. We take part in village and commune meetings and we get much knowledge so we can avoid abuse. We have gained much experiences from working with children club, youth club and World Vision staff too,” writes Hong Heang, 18, youth leader of Prek Dach commune, Leuk Daek district, Kandal province.

“I would like to express my gratefulness to the Prime Minister of the Royal Government of Cambodia that has allowed World Vision be present in Cambodia to develop the community where I am living. With the strong support from the royal government and local authorities, my community people are able to gain knowledge and change for the better,” writes Eng Sok Khin, children club consultant in Ou Lava village, Phnom Srouch District, Kampong Speu Province.

“It is studying. What encourages me to study harder is that when I was learning how to draw at World Vision office, I saw one World Vision’s female staff working with her computer with many other female staff. I thought and I want to be like them. I want to do a good job as them, thus I have to try my best to study hard. I must act like a lotus that grows from submerged soil, yet lotus flower is good,” writes Khim Sok Sreymean, 18, children club member in Sla village, Samrong Tong district. Sreymean’s drawing reflects about her dream. It was selected to be a present for the Prime Minister Hun Sen handed by Kevin Jenkins.

“I hope Samdech will help to develop other places where there are no non-government organizations such as there are in my community. My community and my family hope that all Cambodian people would respect, love and support Uncle Akak Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen for our country be develop forever,” writes Ny Vannein, 15, children club leader in Prey Thom village, San Long commune, Khsach Kandal district, Kandal province

Noeun Hun, 20 Leuk Daek District

Hong Heang, 18 Leuk Daek District

Ny Vannein, 15 Khsach Kandal District

Eng Sok Khin Phnom Srouch District

Khim Sok Sreymean, 18 Samrong Tong District

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Youth Voice

World Vision Youth Join in Madizone Dance for World RecordBy: Um Vanndeth, Communications Associate

World Vision Youth Dialogue with His Excellency Hun ManyBy: Um Vanndeth, Communications Associate

On April 28, 2012, youth from World Vision programmes in Phnom Penh took part in the

454 Guinness World Record for largest Madizone Dance organized by Loy 9 TV programme produced by BBC Media Action at Wat Botom Votey Park.

In 2011, youth in France set the original record with 459 dancers and now the youth of Cambodia has broken that record with 1100 Madizone dancers.

Maiy Makara, 18, a member of a World Vision youth club, said, “Cambodia needs to show the world that we can also make history simply by uniting and participating.”

Pisey Pech, project co-ordinator of BBC Media Action, said, “The purpose of the event aims to encourage young people to participate in cultural events in a positive way, and we also want to create a world record for our Kingdom too.”

On May 11, His Excellency Hun Many on behalf of Samdach Akak Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen

visited the National Office to appreciate and dialogue with youth who are making contributions to their communities for the positive change.

The participating youth wrote letters or created artwork that were selected for presentation to the Prime Minister by Kevin Jenkins, President of World Vision International during Kevin’s visit

Cambodia in early May. The Prime Minister had asked His Excellency to meet and thank the youth on his behalf.

Eng Sokhin, 20, youth club counselor from Kampong Speu province said, “I think this is a good opportunity because it is rare to meet His Excellency Hun Many to express our ideas and what we have been doing in our communities.”

He added, “On behalf of youth; I want to see Cambodia become a developed country and I want to see the standard of living for all Cambodian people to be improved in the future.”

His Excellency Hum Many encouraged the youth to do their best to study and to continue being good citizens to make their communities a better place.

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Community People Enjoy Good Health in Samrong Tong ADPBy Nav Chantharith, Office Assistant for Writing

ADP Profile

Samrong Tong ADP, launched in 1997 with support from WV New Zealand, implements health and

nutrition projects in 88 villages across four communes.

The health and nutrition project was started in 1998 to improve knowledge and practices of families on appropriate maternal and child-care, nutrition and care seeking. The project also emphasized improved access to good quality health services and information for all families, especially vulnerable mothers and children under two years of ages.

In the beginning, many children were malnourished, easily to get sick, and lacked access to hygiene and sanitation facilities. Community people did not want to use health centre services when they were sick.

The most significant achievement of the project was the Equity Fund activity, which helped people financially for their healthcare. The amount of money increased every year and now it is 71,848,500 Riel (17,962 USD). So far, the Equity Fund budget is used for transportation to health centers and medical treatment. The fund has led to 602 deliveries at health centers and referral hospitals, 64 cases of people living with HIV and AIDS and other 518 cases accessing health centers. Today, 675 families participate in the fund.

Local authorities and key partners are becoming independent in fund management according to their initiative and commitment to sustain this activity. Through capacity building and awareness raising activities, community people enjoy good health and are able to take better care of their children.

Health centers report that today there are no children and women dying because of lack of care and understanding. Health center staff and village health support groups monitor closely their community, especially the pregnant women and children under two years.

“To achieve our work, we have to provide strong capacity building to local key partners such as health center staff, VHSGs and commune councils who work with communities to spread health knowledge and good practices. More importantly, the culture of sharing through community the Equity Fund enables communities to cope with urgent cases such as food allowance and transportation fee while they or their families are under health treatment,” says Choun Davit, Acting Manager of Samrong Tong ADP.

“Together with only 500 riels would make a difference.”

High levels of under-nutrition continue to remain the underlying cause of much of the health issues faced by children and young mothers in Cambodia. With ‘Child Well-being’ at the core and essence of World Vision’s work, the Health and Nutrition team in close collaboration with the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and HIV teams, are working towards scaling up a core package of evidence based interventions into ADPs, that will contribute to the reduction in maternal morbidity and mortality, and that of infants and children under five. These interventions will focus on the first 1000 days of life, from conception to the child’s second birthday (-9 to + 24 months), which is the most critical period in determining the child’s cognitive and physical development.

Dr. Mary MohanSenior Programme Manager for Health Nutrition, HIV/AIDS and WASH

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Get to Know the Health Secondary Strategy at a Glance

What Is PMIS/Horizon?

The national health sector team and strategy management unit announces release of four-page fact sheet and video to help field staff understand World Vision Cambodia’s health secondary strategy.

In May, these new resources will be distributed and shared across ADPs and can be used by managers and team leaders to educate staff on how World Vision will be addressing mother and child health over the next five years.

Get your copies today!

For more information, please contact: Mr. Te Chilay, Technical Officer for Health and Nutrition 012 86 55 84 chilay_te@wvi.org

PMIS = Programme Management Information System.

PMIS is a global system designed to keep all program and project information in one place so that the same information is available at all levels, e.g. ADP, NO, SO, Regional and Global. Currently, PMIS can also help track review and approval of documents, especially for LEAP/DME for ADPs. In the future, it will also help with grant and non-sponsorship management. In June 2012, the name will be changed to Horizon to reflect how this system will help us move forward towards tracking information that will help report against our contribution towards Child Well-Being.

Current status of PMIS/Horizon roll out

• 9 ADPs in 2 Operations (Siem Reap & Kompong Thom) are fully on PMIS/Horizon

• 31 (72%) of ADPs have all or most of their documents uploaded onto PMIS/Horizon website.

Future targets:

• May - 100% ADPs will have all or most of their documents uploaded onto PMIS/Horizon

• By Sept 2012 - 27 (61%) of ADPs will use PMIS/Horizon to review their Program Design Documents and Annual Reports

Planned activities

• May - Training to all staff involved in preparing or reviewing Redesign Documents

• June - Regional Horizon Kick-Off Workshop in Bangkok, to be attended by the PMIS/Horizon National Implementation Team

• June - National level orientations on Horizon

• July - All computers of relevant staff will be upgraded to meet the minimum IT requirements for using Horizon

Focus on Strategy

PMIS/Horizon

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Better Life and Nutritious FoodBy: VisionFund Staff

Srey Ny,13, studying in 6th grade, lives with seven siblings and her father who is a fisherman and her mother

who runs a small grocery store in Saang district, Kandal province.

In 2009, after getting introduced by a villager to VisionFund, Srey Ny’s mother took out a loan for 600,000 riels (USD $150) to buy fishing materials and expand the grocery business. The loan also enabled Sok Ny’s brother and sister to have their own businesses selling batteries and rolling candy in the village. Even though these are just small businesses, they can earn extra income to support the family. With improving income, Ny’s mother was able to pay off the first loan and request for more loans.

Before getting the first loan from VisionFund, Srey Ny’s family faced daily difficulties. Every day her father would try to catch fish for food for the family, but did not always have enough materials.

The money her mother earned from the grocery store was very little and could barely feed the seven children. Once, Srey Ny was seriously sick from dengue fever, which could have killed her if her mother had not reached out to neighbors to borrow money for medical fees.

“After getting the loan from VisionFund, my family living condition is getting better and my life has changed a lot,” says Srey Ny.

Today, Srey Ny’s mother is planning take out another loan from VisionFund to extend her business.

Srey Ny would like to thank VisionFund for supporting her family and helping them to wake up from the nightmare of life.

Srey Ny is studying very hard. She’s a good and clever student. She rarely gets to school late and always earns good scores on her exams. Though she’s coming from a poor family, she’s never thought of quitting

from school. She’s willing to get a higher education and dreams to be a doctor in the future.

VisionFund

I can have three meals a day with enough nutrients including meat, vegetable, fruit and especially clean water. My health

is good and I feel that everything is fine right now…

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Dam Sreyneang, 11, and her two younger brothers and cousin live with their 68-year-old

grandmother under a small shelter, zinc roof easily shaken by strong wind.

Sreyneang’s parent separated when she was small. Poverty and the negligence of her mother left Sreyneang, her brothers and cousin, alone until they were taken in by Sreyneang’s poor grandmother. Sreyneang and her cousin’s mothers have not come back to see them for years.

Sreyneang, her siblings and her cousin depend on their old grandmother. The grandmother needs to work on other people’s rice fields to get rice for the four children. Sometimes because of lack of food and old age, her grandmother gets sick and could not work at all.

One day, in May, Sreyneang’s grandmother fell very ill. She could not work in the rice field as normal. She could only stay home to receive an IV drip and lie on a bed surrounded by the four hungry children.

Since Sreyneang is the oldest child in the family, she is responsible for many chores after school. She cooks food, carries water, and cares for her younger brothers. After school, sometimes, she and her cousin search for fish, frog, or tamarind leaves to eat. However only on lucky days are they able to find anything. Most of the time Sreyneang’s family members have rice with chili and salt.

Cambodian people have a culture of helping each other. Sreyneang’s neighbors are so kind. Sometimes, they hand food to Sreyneang’s family.

“I feel pity on Sreyneang’s family. Somedays they don’t have any food to eat, I give some food for them to eat as I can,” says Dam Boun, 70, a neighbor of Sreyneang.

There are 230 families in Sreyneang’s village in Svay Chek districk, Banteay Meanchey province. Poverty has forced many villagers to work as laborers in Thailand. They leave their young children with old grandparents.

Sreyneang, her siblings and her cousin are still very young. If they are old enough, they would be prone to migrate to work in Thailand as their neighbors do now. Not able to think out of the box, when Sreyneang and her siblings are asked what they want to do, their answer is the same: “I want to be a construction worker in Thailand,” or “I want to pull cassava in Thailand.”

By the end of 2010, World Vision was introduced to three communes in Svay Chek. Yim Pichnirorth, Svay Chek ADP manager says, “God sent us to work with the most vulnerable children. Children in these villages are being confronted with lack of food causing malnutrition, child labor exploitation, and school dropouts. To help them, we prioritize or works. Community economy is the first, health is the second, education is the third and vocational and life-skills is the fourth.”

Pray for Children

God Sees the Most Vulnerable Children in Svay ChekBy: Lay Ratana, Communications Officer

Please, together let’s pray for the children and their community people. Children need care from their parents and we pray parents

stop leaving their children behind as a result of migration to Thailand.

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Why do WHO, Ministry of Health (MoH), Public Health Specialists and Nutritionists

promote ‘The Breast’ whilst Baby Food manufacturers promote ‘Formula Milk’ for healthier and cleverer babies?

The answer is simple, WHO and MoH are responding to scientific evidence while companies are interested only in marketing their products.

The MOH breastfeeding advice is based on scientific evidence from research papers that show the superior quality of breast milk over formula milk.

Although formula companies use scientific jargon to imply better immunity and brain development, these claims are not based on fact. The aim of these companies is to make profits, not to make your baby healthy.

Manufacturers and scientists know that breast milk is the best thing for the baby (Breast is Best!). Breast milk contains several active ingredients which formula ilk does not. Manufacturers try to mimic breast milk but they cannot because most of the constituents of breast milk cannot be made in the factory.

Formula milk is processed cow’s milk that has been heated and treated with additives to make its protein and carbohydrate structure more like those in breast milk. But it can never be the same.

Some facts about breastfeeding vs formula

• Breast milk changes its composition according to the needs of the baby but formula milk cannot

• Breastfeeding is free of pathogens and bacteria but, depending on how it is mixed, formula feeding is probably not

• Breast milk gives baby natural immune protection and enhances brain development but formula milk cannot do so

• Breastfeeding does not harm babies but ear and respiratory infections, diarrhea and Sudden Infant Death are higher among formula fed babies than in breast fed babies

Manufacturers do not tell you these facts because then people would stop buying formula milk.

Breast milk is sterile, has a perfect composition of all the ingredients that your baby needs and it will not make your child sick. Children who have been breastfed have fewer childhood illnesses than children who are formula fed. Do not be swayed by advertisements and false claims or what you think rich and famous people do for convenience. Formula milk is a business worth millions of dollars and no matter what they claim there is only one truth - Breast milk is the best food for a baby and women can breastfeed and produce enough milk for their babies!

For any questions please contact Health and Nutrition department, we are happy to help you!

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The Breast or the Bottle (Formula Milk)?

VS

Writer, Translator and Photographer

Mr. Albert Yu Communications and Media Relations Manager

Ms. Lay Ratana Communications Officer

Mr. Kong Sopheak Digital Media Officer

Ms. Sok Vichheka Transformational Development

Communications Officer

Mr. Nav Chantharith Office Assistant for Writing

Mr. Lychheang Seyha Communications Publications Officer

Mr. Um Vanndeth Communications Associate

EditorMr. Albert Yu

Communications and Media Relations Manager

Ms. Lay Ratana Communications Officer

Ms. Sok VichhekaTransformational Development Communications

Officer

Design and LayoutMr. Lychheang Seyha

Communications Publications Officer

The Communications and Media Relations Department would like to thank those who contributed to this edition of Moul Matte newsletter.

We welcome all contributions for the next issue. Please forward your programme news, photos, staff opinion, recent events, etc. to seyha_lychheang@wvi.org (or

send your letter to National Office) in the Communications and Media

Relations Department before Friday, 15th June 2012.

Thank you very much!

World Vision Cambodia# 20, Street 71, Tonle Bassac, Chamkar Morn, P.O Box 479

Phnom Penh - Cambodia | Phone: +855-23-216 052 | Fax: +855-23-216 220Email: cambodia@wvi.org | www.worldvision.org.kh

Health Focus:

Breast Feed