What's in a Per diem?

Simply, a ‘per diem’ fund, as I understand it, is  to cover the cost for travel, food, and in some cases accommodation.  More to the point, it is to compensate out of pocket expenses that participants have incurred when they have attended a workshop, training, etc.   

Recently, the partners have requested a much higher per diem,  an extra x amount of $ per day,  for  the participants to attend a workshop, which is not consistent with the principles of VSO. They have claimed that 'VSO continue to provide insufficient ‘per deem’  fund  for the participants and, that they are not in line with other NGO’s per diem policy – even with other small NGO organizations. ' This of course has created an unsettling situation for us because, as mentioned in the previous post, we have now put the literacy workshop on hold … 

It is a well-known fact here in Cambodia, that teachers’ earn a meager salary to say the least – that teachers don’t earn enough to make ends meet.  As a result, they will often have a second job to supplement their present income.   Sadly, they will spend little time to none, preparing lessons, marking, etc.    In class, some teachers will request their students to pay them approximately 500 riels per day (12 cents) for teaching them, that in some cases, parents cannot afford the bribery, and as a result, will keep they children at home.  What’s more, some teachers, will write a line or two on the board for students to copy, and will go home for the rest of the morning to attend to their second job. 

Workshop at the Ministry

This leads me to question if some teachers attend workshops, because they are genuinely interested in their professional development or to make money?  It’s hard to say …

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Education announced that more $ will be spent on education, raising teachers’ salaries, in providing more resources, cultivating teachers’ professional development and more.  Teachers are still waiting for the change, and students, the innocent by standers, are caught in the middle of this political affair.

So what’s in a per diem you may ask, here in Cambodia?

Follow-up workshop at the village

Everyone across Cambodia knows what a workshop is.  In fact, the word ‘workshop’ has become a ‘household’ word amongst NGO organizations and anyone else who care to give a workshop to train teachers and the community alike in every sector – such as Health, Governance, and Livelihood.  Inevitably, you may think that everyone’s well trained and ready to implement their newly acquired skill?

Per diems can very well  be an incentive indeed for participants to attend a workshop either to seek professional development or to earn a few extra dollars for their families.   

The per diem fund may compensate a second income – so it seems ….  For instance, the partners have recently suggested that VSO pay teachers the rate of $49.00 a day regardless of distance participants’ travel from.  So a teacher who earn between $100.00 - $150.00 (depending on the salary grid they fall under), may receive as much as, for a 3 day workshop - $147.0, as they would do for a month’s salary.  In other words they may receive double their original income.   

Workshop for directors

Perhaps one needs to ask if workshops will continue to be popular  and flourish  as they are today,  if the per deem was no longer available to the people?  If teachers were required to attend workshops regardless of the per deem – that a per diem would no longer be a second income to sustain their family, would teachers be motivated to attend a workshop for their own professional growth?   It is hard to say …  this is definitely a ‘hot’ issue that is often discussed amongst colleagues and NGO organizations …. 

More later …

Extension

Trees in bloom

It's officially spring!  Trees, bushes, flowers are in full bloom permeating a beautiful aroma in the air.  ‘Tis also the beginning of the rainy season and, with the occasional downpour, the rain has washed away the red dust from surrounding forest.  It even feels fresher and cleaner, at least for now. 

April whizzed by... where? I'm not sure.  In early April,  we witnessed the lunar eclipse.  For the Khmer New
Year, we took a short trip to Sihanoukville to enjoy the sea air and other delights.  Because the heavy downpour destroyed the ‘diamond in the rough's roof, because the family is expecting a baby, we decided to support the family and their salon.  

It's been a month when we were invited to 4 weddings but could only go to 2.  We also saw SovannKiri's restaurant (Callum's place) being demolished to replace a new one in a year's time from now. Kevin is currently
tutoring some ‘leftover’ NGO staff – the NGO recently closed down and moved to Battambang. We noticed that the landlord is doing more chores around the house and, even prepares part of a  lunch while Savy's away at work.  Could it be, that unintentionally, Kevin's been a 'minor' player, a minor influence on him since we've been here?  Our little community down below is still well and alive.  We've often wondered, if those voices travelling through the cracks, talk about the government or the prices of Mangoes?

April was a month with some milestones and some setbacks ...

Home to Read in Phnom Penh

After our three glorious days in Sihanoukville,  we connected with the Home to Read Khmer coordinator in Phnom Penh to salvage the rest of the toolkits that got lost in the shuffle, either in the village schools or in other parts of Mondolkiri.    With some perseverance,  we were also able to locate the Belgium NGO, founder of the ‘BETT’ Early Literacy Programme, and, who too, was able to provide us with further resources in a form of a CD (to print), for both teachers and librarians to replenish their libraries. 

Though the Khmer New Year was only a three-day celebration, it appeared that people were away for much longer than anticipated.  Some teachers and school directors had gone to their hometown for extended festivities …  And, planned to return to work either the last week of April or the second week of May?

Students burning rubish

Consequently, in terms of work,  April was a bit of a let down.  In early April, though we had planned  to do some follow-ups to support the teachers, after they had received several weeks of practical training,  after they had a chance to apply these activities with their students in class , both teachers and school directors announced that they were unavailable for that period of time for follow-up visits, due to the Khmer New Year, that was just around the corner, and, most importantly, their students were to spend the first week of  the month cleaning the school.  School closed for two weeks, and officially resumed the third week.  Therefore, we ended up rescheduling our visits to the villages the last week of April. 

Two students

On our arrival, at one of the village schools, the teacher, embarrassed,  showed us ‘two fingers’, meaning that the school had only two students since school reopened.  Rational: The cluster chief explained that students were away from school,  either, because they were in the midst of ‘ploughing’ the fields, to plant cassava with their families-taking full advantage of the afternoon downpours, while others, stayed home to help with their siblings,  house chores, cooking and more ...

As for other schools, In one of the schools, 7 students came to school without the presence of teachers.  Others were closed for the month of April.  Closer to town, schools were opened, well attended and in full swing.  As a result, we were able to give the necessary support and, organize some follow-ups with some good results at that.      What’s more, some of the roads to the villages have improved where it's increasingly becoming easier to ride on muddy roads.

Recess

With any luck, we hope that the month of May will resume to ‘normalcy’ in terms of school attendance for both teachers and students.  May has 8 national holidays; one of them is Royal Ploughing Ceremony ...  And, just in case you didn't know, we have a total of 27 national holidays in the school year. Unbelievable ...

As for starting an Early literacy training for librarians, which was confirmed  a month ago, it was sadly put on hold the last minute, due to low funding?     The partners have now requested a much higher per deem for  the participants , which is not consistent with the principles of VSO – that is to compensate out of pocket expenses.  So … which is it?   Building the capacity of teachers to strengthen education, or paying teachers to attend workshops?    Therefore, we've tentatively rescheduled the training in early August, on our return from a short break, in hopes that they will be a change of heart from the partners, with VSO 'per deem' policy ...

Despite some setbacks with visits to the schools, we were still able to follow-up and work with some teachers.  Despite the inevitable obstacles that we face on a daily basis, I guess I must be doing something right, because both VSO and the Ministry of Education have asked me to extend my contract, which we've accepted! 

What to look forward to at home?  More daylight hours.  A proper roast.  Playing catch-up with family and friends  :) 

More later …

Cambodia today and yesterday

Forty years ago today, the Khmer Rouge forces entered Phnom Penh and emptied the city of its residents in what proved a death march for many.  Today, a peaceful country, they are still some who were there that day still bears its scars.

"Stay Alive My Son" by Pin Yathay the author, wrote his story about  him and his family who were displaced and who became the "New People"  that were forced to live and work as peasants.

Pictures of today yesterday will posted at a later date.

More later ....

'Squid' training in Cambodia

No! It's not part of the SKWID volunteers' training, it's about eating these delicious quintessential squid on the beach .... 

Happy Khmer New Year to all you! The Cambodian New Year or 'Chula Chnam Tmey' in Khmer means ‘Enter the New Year’.  This New Year, is particularly special, because it enters 40 years of liberation for the Kingdom of Cambodia and, ironically, it has also coincided with a 3 day celebration.

The holiday lasts 3 days, and usually falls on April 13 or 14, marking an end to the harvest season before the rainy season begins.  Over these three glorious days of celebration, the most important and significant holiday of the year, families from all over Cambodia, have resided to their home town to take part in the celebration. 

Getting ready for a night out

Like everyone else in the country, we too have joined the crowd, and,  decided to take some R and R time away, to spend our three day holiday on the southwestern coast of Cambodia -in sunny warm Sihanoukville. SK is a beach town that sits in the centre of a small peninsula that juts in the warm waters of the gulf of Thailand. Serendipity beach, where we’re staying, is one of the most popular beaches, busiest, and a party place too. 

At the beach, by day, we watch with delight the daily goings-on, the colourful threatre of humanity unfold.  

Throughout the first part of the morning, a traffic of rickety fishing boats arrive two by two or in three, to shore, from their night's catch to deliver to their family-run restaurants. The same group of fishermen returns to their boats with a packed up breakfast, before settling to a well-deserved nap.

Soon, beach chairs and colourful parasols dot the beach for anyone to claim for the day, to enjoy the various humanitarian scenes, background music, barbecued seafood smells permeating throughout the day ...  It is interesting how by nature, we tend to be creatures of habit. Therefore,  during our time here, we have claimed the very same seats, sat beside the very same people on the beach, the Danish girls on one side of us, and an English couple on the other.  
 

A beautiful Khmer woman

By noon, the beach is packed, I mean jam packed, even the sea is dotted with a mass of bobbing heads and, amusingly enough, they’re synchronized with faded rickety green fishing boats who too are bobbing up and down with the waves.  Other lively activities in the water, tubing, numerous tour boats traveling to and from other islands, sea does who unfortunately are making an unnecessary racket  ... 

 
Added to this enchanting scenery are beautiful Khmer, Vietnamese women-young girls, fully clothed with their colourful hats, who patrol the beach, scanning potential ‘bikini’ or ‘trunk’ customers for a massage, beauty treatments, custom-made bracelets and more.  Others,  balance, either large plates of fruit on their heads or, lug heavy yokes on their shoulder, balancing their goods, like a pendulum -a yoke is a wooden beam with 4 wires that hang down on both ends of the beam, holding two large containers of produce of some sort. The fairly large bowls can carry a BBQ with squids on one side of the four wires and Styrofoam containers, to balance, on the other for instance. 

Squid anyone?

Squids are the quintessential beach snack in Sihanoukville. (I don't think they sell them anywhere else other than in this coastal neighbourhood). The squids are freshly barbecued in front of you and, they come with a delicious chili sauce. Cost -a mere 10,000 riels, translated to $2.50 for 10 big ones. Mmmm, yummy … Our usual routine, order a batch of ten of these delicious squids at lunch, and another batch of these quintessential wonders for snack before our evening meal. What a treat!   Oh yes,  while here, we've tried to introduce 'squid, training in Cambodia’ to our Danish comrades.  However, today, our last day here, Kevin did convince them to taste and eat at least one squid each.  Success!

Threading

Threading seems to be another very popular pastime here in SK, where a group of spectators surrounds you to watch your legs, arms threaded -your hair removed with a piece of thread. These women always seem to have a knack of mastering the art,  of shaving legs, arms and anything else that take your fancy with a ‘magic’ thread.  As I speak, intrigued by these women's ancient art, the two Danish girls who have diligently sat beside us, since we've arrived, have bravely taken upon themselves, to learn the art of threading their legs.  Mind you, even yours truly took a crack at it.  Not an easy task!  

Wishing lanterns

By eve, thatch roofed shack style family-run restaurants, take a life of their own, serving delicious grilled BBQ seafood dinners for a phenomenal low price.  Of course, we each order a range of fresh grilled seafood  fired up on large grills: two squids, two prawns , barracuda or tuna, clams, French fries with a mixed salad.   Indeed , a welcoming break from the regular curries in MDK. 

The evening ends with an explosion of ‘rainbow’ fireworks bursting into tiny bright stars, followed by paper lanterns slowly released in the air,  to give a cheer to the Khmer New Year and, of course to 40 years of freedom.

More later ...

More photos of the football match

The education complex had ongoing football matches between districts and communes in Mondolkiri.  

The Kho Niek and the Kiev Sema girls’ team ended up with a tie.   

The OuReang’s boy’s team won the cup.   

During those two months of great excitement, everyone got in the swing of cheering, betting for their favourite team … 

A thief in the night ...

During the month of March, Kevin had periodically reminded me, that it’s been unusually bitterly cold in Canada, with wind chills falling to a low of  -25°C.  Having the luxury of living somewhere warm, year round, it’s hard to believe that weather conditions back home can be so frigidly cold with snowstorms, ice,  you name it...  While here in Cambodia, it’s been a comfortable 25°C to 30°C high.  

Early March was bit of a roller coaster, a major high and a major low.  At daybreak, at the start of the month, Kevin and I took Léah, daughter number 3, to the airport to see her off.  Naturally, we were sad to see her go.

Tralore with her students

The same day, at the reading festival, at Tralore’s school, Tralore, daughter number 1, who had organized single handedly the reading festival, did a fabulous job.  All the teachers and students had a costume contest.  Tralore was disguised in her favourite character ‘A Case of the Bad Stripes’,  and was one of the winners.   That evening we went to the riverfront to celebrate her success.  Sadly, Tralore had her bag snatched while we leisurely sat at the riverbank, talked and recounted our day together.  Evidently, we were not paying attention to thieves lurking around us …

Unfortunately, bag snatching has become a growing problem in Phnom Penh and, Cambodians and Foreigners alike have become victims of this nightmare.  A Cambodian colleague told us that two professional black helmet men, on a motorbike, sped up beside him, to grab his iphone off his ear while his was talking to his friend outside a busy market.  Not only did he lose his iphone, but also, he was badly hurt in the process.   Recently, a friend riding her bicycle to work, had her bag snatched, once again, from two speeding black helmet motorbike thieves.

Gift swapping

ICT gang

On a happier note, we were invited to ‘bubbly’ Anie’s farewell party in sleepy Kratié. The party was held at one of a VSO volunteer's home.  (Unlike Phnom Penh, it's somewhat safer to sit on the riverbank in the evening with friends.  So, while we briefly chatted on the riverbank with Anie before leaving for the party,  we were in no danger for our purse to be snatched!).   It was great to see Anie, to play catch-up and to hear of her future plans, and of course, to meet up with other VSO volunteers.  A rarity in Mondolkiri that we  so miss, now that everyone has gone home.   Our ICT gang has now shrunk from 12 to a mere group of 4; two volunteers, two accompanied partners are now left to hold the fort – so to speak.  

Girls' football team

Other news.  Throughout February and March, the education complex had ongoing football matches between districts and communes in Mondolkiri.  The Kho Niek and the Kiev Sema girls’ team ended up with a tie.   The OuReang’s boy’s team won the cup.   During those two months, everyone got in the swing of cheering, betting for their favourite team … WoW, what an active two months it was!  

In general, Cambodians love to play sports. Other than soccer, volleyball is another favourite pastime for them to enjoy, and, they are really pros at it, too.

Follow-up received with enthusiasm

As for work, we had a Part 2, two-day teachers' workshop on one of the weekends, followed by more follow-ups and observations at the village schools. 

School Directors and Teacher Trainers

Throughout March, we also conducted several Teacher Trainers’ sessions, training teacher trainers to guide and work closely with new teachers.  

We also alternated training workshops, between teacher trainers and with the same group of school directors that we worked with last month.  This is to support the two linked pilot programmes and, to address both what students learn and how well they are learning

Two week sessions in school villages

Further, during the last two weeks of March, we held intensive early literacy programmes, lesson planning and portfolio sessions in the school villages, where there were no cell or Internet connections.  Hooray...!  It was a real breath of fresh air to see teachers become the focal point of the workshops, instead of letting the Internet or the cell phone rule their lives. I was further overjoyed to see that media had NO place during these crucial training sessions.  

More later ...

A diamond in the rough

  –a place to chill.   Not far from the guest house, (where we normally stay while we’re in Phnom Pehn), there's ‘O’ Russei’ Market that sells produce, second hand clothes, costume jewelry, tech supplies, nick naks and anything that you can possibly imagine from the hundreds of stalls that lay inside and outside the market …  You name it and they have it!   

Little girl who greets us each time we come

However, tucked in behind the bustling, huge, labyrinth, noisy market, where you can easily get lost, there is a little dark narrow lane dotted with hair salons and other services.  We (Kevin, Tralore and I) stumbled into this place when we first arrived in Phnom Penh.  Now, we look forward to our visit there whenever we’re in the ‘big’ city! 

As always, the little girl, who normally helps in the shop, and, with the owner’s children, runs to the entrance of the lane to greet us.  She excitedly holds our hands to hurry us to ‘our’ usual salon that has become a place for us to chill from the heat and noisy Phnom Penh.

Working hard at the salon

Whilst Tralore and I have our hair washed, with a good head massage at that!  Kevin sits outside the hair salon with a group of men (one of them the owner of the salon), and passes the time of day drinking beer, sharing stories, and practicing his Khmer with the locals.   The local chief who likes to boast about how many children he has, often has joined in the conversation.   While the men talk and drink, the women work hard in the salon: from washing hair, to styling, to pedicures, to applying make up and more.

Outside the salon, there’s a group of children who run up and down the ‘cool’ lane squealing with laughter.  Out of breath, they periodically take a break to take a quick sip from their fizzy soda of some sort, before they eagerly return to play.

Other locals join in bringing beer and other food from their shop. Everyone knows each other, everyone is related to each other in some way or another and everyone takes care of each other. It's a real community!

Though this place is not a marked up fancy store, with all the bells and whistles, like O’ Russei’ Market, it is in fact a diamond in the rough where a community exist!.    Where life is centred on family.   Where there is trust and a strong bond amongst this ‘large’ family that exists in this little lane.  Where this family will listen to the ‘wisdom’ of elders such as the local chief in this little community that we have come to know so well.   Where this community exists in the 'diamond in the rough' Where a wonderful 'gem'  has been noticed by many.

More later …:)