Smile Action in Poipet, Cambodia

Cambodia, or previously known as Khmer, is an ancient country with a remarkable history of civilization. It reaches its peak during the dynasty of Angkor. However, the modern history of Cambodia is written with wars – began with French colonization, followed by the Japanese occupation, and then again by French occupation. Despite independent from France in 1953, Cambodia faced many wars from different domestic forces. The region has become a huge land of minefields, frequent flooding of Mekong river left the country to be devastative.

Field Relief Agency in Poipet

Poipet area is located in Banteay Meanchey Province, has been suffered from years of war and also known as a “mine village”. The poor live in the mines area, mowing, logging but they couldn’t move away from the risky land.

Despite located in the border of Thailand and Cambodia, the Poipet villagers would look for opportunity in the modern glass floor casino hotels and shopping malls. Beggars without limbs, women holding their children are seen wandering around the street to ask for money. Some husbands who go out to work in Thailand, are contracted with HIV/AIDS. When they go home they then transmitted the disease to their wives and making AIDS spread among the villagers quickly. Nearly half of the children’s parents or family members died because of AIDS, and they became orphans. Some children had been sold to brothels to provide sexual services. There, they faced sexual abuse, given drug and sniffed glue in order to work beyond their physical capability.

The person-in-charge of Field Relief Agency (FRA), Ms Yang WeiLing took these children back into the children's home, gave food and send them to school. This organization provides a rebirth opportunity for these poor children by arranging them to the school and vocational training. The only way to change one child’s destiny, is through education, said Ms Yang.

The Smile Action Team members, Ms Yang (front middle) and her staffs from the Field Relief Agency.

Smile Action Project 5.0

The Smile Action Team was amazed with the work Ms Yang has done – who established the Field Relief Agency (FRA) in Poipet, using donation and funds from Taiwan to help to establish children’s home and vocational training school for the helpless children for 10 years. Thus, we decided to visit her center in Poipet in the fifth Action Project on 19-22th January, 2013.

FRA arranged us to screen about 1000 children from the village. The team started to accommodate with the life at this center. We slept in a simple dorm room, covered with mosquito nets and pumped the underground water to wash face and clothes. They prepared simple meals to everyone – vegetables which are planted in their own farm, little bit of meat and rice. To us, we are very gratitude to have the meals ready for us.

We set up the mobile dental units and chairs, instrument station and medical check up station on our arrival. We have another classroom for oral hygiene education by teaching them proper teeth brushing technique. The children were queue up according to classes, have their registration form and oral health survey filled assisted by volunteers and translators. They learnt about the importance of keeping good oral hygiene and teeth brushing methods using the new toothbrush and toothpaste distributed by Dental Pro, our sponsor of toothbrush. The kids went through basic health screening by our medical doctor, Dr. Khoo. Then they proceeded with dental screening and treatment by three dentists assisted by 6 volunteers. We have a volunteer stationed for sterilization of instruments in order to ensure the safety of staffs and children from disease infection.

The volunteers worked from sunrise until sun set for the past 3 days. There were 775 children being treated – with fillings, tooth extractions, scaling and given medication.

The setting of the treatment room was very simple – we thanked FRA for arranging the logistic parts for us, i.e. preparing clean water for mouth rinsing. The treatment waste was treated by sending it off to a local hospital for disposal. The volunteers from FRA such as translators and teachers from the neighboring school have been very helpful in communication between the dentists and children.

Before the team leaving the center, we have purchased a few textile products and paintings made by the children themselves who learnt from the vocational training. These children with skills will be able to sustain their living when they leave the center.

During the educational session, the children were asked what do they like the most in their life. Some responded with toys, food, clothes, shoes, football, motorbike, bicycles, house, etc. They said once they grow up they want to be a doctor, dentist, singer, football star, farmer, teacher… and so on. The children are very simple, innocents and they are very happy to welcome visitors to their village. We hope that our presence will bring about hopes and courage for them to live better.

Poipet kids have a group photo session after oral hygiene education session.

Some children have never own a toothbrush or toothpaste in their life. Proper oral care is necessary in order to let these children grow healthily.

Screening and Treatment in the process. Efficiency is the key.

Previous Projects

The team has been doing many welfare projects in Cambodia, such as the FGA orphanage home in Phnom Penh, Cambodia since 2009 and 2010, 8 homes in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap (Blue Valley, Acodo childcare center etc.) in 2012, Field Relieve Agency (FRA) Children’s Home in Poipet, Cambodia in 2013, homes for the elderly Sister Angel in Cheras, as well as a children day care center in Puchong Kenanga in 2011.

So far, more than 1,500 people have benefited from the Smile Action Projects, among which are orphans and the elderly. Oral health education was taught so that they can practice the proper way of teeth brushing and oral health care.

Future Projects

We want to further expand our services to underrepresented people, such as the poor elderly, as well as refugees in Malaysia. We would also reach to the children in Nepal one day. Coming up, we will be giving oral hygiene education and screening to 500 children and adolescents in a refugee center (MSRI) at Ampang.

Challenges

For every project we did there’re challenges lying ahead. From toothbrush and medication collection, access to electricity and clean water, to the breakdown of mobile dental unit, we need to be resourceful to fix the problems until we achieve our goals of the day. Besides, children are not using clean toothbrush constantly. Even though they learnt the technique of brushing teeth, they need to sustain the use of toothbrush and toothpaste to maintain their oral health. As such, poverty maybe cause them not to change toothbrush once the team is left. The biggest challenge is finding sufficient fund to sustain our projects. Therefore, financial support and items sponsorship from the public are welcomed.

The children in Cambodia who live under the poverty line have to work and find money to support their family. Some are living with HIV/AIDS, some are being sold to work in the sex industry. For every reason, the Smile Action Team would give out the love to these children, telling them they are not the abandoned one.