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.
Sponsorship Information
Mode of Sponsorship
( ) Cash
( ) Bank Transfer – Public Bank Berhad: 3173-4787-07 (Pertubuhan Pasukan Penggerak Senyuman Malaysia)
( ) Cheque payable to PERTUBUHAN PASUKAN PENGGERAK SENYUMAN MALAYSIA and addresse to :
No.5-2-1, Jalan 14/155B, Aked Esplanad,
57000 Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur.
