ADRA Changed my hygiene perception!

Cheab Sok Hiem is a 47 years old woman living in Kantout commune, Choam Ksant district. She married to Um E for 32 years now and have three daughters. They were originally from Kampong Thom province and migrated to this area in 2008. She grows vegetables and her husband raises buffaloes for living.

She did not finish her high school since she only attended school up to grade 7 due to family economic and married. All of her children attended school, but her oldest daughter did not finish high school due to sickness and the other two finished grade 12. They all practice Buddhism.

Before participated with ADRA EMBRACE project, her family did not understand much about health, so they often got sick especially malaria. Every time her family member got sick, they often sent to the health center, which is about 10 Km away from home and sometimes they also sent to the traditional doctor (Kru khmer).

They ate three meals a day and none of the family members needed to go away from home to find work. What she expected her family would not be wealth off since her family members often got sick.

 She heard about ADRA before and know this project when ADRA staffs came to see the village chief and advertise in the village. And she thought that it is beneficial for her family as well as the community. “Education of health care for children under five, pregnant women and people of all age really attracted me to join as I hope to obtain knowledge about health from participating in this project”, she said.

After the participation for a period of time, she changed her thoughts and practice from giving water for a new born and providing only food with black pepper to a lactating mother to not giving water to a new born and providing various types of food to a lactating mother. “I don’t have any under five years old child, but I shared my knowledge with my daughters and practice it with my grandchild”, she said. What “I have learnt from this project is about hygiene and child care”, she added. Since she joined this project, she did not receive any service or item yet, but she hopes that my family will have better livelihood.

I felt that this project is good as it helps us to know and practice hygiene, which helps us to become healthy. Being healthy is everything, when we are healthy we can work to earn more.

At first, the community did not understand clearly the benefits of participating in the Reflect circle, so they felt like it is useless to attend, but now they understood, so, participation is not a big thing. Because of participation many people in this village have changed their behavior on hygiene and child care. Through participation, people in the village now have come to know each other more, without this, the people would not have time to get to know each other and share laughter.

ADRA provided education to my family, which helps my family to live better when we put in to practice what we have learnt.

I don't know what Adventist is, but I'm happy that ADRA helps us and I would like to thank ADRA and the donors for helping the people here and I wish the donors to be successful in whatever they do.

Story Collected by: EMBRACE Project team (Monh Nhem, Dos Dina, You Heng Heng and San Reaksa)