Our (Actual) Work Place Experiences
Hi Family and Friends!
Ready for summer holidays? We sure hope you will take some! We certainly are. We're heading to north Vietnam June 30 for at least two weeks. "How long?" That's right, we will be heading to "Hoalong Bay" like some our visiting friends have done no doubt! Hopefully we will also get the mountains northwest of Hanoi on the Chinese border, the "Vietnamese Alps".
In light of the subject of the last two blog entries, this entry and the next (our work experiences, successes and challenges) we want to include a note on discussions in Cambodia that are considered officially acceptable and unacceptable for foreign workers/volunteers:
I think you have probably all heard by now either from us or other people that the internet and phones in Cambodia are periodically monitored by the state. What this means for us is that we comfortably talk regularly with other people here and abroad about the many good things in Cambodia as well as the challenges this developing country faces. The situation here in terms of freedom of speech and defamation laws is similar to probably the majority of nations outside of the industrialized world. It is not considered a good idea to criticize the actions or ideas of individual powerful or well-connected persons, or offices and ministries. So, we are quite comfortable with you calling or emailing us to talk about issues such as poverty, general administrative policies, development work sectors, and the causes and effects of corruption in a general way (not referring to individual persons or organizations) as that is tolerated. We do not worry about our physical safety.
Re. official disciplinary actions for persons who engage in advocacy of a social or political nature in Cambodia:
We have heard stories about a few NGO workers who advocated in sensitive social and political areas and were asked by the Cambodian authorities to leave the country. As volunteers we try to help Cambodian people in the sustainable livelihoods sector. We provide advice and examples which we hope will encourage practices such as: honest and transparent workplace; team work; cooperation and networking between organizations and communities; skill building and training; new problem solving methods and ideas; etc. Our job descriptions from two log entries ago indicate that we are involved in activities such as: staff training, assisting with Dept work plans and reports, environmental education for residents, promoting sustainable livelihoods, and empowerment of villagers to manage and protect their natural resources through establishment of Community Fisheries (Julie) and Community Protected Areas (Andrew). It is not our role to say whether we like or dislike Cambodian politicians or officials or to be involved in social or political advocacy and it is not the policy of Volunteer Service Overseas (VSO) to do so. A final note: of course we encourage blog comments from anyone who visits or monitors this site. Considering our commentary recently has been a bit dry we could use a few interesting or entertaining comments!
Andrew's placement at Ministry of Environment (MoE), Project Implementation Office (PIO) Phnom Penh and Project Implementation Units (PIUs) Kompong Thom Province and Siem Reap Province, Tonle Sap Environmental Management Project (TSEMP):
Well, as expected I spent the first few months (yes things in Cambodia move at there own speed) traveling around the lake to meet and get to know my co-workers in the three offices and partnering NGOs, visiting the core protection area and their residents and learning about TSEMP. My three Directors and I wrote workplans to list identified and potential projects and activities to pursue together in 2007. Identified activities are:
Siem Reap PIU:
- o Create Biodiversity Conservation Area to comprise apx 8,500 Ha of floodedforest bordering the Tonle Sap Lake in Kaev Pour commune. Help organize staff biodiversity and family socio-economic surveys and workshop for community representatives to collect biodiversity, demographic and livelihoods information and assess community needs and priorities.
- o Coordinate renovations, design and install environmental education display panelsfor Gecko Floating Information Center
- o Environmental education dissemination to lake-side village schoolsand adults
- o Practice English with staff to improve speaking and writing ability
Kompong Thom PIU:
o Management plans for core area management centers in Stung Sen and Boeng
Chmar
o Stakeholder consultation workshops for the two core area management plans
o Monitoring of sustainable livelihoods activities in the two core areas
o Develop schedules for ranger patrols in the two core areas
o Environmental education dissemination to lake-side village schools
and adults
o Practice English with staff to improve speaking and writing ability
PIO (Phnom Penh)
o Put together Min of Env't display for Tonle Sap Forum in Mar/07
o Help with writing and translating reports, workplans and documents
o Practice English with staff to improve speaking and writing ability
o Work with PIO to help PIUs implement projects and tasks listed for the two
PIUs (above)
By March 2007 my rate of progress was close to shifting out of 1st gear as I had some success on a few projects with my co-workers in Siem Reap and in Phnom Penh. As of now (June) my rate of progress shifts back and forth between 1st and sometimes 2nd gear. My time distribution each month b/w offices is apx 2 wks in P Penh, 1 wk in S Reap and I wk in K Thom.
Siem Reap province:
Several visits were made to the Gecko floating center with TSEMP staff presenting various opinions. A plan for design, repairs and renovations was finally decided upon (Apr) and as of now (June) the work is underway. Copies of the eight display panels with English and Khmer text were circulated amongst many staff collecting a range of comments. They have finally been printed and are now being mounted onto boards (June). A long process but with many persons involved hopefully a high quality product! The panels describe the Tonle Sap ecosystem near the north end of the lake, the flooded forest and the lake at high, medium and low ebb. We think they look fab! A nice glossy brochure is ready for printing in English, Khmer and French which we will use in promotion. The floating building will also serve as meeting place for other local community groups, committees and activities. I am in touch with the Lonely Planet travel book company to try to get them to expand their write-up on it. They tell me they will be sending a commissioning author to visit the renovated center this Sept.
Establishing a new Biodiversity Conservation Area: In mid-March, PIO and SR PIU staff, Julie and myself performed a biodiversity survey to the lake-side area of Kaev Pour commune. Beautiful forest and vegetation! (see photos attached). We found enough existing flooded forest habitat and wildlife we thought to make this area worth protecting. We proposed a boundary for the new conservation area to encompass the Community Fishery (6,200 Ha) and an additional 2,000 Ha or so (8,500 Ha total). It is intended that management of the new conservation area will be shared by the Community Fishery, Commune Council and residents assigned to this task. I think this project may be the most important thing I can do in my Cambodia placement.
In May we returned to the commune to perform a 2-day socio-economic survey of families from the 5 villages that will lie within the conservation boundary (see photos attached). A 1-day workshop was also held for 3 dozen community representatives to assess existing problems, community needs and priorities, and to discuss the proposal for the Biodiversity Conservation Area (see photos). Our next step will be a meeting with the Minister of the Environment and Provincial Governor to gain approval for the proposal. After that we will return to the commune to discuss a management plan for the new conservation area including purpose; objectives; legal authority; land use classifications; individual responsibilities for administration, biodiversity monitoring, regeneration of remnant flooded forest stands, patrolling and enforcement; etc. The Government of Cambodia has decided that each province surrounding Tonle Sap Lake should have a conservation area of provincial jurisdiction on the lake. This will be the first for Siem Reap and we are hoping that we will get permission to establish another conservation area.
Staff motivation level of the Siem Reap PIU is moderate and they have shown interest in pursuing a few projects with me. They have been open enough to share a lot of their local knowledge and they are a fun group. One challenge is that staff are frequently out doing other part-time jobs which they use to attain a total modest income (enough to live). The Director is an older out-going fellow with an old-fashioned style. He is proud of his good relationship with the provincial Governor and emphasizes that this is his highest priority. He does not speak English but we have basic communication. Travel time is a challenge as bus from P Penh to S Reap is 6 hours. Mototaxis or tuk tuks to and from bus station add on a bit of time at each end. There is no internet service in the office which means that I must travel back and forth from internet café with my memory stick and virus scanning it each time.
Kompong Thom province:
I have been able to visit the two core protection areas with a few PIU and United Nations Development Program's (UNDP) TSEMP staff to participate in a few activities. Although, I have mostly been an observer on these trips and I have yet to do much constructive work for the KT PIU office. It appears that a few UNDP and PIO staff are having some success in the two core protection areas: holding workshops to gain input from local residents toward developing a management plan, monitoring of sustainable livelihoods activities, boundary demarcation, environmental education dissemination and ranger patrol and enforcement training.
Unfortunately, my progress in Kampong Thom province has been slow. Getting staff to show up to meetings has been hit and miss. Travel to the two provincial core areas from Kompong Thom requires traveling by car down to Phnom Penh, north up the opposite (west) side of the lake, and across by boat. This means the KT PIU can not usually send a lot of staff and that it is expensive for them and me to go there. Other challenges presented are that overall capacity and motivation is low in this PIU. English language ability amongst the staff is very limited which restricts my ability to work with them. Travel time is a challenge as bus from P Penh to K Thom town is 4 hours. Mototaxis or tuk tuks to and from bus station add on a bit of time at each end. There is infrequent internet service in the office which means that I must travel back and forth from internet café with my memory stick and virus scanning it each time. The Director is an old-fashioned guy who is somewhat introverted but it seems he does want to get some things accomplished. He does not speak English but we have basic communication. I am getting along with him and hopefully I will be able to devote more time to working with KT province for the 2nd half of 2007.
Phnom Penh Office:
Most of my work with the Phnom Penh office has been to help the PIO in their supporting role to the SR and KT PIUs. I am also helping them time to time with report, workplan and document preparation. They are beginning to share more of their work with me although there are a number of on-going official and unofficial activities which I am not fully aware of. We spend a fair amount of time practicing English and Khmer and several of them have a good command of English language. They are on average a quiet group but get along well with each other in the small office, enjoy conversation and jokes, and are easy to be around. Staff motivation is highest in the P Penh office.
I have not asked to look at the accounting books in any of the three MoE offices in which I work and this is big reason why my presence is tolerated. Fortunately, I am not regarded by my co-workers as a watchdog for project funding agencies ADB or the UN. Common sense tells one he/she should be monitoring certain work activities and procedures in development projects. However, despite regular warnings by large international funders in Cambodia, close examination of things is seldomly done. Besides, I have no authority here and I have chosen to stick with my official role of Adviser and to not become a monitor. As a consequence, I am usually able to get a ride in the project boat or vehicle and to get into the office during all working hours. If I were to make certain choices which then resulted in me being ‘shut out' in terms of work, there would be no functioning VSO/MoE placement partnership.
This entry has been somewhat serious as it focuses on tasks, facts and various challenges of working in TSEMP. Next entry will be Julie's work experiences and after that we will include some stories about fun stuff at work, a few successes for the villagers, funny stuff that has happened, good times in the field, and descriptions and pics of some wonderful scenery. So just hold on it gets better (we promise).....!
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