Capacity Building to PLAU, P/DFP Staffs to Organize Forum of Commune Committee for Women and Children and Forum for CCWC
The goal and objectives of the project are:
To strengthen relationship between CC members and the local service providers with the goal of improving quality of local services and following up on the progress status of women and children;
To improve the capacity of CCWC members in their abilities to learn skills on identifying issues/problems and problem solving, and efficiently implement them in their communities;
To improve the capacity of CCWC members on how to work as a team/group;
To increase the participation of CCWC members in the regular monthly meeting and make it highly productive.
TARGET GROUP/AREAS
PLAU, P/DFP and P/DoWA
CCWC members
6 provinces (Oddar Meanchey, Stung Treng, Kg.Speu, Kg.Thom, Prey Veng and Svay Rieng)
DONOR(UNICEF)
ACTIVITIES
Women for Prosperity conducted Forty four-2day forums in 27 district offices, to 1,707 CCWC members (73.63%M and 26.36%F), who came from 258 communes within 28 districts of UNICEF Seth Koma target provinces, Prey Veng, Svay Reang, Kampong Thom, Kampong Speu, Stung Treng and Oddar
Meanchey.
The topics introduced in the agenda during forum aims to draw participant’s attention as well as to set up concrete action in which they will act upon when return to their respective communes. Participants learnt of CMDGs, CDHS, Nutrition, Hygiene, partnership building, developed own job descriptions specifically to facilitate issues related to child and maternal health care in accordance to their role and responsibilities. Their active participation through small and big group discussion, sharing of experiences and lesson learn by comparing old/traditional with modern/current practices on child and maternal health care and services, and formulate action plan for implementation to prove that CCWC members are committed to strengthen their working collaboration, and to insure that women and children will receive proper care and protection.
Participants recognized that they have to be role model before they can gain the full trust and respect from the community if they were to act as agents for change. For example, among 1,707 participants, only 783 turned in the questionnaire when asked about the use of latrines and safe drinking water: 414 (20.68%) have wet pits, 207 (26.43%) have dry pits, and 162 have no latrines; 668 (84.93%) use boil water, 92 (11.74%) use water filters, and 26 (3.32%) do not boil or use filter.
WfP along with UNICEF Seth Koma’s staff and PLAU selected 16 communes and 4 Sangkats to monitor to see the level of progress made by CCWC members after attending the forum. In total, 118 CCWC members were present during the visit. Through the visit, a total of 7 successful case studies have been documented, and others are still in the process of reaching their target objectives.
NEW LIGHT OF HOPE
Kang Deisar village is in Sangkat Preahbath, Krong Stung Treng, province of Stung Treng with approximately 7 kilometer from Sangkat Preahbath’s office.
Entering through the village, one can notice right away a poor family living under a hut with no wall approximately two and half meters long. There are 10 members in the family, 47 years old father, Mr. Tim Van, 40 years old mother, Mrs. Phork Seth, and 8 children, 7 boys and 1 girl, the oldest age 20 and the youngest is 3 years old. The family has uncertain job, live day by day, all are illiterate, never had an opportunity to attend school.
In order to help villagers to overcome illiteracy issue, the Commune Committee for Women and Children decided to set up a plan to disseminate information to all household, Mr. Tim Van in particular, regarding the value of education. During the visit with Mr. Tim Van’s family, the CCWC members discussed ways in which to support Mr. Tim Van’s children to attend school.
After learning about the need of Mr. Tim Van’s children, Mrs. Khiev Chantry, a woman who is permanent member of Women and Children Committee offered her own bicycle that she commuted every day to the family so that some of the children can mobile to school. Other members of the committee have pitched in to buy school supplies such as uniforms, books, pen & pencil, and bag packs for three children, the 3, 4, and 6. The three children, together, attended grade 1, at O Chher Teal primary school. The children were so pleased to have received the bicycle from Mrs. Khiev Chantry, CWCFPs, as a mean of transport to attend school. When visited them, they spoke with tears in their eyes, they said “We feel very privileged to be care for by CWCC, and excited to make new friends at school”. They mentioned that unfortunately some students looked down and not wanting to speak to them because they are poor, but they tried to ignore them, and just concentrated their effort on learning. They wishes to become teachers in the future, so that they can intern teach other children.
Mr. and Mrs. Tim Van expressed their own sincere appreciation to CWCC, especially Mrs. Khiev Chantry, for their heart felt and support toward their family’s need, emotionally and financially, and especially enable the 3 children to attend school. As parent, they want to see children grow up, not like them, but with education so that they can have good future, good job & status, and become good citizen. They promised that they will also send the two younger one to school when they reach school age.
GIVE BIRTH AT THE HEALTH CENTER REDUCES MORTALITY RATE
Barseth commune is located within Barseth district, Kampong Speu province, with a total population of 11,991, in which 2,266 are female. This commune has 9 members in the council, 8 male and 1 female, and a commune woman and focal points, who responsible to 2,524 families, 4,454 are under the age of 18, in which 2,227 are female.
Mr. Kong Vong, age 40, director of Portmream health center said that after attending the 2008 forum
with other members of CCWC, he works closely with the committee, the health center staffs, and the
villagers to improve the situation of women and children in the commune such as:
- Attend CCWC monthly meeting to discuss and design plan for joint activities such as collect data of pregnant women in villages, form village health support group in all villages, work with midwives to transport pregnant women to deliver the baby at the health center,
- Disseminate information to the villagers, especially pregnant women about health care during and after pregnancy, nutrition, vaccination, hygiene, etc...
- Set up schedule for the village health support group to give 7 kind of vaccination for children in the villages twice per month, closely monitor women after given birth and provide report to the health center director every month,
- Set up schedule for the health center staff to have staff in charge 24 hours, especially midwife.
With the above effort, there are positive improvements such as:
The health center open 24 hours with experience staff (midwife),
19 pregnant women delivered their babies safely at the health center last month (no delivery at home),
Parent bring their children for 7 kind of vaccination, increases from 50% to 80% last month,
Community is informed of the schedule of the village health support group,
Arrangement was made for pregnant women to have spare bed for waiting and after delivery. The women accept recommendation from the doctor to stays one day at the health center before discharge.
Mr. Kong Vong said that the forum and the support from UNICEF help member of the CCWC to have better understanding of human’s life and how we can commit ourselves to improve the situation. He recommended that the forum expanses through out the country.
Toward the end of the contract, WfP organized three 2-days refresher training and 1-day wrap up session, took place in 3 regional provinces: Prey Veng, Kampong Thom, and Kampong Speu.
The refresher training received a total of 56 participants (16F, 40M) who are provincial and district focal points. Some of them who attended the TOT were appointed to new positions; therefore, among the 56 participants in the refresher course, 16 are new on the job. The evaluation showed that among 45 DFPs who were suppose to co-facilitate during forum with WfP, 25 can be lead facilitators. The rest of them can or will improve their capacity if they have more opportunity to practice.
The one day wrap up session provided opportunity for 85 participants (43F, 42M) who are P/DoWA, deputy chief of districts, and P/DFPs to review and reflect on their performance, and discuss additional need to further strengthen their capacity as well as to set benchmark for 2010 activities. One outstanding result among many others proved that the forums brought closer the working relation & coordination between P/DoWA, P/DFPs, provincial and district authorities. Both DFPs and DoWA also appreciated the opportunity to meet and learn from CCWC members during forum’s sessions, therefore, all recommended that this kind of forum should be expanded.
Meanchey.
mbers of CCWC, he works closely with the committee, the health center staffs, and the
villagers to improve the situation of women and children in the commune such as:
refore, among the 56 participants in the refresher course, 16 are new on the job. The evaluation showed that among 45 DFPs who were suppose to co-facilitate during forum with WfP, 25 can be lead facilitators. The rest of them can or will improve their capacity if they have more opportunity to practice. 
