Rosie Smith, one of the 29 delegates who participated at 2016 Hope Village Goodwill Mission Trip from the 7th to 11th of December 2016 to the Zero Carbon Resettlement Village at Kampong Speu Chrey Senchey shared her journey.

Our 2016 Hope Village Goodwill Mission Trip was to Kampung Speu in rural Cambodia. The mission was led by Hope Villages Directors Ann Phua, Abdul Hamid and Ismail Abdullah.

There was a big group of us with a mix of young and old on the trip, with even families coming together to volunteer. In the group, we had medical team led by Dr. Radiah Salim, education team led by Mohamed Nasim and food craft led by Junainah Eusope.

This yearly event is also an annual education field trip and school exchange for fifty top students and their teachers from our Phum Trea Village School, the first village adopted by Hope Villages. They have the opportunity to bond with Kampong Speu students.

Seven Cambodian youths from Pannasastra University of Cambodia also volunteered during the Goodwill also volunteered during the Goodwill Mission. They facilitated us in the translation.

The medical team treated 118 young and old patients, mainly with minor ailments of aches and pains and tropical illness of coughs and running nose. Dr Radiah has proclaimed that the village with a clean bill of health. Together with Abdul Hamid and Ismail Abdullah they gave health talks to the adults and personal hygiene especially the importance of brushing their teeth to the children.

Mohamed Nasim who is a Vice Principal at a Singapore MOE School conducted teacher’s training for the teachers from Phum Trea and Kampong Speu and Mdm Noorunnisa conducted computer literacy workshop for older students and teachers.

The 116 families who were homeless and living in different provinces in Cambodia needed shelters, food, clothes and more importantly an education to break the cycle of poverty. Today, with the generous support from Hope Villages and donors, they have a stable home, a sustainable livelihood and education for their children.

During our stay at the village, we distributed clothes, toys, books and food supplies which we received from our Singapore donors. The villagers were extremely grateful for their new belongings.

We also visited the farmland on tractor. With their allocated farmland from the government, the villagers farm their own rice, corn and moringa trees. They also have their own livestock, like cows and chickens. From these crops and farm animals, they are now able to generate their own income. Training on how to increase their harvest yield for a sustainable livelihood was also provided for them.

Part of the personal hygiene education was to grooming and Nhawfal Juma’at, with his careful and skilful hands gave the boys and men a clean smart look.

Junainah and her team of ladies demonstrated their culinary skill teaching the village women skills to prepare healthy meals. Not surprisingly, Singapore vegetable and banana roti canai and love letters snack are on their menu.

A game of soccer is a favourite with the youngsters. Combining with singing, these activities brought much fun during the event.

The villages warmly welcomed our visit to their homes. They invited us into their home and gave us a taste of how they live. Most of the villagers have been provided with concrete homes with zinc roofs, but they are still some living in thatched houses are anxiously waiting for a stable house. At the event, eight more families were given their new home.

They made us lunch each day with fresh vegetables and chicken packed in lotus leaves. On the final evening, the children treated us with singing performances, a bonfire and a special dinner of barbecued beef under the thousand stars and a movie for entertainment.

The villagers are incredibly grateful for their homes and donations they receive from Hope Villages. Although they are poor they are very happy, especially the kids. Before living in the village they never would have had access to school and the standard of health care that they now enjoy.

We are already looking forward to our next trip later this year.