Cambodia

John Andru visits a MCC Generations at Risk project in Cambodia

In December 2006 I had the opportunity to visit one of MCC's Generations at Risk projects in Cambodia, while traveling overseas. For the last seven years, the Mennonite Central Committee has been funding Dhammayietra, a project based in Mongkol Borei - a small town, definitely off the beaten path.

Dhammayietra, which means "walk of peace" in Pali, consists of a small team of health workers who are responsible for visiting nearly 500 HIV/AIDS patients in their homes in addition to another 150 chronically ill patients dying at home. Home-based care visits which includes counseling, teaching, emotional support, and referrals for anti-retroviral treatment (ART). A number of support groups are conducted for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) in addition to two income-generating projects.

I had the privilege of following around Ean, one of the local Khmer health workers, as he conducted a number of home-based visits. I hired a motorbike driver for the day and followed Ean as we drove around on gravel roads through the countryside. He told me that I was lucky to be visiting during the dry season as the roads can wash out during the wet season making it very difficult for him to conduct his visits.

Ean (right), a Khmer health worker visits Thoeurn

One of the first people we meet is Thoeurn, who is HIV-positive. Ean checks in with Thoeurn to see how she is doing, inquiring about how her anti-retroviral treatment (ART) is coming along. Thoeurn is frequently traveling to the nearby Thai border to find work as both her and her husband are quite poor. They can go up to six months at a time, which prevents Thoeurn from making her regular check ups with the doctor every 3 months in order to get refills on her ART prescription. Ean reminds her that she must continue to take her medication or she will die, to which Thoeurn replies: "well, if I don't work, then I won' t have enough money for food and I'll die anyway." Ean reassures her again of the importance of taking her medication.

John Andru with Chantha

Ean and I also stop in on a grandmother and her grandson, Chantha. Chantha has lost both his parents to HIV/AIDS and has been left to be raised by his grandmother, a common scenario. Grandmothers are the unsung heroes of the AIDS pandemic, often watching their children die of AIDS and then left with the responsibility of raising the grandchildren. Chantha curls up next to me in the hammock as Ean tells me their story and inquires about the health of Chantha. Chantha hasn't been doing too well lately and Ean talks about how Dhammayietra is able to provide travel subsidies to help children get to Siem Reap to seek medical attention. It tears at my heart as I consider that are millions of orphans just like Chantha all over the world.

During the day, we also stop by at the equivalent of a convenience store. The store that sells an assortment of packaged goods and fresh vegetables is run by Khun and Eam. Both Khun and Eam are HIV-positive. At one point Eam was only 43 kgs but thanks to ART has made significant improvements. They are both very grateful their ARTs which has in essence brought them back to life. Life is a lot better now than it was a few years ago when people in the village didn't understand HIV/AIDS. When they saw Eam getting sick, they became afraid and refused to buy produce from him. Education is critical to eliminating the stigma that some people endure for being HIV-positive.

Peer counselors for PLHA group

Later on during the day, Arlys, an American and project coordinator who has lived in SE Asia for 19 years takes me on a tour of the nearby hospital and ART clinic. The hospital is new, but quite basic compared to Western standards. Dhammayietra supports a PLHA (persons living with HIV/AIDS) peer group at the ART clinic there. All eight members of the team are HIV+. They provide counseling and support to other PLHA's who come to the clinic and run a monthly support group.

It gives me great hope to see projects like Dhammayietra that are making a difference in the lives of people like Thoeurn, Chantha, Khun, and Eam. Cambodia as a country is making significant inroads into turning the tide on the AIDS pandemic. Incidence rates of new infections has decreased and the government is making ARTs more widely available to people who need them. Dhammayietra continues to provide home-based care to people living with HIV/AIDS, elderly people, and people with other chronic diseases. At the end of this year, MCC's funding cycle for the project will end. Please contact John Andru if you would like to find out how you can support the Dhammayietra project specifically.