Society for Malaria Control in Cambodia

"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." 

~ J.R.R. Tolkien

I finally got my volunteer placement figured out and I absolutely love it!  I came here thinking I was going to be working on a women’s rights project but it wasn’t quite what I had in mind.  The people who work there are wonderful and so is  the work they do for the women (and men) of Cambodia, but most of their projects were located outside of Phnom Penh.  This meant that I wouldn’t get to be working directly with people.  I was mostly going to be doing paperwork.  I was ok with that because I enjoy that sort of thing, but I really wanted to work more with people and more with health issues.  

 I am now placed at the Society for Malaria Control in Cambodia (SMCC).  I love it!  It’s totally public health, which I was in desperate need of.  I had forgotten how much I love public health because I have been so focused on social work (which I also love!).  I am learning so much!  It’s been great!

There are two projects that SMCC is working on:

Malaria Project:  SMCC uses a “Bundling Approach Implementation Strategy” to make sure treated bed nets are distributed to at risk areas.  Bed nets are imported from Thailand to wholesalers in the markets in Phnom Penh where they are sold or traded.  The Bundling Approach leverages the existing market for bed nets and encourages insecticide treatment before the point of sale.  Basically, treatment kits are bundled with bed nets to be treated before they are sold. 

Water Jars used to keep water when piped water is unavailable. 

Dengue Fever Project:  SMCC distributed fish to families in “at risk” areas to eat mosquito larvae in places where there is standing water around their house and in their water jars.  As the fish reproduce, offspring are given to neighbors until all or most of the village residents have fish reducing the amount of mosquito larvae.  Another intervention introduced to families in at risk areas is using a cover for their water jars and tanks when piped water is unavailable.  These interventions are encouraged and introduced through educating the communities about the relationship between mosquitoes and illness.

Probably my favorite part about this placement is the director.  He is very passionate and excited about his work.  He is also very excited to have me there!  He speaks pretty good English, but sometimes we struggle to understand each other.  He is excited to show me his work and also teach me about the Cambodia culture.  The other day he brought me a treat that he called, “Cambodian dessert.”  It was fried bananas and these potato muffin things.  They were SO GOOD!  

Then he took me on a field trip to visit some of the program participants and he introduced me to insects…I would ask about something and he would pull over and buy it from the street vendors!  He got me a whole bag of crickets…I tried one, while he eagerly watched.  I started to put the bag away and he said, “Why you no eat more?  It no good?  Eat more, eat more!”  So…I ate more.  He showed me how to pull the heads and legs off.  They were actually really good!  It was just hard to get passed the fact that I was eating giant insects.  I think if they were smaller…like the size of grasshoppers, I would enjoy them more.  Then came the moment he asked me to try the tarantula…I slowly took it out of the bag…and took pictures of it.  He started laughing and I said I needed evidence because no one would ever believe that I ate one!  I pulled the leg off and put it in my mouth; chewing very quickly…it was also pretty good.  I just couldn’t bring myself to eat anymore though.  I was relieved when another person I work with showed up.  I gave it to him and he was very excited!  He ate the first half in one bite!  And smiled the whole time he chewed it!  Then he ate the second half and went on his way.  

 The meeting with the program participants was about an hour or so out of town.  It was located in a classroom next to a beautiful pagoda (temple).  When we arrived, all the girls ran up to the truck.  I got out and they all started to talk to me.  I couldn’t understand a word they were saying, so I just smiled and said hello.  My director asked if I knew what they were saying, and I said I didn’t.  He said they think I’m very beautiful.  I thought it was so sweet!  Then he told me to go in and sit down.  I went in and most of the people were already sitting in desks.  So I sat down at a desk as well.  They all started laughing and were looking at me.  I didn’t know what was so funny…so I continued to smile…Finally the director came in and laughed and said, “Why you sit in desk?  You sit here in front!”  He pointed at some chairs in the front of the room. As I moved to the front, a girl said something (the girl in front wearing pink with the big smile). 

The director said she wanted me to sit in front so they could see my face better!  Then she asked if she could take me home!  They were so sweet and welcoming.  He told them about how I ate a spider leg and they all laughed hysterically!  It was a wonderful experience!  All the way home…I continued to say, “I can’t believe I’m in Cambodia!”  I’m so happy here!