CHOICE - Phnom Penh

C.H.O.I.C.E

I had heard only good things about these guys before, so when we first arrived I tried to find them from a brochure I'd been given but they had moved their meeting place and alas we'd run out of time before I had a chance to see them operate.

We were headed back to Phnom Penh from Sihanoukville to look to get a bicycle as the range in Sihanoukville was very limited and I had actually completely forgotten about visiting choice as I was focused on push bikes but once again, fate stepped in... while we were looking for one of the bike shops to visit, we stumbled across the meeting place with a batch of flyers out the front. I grabbed one to ring the contact later.  Alas, the bike hunt proved less successful, the phone call was the opposite and I managed to contact one of the main driving forces behind CHOICE, Ross Wright,and arranged to go with them on Sunday. I was ...in a word ... amazed.

Seriously, these guys do great work. They service remote villages outside the Capitol city, Phnom Penh. Every day they deliver fresh drinking water, once a week they deliver food, toothpaste and soap and once a month, clothing. I managed to help out a little, packing the goods.

Ross (L) and one of the volunteers portioning rice

and helping deliver them

Delivering some of the food parcels

and decided to make a contribution from the donation fund of $US50

Donation Receipt

There's plenty to see and the experience is a real eye opener.

Local school house

Inside the school room, complete with whiteboard

We went to three villages, with interesting anecdotes each time, like this interesting explanation about traps

Eel / Snake Traps

that the villages use to catch snakes and eel, a staple the villages use to survive on, along with frogs, rats, chicken and pork.

Ross had managed to organise a volunteer doctor for the day, who could offer contraceptive advice to the women who asked for it, along with general medical care.

Volunteer doctor at the village

It was a long and full but satisfying day, a huge thanks to the guys that run C.H.O.I.C.E and thanks to the stream of volunteers who help out regularly.

Volunteer with some of the village children