Writen by Mr. Keb Ratana,
I would like to send you about my impression on starting up with Happy Mountain Bird (HMB) project, in Kampong Chchnang province. Moreover, the project has been actively working on 300 target villages focusing on Children Education included 105 villages base on two sectors Children Education and Agriculture promotion (with 533 target families). In total, we have been working for 300 villages in 40 communes of 5 districts (Kampong Trolach, Samaki Meanchey, Teok Pos, Relear Phaear and Boribor).
The following points is my impression from my main activities with HMB team work:
• Reading the project document: I have spent one day for realizing on the project document by crosschecking with Mr. Yim Bunlong (the project Officer) on the meaning of document and the reality of project implementation at the field. As the result, I noticed that the number of target village was changed from 210 villages for both Children Education and Agriculture Promotion to 195 villages based on Education and 105 villages based on both sectors (Agriculture and Education) with 533 target families.
• HMB team meeting under facilitation from Mr. Yi Kimthan (Program Officer): I am really interested in our supporting to CBF and CEP, which was mentioned by facilitator. There are many kinds of our supports such as: Capacity building, monthly training, exchange visit, individual advice, motivation them to work …etc. Anyway, I could learn from our team on the project donor’s attitude and behaviors on our activities, which I and our team have to be patient and try to follow his idea. We could said that it is very good chance to learn from living and work with difficult people. In addition, building capacity of CBF and CEP is very important to push our project reach to the final achievement, so we should classify strong and weak CBF/CEP as the different groups in order to be easy in organizing the training session.
• General discussion on HMB experiences with Mr. Yim Bunlong: 2 hours that we spent for sharing on the method of working with the poorest families. One to one conversation is the best method to use with the poorest. During the discussion with the poorest, we just chat with them in simple way (informal discussion) by talking the recent and past situation of their families then compare with other families, who had the same situation in the past, and now they have been improving/not improving in the present (How could they improve the living condition? Why they still poor?). Finally, we asked them (Do you want to improve your life? and how could you improve to change their life?). In short, I could learn that to make them realize on their living condition and reflection on his past events is very important to change their life and attitude.
• Financial management: Mr. Bun Long and Miss. Om Sitha have provided me a lot of thing on financial management. Miss. Om Sytha, project accountant, will lead and manage budget for settlement and advanced from head office of CEDAC. All receipts will be kept with her, and the project officer approved on the advance, payment receipt and checked on receipt and budget line. Moreover, Mr. Yim Bunlong has given me for more advice about skils of financial management, it is very interesting to learn what I have never known before.
• Field visit with Mr. Yim Sarom (Field Trainer based in Boribor and Rolea Phaear district): I have visited the target families, Children Education Promoter (CEP), Primary School Manager. I impressed that when our project’s staffs came to meet primary school principals to discuss about our work on promoting children to go to school, we could notice that they were happy. It is very important in order to find supports from them, and to make our CEP feel warm in meeting with school teachers and school principals. So after our intervention, the data collection was conducted smoothly from cooperation between school teacher, CEP and primary school manager. On the other hand, I found that target families, in Boribo district, have been improving on their livelihood by developping Home Garden with many kinds of vegetables.
• Participated in the Field Program Meeting at PP: It was the first time for me for participating in the meeting. From the meeting, I could notice that the meeting is very important for reflection, realize from each other on the project activities and cooperation with each other. So I’ll try to take part in all Field Program Meetings. Moreover, I will prepare the presentation slide for next meeting at Kam Pot province on Happy Mountain Bird (HMB) Project.
• For team work: According to my observation for one week, I could not say anything I need more time learn about them.
In summing up, I could learn a lot of new thing for my work life for one week with HMB project in the following points:
1. I have learnt that project document is very good to read for our project implementation in the right way, which had set in the document. Moreover we have to be careful on the meaning of each point.
2. Reflection on our activities is the best way to monitor and reform into the right way and in time as we planed.
3. I have learnt that financial management has to be more flexibility and clear about each line. Because we could use some lines to push our activities went smoothly or reach to our goal.
4. Field monitoring by going along with our staffs to see the real work situation is a good way to help them for solving problem and sharing idea to each other on our implementation.
All above is my impression in starting work for HMB project form 06 to 10 of July 2009, moreover, I am looking forward to hear from you for providing me some ideas and recommendations in order to improve my activities.
I would like to be grateful on all of you for providing me with a big opportunity to fulfill this task with our organization and country.
