Story from my childhood

When I was in my secondary school, my father used to own a big motorbike. It was high and heavy. As I kid I was curious about how to drive it so I annoyed my dad about that. He told me how to drive it, gave me his helmet, and let me drove it around to test it. I drove it around our house, which was national road number 7, for a few minutes. As I was reaching my house, my mum and the neighbors told me to stop driving it because it was dangerous. But my dad said to me “daughter you don’t need to stop driving it, instead drive it more often so that you get used to it. Just remember to wear helmet, drive very slow, and stick to the side of road. If you are careful enough, you won’t fall down”

Hot Line? Emergency contact?

A few months ago, when my family was driving from Phnom Penh toward Kampong Cham province at about 11pm, we saw a man in his min 40 maybe beating a woman who looked like 30 years old or something. My father stopped the car and had a look on what really happening. My mum noticed that the woman whisper the world “Help”. I then search for polices numbers from other people who might have them. After about 5mn, I got two numbers which are hot line police for emergency cases. I was glad to get the number, but guess what? Nobody pick up both phones. I call and call and call many times, still no answer. That man walked to our car and told us “This is my family issue, just go.” My father decided to open the car window and told that man the he already called polices and polices are coming. That man picked her up from the ground, started his motorbike and quickly left that place. We followed while I keep trying to call that two hot line numbers. After about 2kilomaters, we realize that his motorbike was very very fast which could cause accident and the woman was behind him without the helmet, so we decided to stop following; otherwise, we would driver faster as we follow. I was sad that we couldn’t help much; but more importantly, that the hot line isn’t helpful. Polices were sleeping.

Last night at about 11pm, I got a call from a friend who relative was missing since 6pm. The lost girl was 17 years old. History has shown that she cannot be running with someone else since she has never had a boyfriend or any issues within her family. Her family of course files a complaint to the police office in her village already. My friend asked if I know any numbers for emergency contact or any assistant to find her. My sister, my brother in law, my boyfriend, and I spend one hour looking for hot line numbers whom we hope might be able to do something. We found many hot line numbers included head of police in that village, child abuse hot line, child help line, human trafficking hot line, ministry, and a lot more NGOs. My friends called to all the number I gave her, and guess what? Nothing works. Most of the hot line numbers ring without anyone answering the phone, the police said he already told his team to work on it but he was at home sleeping, the ministry said please file a complaint tomorrow, some NGOs said it is outside of our coverage area. After mid night, we lose hope and stop trying to call. It is morning now. That little girl has lost for 15 hours already. If that was a human trafficking act, she might end up in prostitute already.  

Shame on hot line numbers! How do they dare to put their numbers in the Emergency Contact list and call themselves “Hot Line” if they don’t even pick up the phone? Where and who can we, poor people, reach for help in such cases?

A better country starts from each of us

Being a part of Initiatives of Change Association (ICA) for many years now has been one of the greatest moments in my life. What made me so proud isn’t the title of a president, but the opportunity which has been given by this association to witness the greatness, kindness, friendliness, and a lot of commitments by young people of Cambodian in seeking a better country starting from them. Last weekend, ICA Food Program committee had organized the 6^th annual food program at Cambodian-Russian Hospital. I usually cannot help much except I do test the food they cook and taking their pictures. It just a short periods of time, the committee have been working very hard and resulted in having enough contribution to cook food for about 300 patients in that hospital.

HIV Patients

The food itself wasn’t really the main point of this program. What matters most is that those patients were visited and served by young people who don’t even know them but sharing the same nationality – Khmer. Most of the patients are poor people who were affected by HIV and TB disease. Let me go back into history a little bit to show the connection of why offering food related to helping Cambodia.

I’m sure we all know the regimes of 1975-1979 – Pol Pot regime. We all acknowledge that Pol Pot and his crew were the major cause of such a terrible leadership, but how could several people managed to get support by millions and turned the country into a zero year? Several people cannot kill 2 million people….right?  In a radio drama which was produced base on true story by the Women Media Center called “The last road” and together with my reading of some history books plus my family experiences in that regime, I came to realize that the killing of 2 million people were possible because of the hatred of poor people against rich people. In that mentioned drama, the poor people joined revolution military to revenge the rich who, in the previous regimes, enjoyed their luxury and not caring at all for the poor. The gap between the rich and poor were very huge. Many people were poor and lots of young people were jobless.

Kids who comes to the hospital with their family

 ICA is just a small volunteer organization and the food program can only serve food for some hundreds people. It won’t help much to close down that gap between the rich and the poor, but isn’t it better than not doing anything at all? Offering food was only our tool, but offering love and care were our aim.

I deeply thank, on behalf of ICA, to all the contributors who have made this program possible for 6 years and more in the future. A very big thank to the organizing committee who have contributed their time and energy to organizing this. 

A better country starts from each of us!

Am I doing the right thing?

My career at the lovely night talk show is quite a success. People started to know my name, becoming fans on facebook, contacting me for different reasons; some have changed their attitude and becoming stronger. I’m so proud for that. However, I now starting to question myself if I am doing the right thing?

My fans are also starting to depend so much on me. They have tried to get my phone number from whoever they could ask. That includes my sisters, brother in law, boyfriend, sponsor, my staffs, and more. My family got called during work and late night for people needing help urgently. Who I am, to be able to help everybody? The purpose of my work at the show is to help people becoming an independent and strong person. In contrast, people are becoming weaker because they expect that I will be able to help them in whatever they need.

I now rethink and I need help to make decision. Shall I continue my work at the radio as a consultant? I have been an educator. Shall I be just an entertainer?

Programming

I have enrolled in World Philosophy class this term. Today I have learned something very interesting: Determination. It is a philosophy which explained that human being is just like a computer. You are able to use computer to type an article because this computer were programmed for typing.

Human being can never escape their shadow. Every things they do or decide are base on their past which including family, education, environment, and people they have met before. A lazy person cannot suddenly become a hard working person if she wasn’t influenced by the advice from her parents or maybe a good book she read. Determinism believes that we are always influenced by things around us. People are different from each other because they met different people, read different book, and live in different environment. Therefore, people do not have free-will. We are who we are depending on our past. We have been programmed by our past like a computer has been programmed by programmer. According to determinism, our past and environment is our programmer.

This theory teaches me that while we are programmed by others, we also program them. We help to shape people we meet and talk to. If you are a good person, you are influencing the person next to you to become a good person too. We all influence each other, so why not be a good responsible person? Doing good things help us become a good person, and it will also influence other people.  

We will never stop fighting for our rights

Yesterday evening (02.04.2011) at around 5:30pm, a group of about 15 security polices from Khan Don Penh came to our dancing place to warn us not to put the music on. I asked one of them who named was Chantha. Here was the conversation:

Me: Why are we not allowed to plays music while the state music was loudly plays the Korean song right in front of Wat Putum?

Security police Chantha: Because he got order from the Mayor of Phnom Penh

Me: And why he order so?

Security police Chantha: Because when the mayor exercises he doesn’t need music

Me: But that is him not us. Where is the letter than he made order?

Security police Chantha: I don’t know. If you play the music, I will collect your equipment then you can complain later.

To be noted that this police security was standing on the green grass when talking to us.

Me: Pu, this green grass is not allowed to step on.

Security police Chantha: I am the care taker of this garden; I have the rights to step on it.

Then, he walked away à we followed  

After walking here and there, they (security polices) took off. We started to play our music and dance. This time we played the smaller speakers. I then called to four Parliamentarian members to ask whether this is this regulation that music is not allowed. Four of them said “NO, there isn’t.” I then called Madam Mu Sochua, elected parliamentarian. I don’t care if she is from the opposition party, but all we need was someone to protect us. At that moment, she was the only one I could reach. She came to have a look at our dancing place. After a while when we was dancing, the security polices came again. While stepping down their cars, they may have seen Madam Mu Sochua, they got back in the cars, took off, and never come back again till we finish dancing.

We need an explanation why music is not allowed? Is it true that the Mayor did really make an order? If the music is too loud or we dance too late, we can negotiate. Therefore, we are collection the thumb print of our supporters and will submit this thumb print together with a request letter to the City Hall of Phnom Penh on Monday. As of today (03.04.2011 at 11am), we have got 106 thump print. We will continue to collect the thump print and will go to the city hall on Monday morning.

We you would like to give your support through your thumb print, please come to the Wat Butum park in front of Hong Kong Center from 5:30pm this evening.

They suddenly tell us to stop playing music

While we were dancing at the public park yesterday evening, two polices came and told us “No more music from today.” Our dance teacher asked “Why?” and “Till when?” the two polices keep silent and only said that they got order to do so. They came with no paper, nothing else, but words from their mouths. They said we can dance but not allow playing music. Excuse me, how do you dance without music?

Exercise through dancing has become very popular in Cambodia, both and Phnom Penh and other provinces. It is more than just dancing. It has been a community where people feel together. That place was where I feel all are welcome and treated equally. You can find all kinds of people dancing together and teach each other when needed. There are very rich people who come with their body guard, famous singer who wear mask on their faces so that people don’t recognize them, street kids who beg for living (they dance for free), a 11 years old girl who has just had heart operation, a 13 years old boy who have been dancing here for 2 years, a group of gays and lesbians, students who dance to refresh their mind, my family, and even a few years old cute girl who just enjoy dancing along with her mother. There are really many more who have stories behind and who need to dance. I met a 20 years old adult man who quit using drug when he joins this place. We have all kind of level dancers, from expert down to people who have just broken their comfort zone and learn dancing. There was when I feel myself the most. People become healthier physically and mentally.

If we are not allowed to play music, how could we dance? We do not against the government or city hall regulation; but at least you need to explain us why? This is a public park. Do you understand what does PUBLIC means? I thought we are the public. When I say “We”, it is not just my family. “WE” the dancers who are about at least four hundred people need this place, and MUSIC.

What would you do?

Ritu lives in India and worked for an organization doing work for street children. The money she is earning from her work is paying back a loan she took from a bank to pay for her sister's weeding. She has been set the task by her boss to apply for much needed government funding for a project to help street children. Ritu gets in touch with the appropriate public servant.  They say that they are willing to support the orphanage if she pays a bribe on behalf of the orphanage. Her boss tells her that she has to secure the project by paying the bribe.

If she pays the bribe:

    -She keep her job

    -She continues to be able to pay back her loan for the family

    -She secures much needed finance to run the program for street children

    -She goes against her value and is dishonest

If she doesn’t pay the bribe:

    -She risk losing her job

    -She will have to search for another way to pay back the loan

    -The project for street children will not go ahead

    -She lives out the values she believe in

What would you do if you were her?

ទេពកោសល្យ​ដឹកនាំ​របស់​យុវតី​ខ្មែរ​​ សម័យ​​បច្ចុប្បន្ន

Published on វិប​ផតថល​ស្តី​អំពី​ស្ត្រី​ :: Empowerment for Social Change (http://women.open.org.kh)

ដើម > ទេពកោសល្យ​ស្ត្រី

ភាពជា​អ្នក​ដឹក​នាំ​ ចំពោះ​​នាង​ខ្ញុំ​ គឺ​ជា​ការ​ជះ​ឥទ្ធិពល​ទៅ​លើ​មនុស្ស​ ឲ្យ​ពួក​គាត់​  ចេះ​ប្រើប្រាស់​​សក្ដានុពល​ដ៏​ប្រសើរ​បំផុត​ដែល​​ខ្លួន​មាន​ ធ្វើ​ឲ្យ​ជីវិត​របស់​ខ្លួន​​បាន​ប្រសើរ​ឡើង​ តាម​រយៈ​​ការ​គិត​ធំ​ ផ្ដើម​ធ្វើ​ពី​តូច​ "នេះ​គឺ​ជា​សម្ដី​​របស់​កញ្ញា នាង សុវត្ថានា​ ប្រធាន​ "សមាគម​គំនិត​ផ្ដួចផ្ដើមនៃ​ការ​ផ្លាស់​ប្ដូរ​" នៅ​ក្នុង​បទសម្ភាសន៍​មួយ​ ជាមួយ​អង្គការ​វិទ្យាស្ថាន​បើក​ទូលាយ ។ កញ្ញា​​​ ត្រូវ​បាន​មជ្ឈដ្ឋាន​ជុំវិញ​​ ទទួល​ស្គាល់​ថា ជា​នារី​ឆ្នើម​មួយ​រូប​ ដោយសារ ទេពកោសល្យ​ដឹក​នាំ​ដ៏​ប៉ិន​ប្រសប់​​របស់​កញ្ញា​ ដែល​មាន ទស្សនវិស័យ​ "គិត​ធំ ផ្ដើម​ធ្វើ​ពី​តូច" ​អនុញ្ញាត​ឲ្យ​កញ្ញា​ត្រូវ​បាន​ជ្រើស​តាំង​ជា​ប្រធាន​សមាគម ចូល​ប្រឡូក​ក្នុងពិភព​ការងារ​តាំងពី​វ័យ​ក្មេង​ ។ 

សុវត្ថានា បាន​ដំណាល​ប្រាប់​ ​អំពី​ដំណើរ​ជីវិត​ការងារ​របស់ ខ្លួន ដូច្នេះ​ថា ៖ "...​នាង​ខ្ញុំ​ ​ផ្ដើម​ធ្វើ​ការងារ​ពេញ​ម៉ោង​ នៅ​ឯ​​សមាគម​យុវជន​ខ្មែរ​ "ក្នុង​ឆ្នាំ​២០០៤ ។ តាំង​ពី​ឆ្នាំ​២០០៧​មក នាង​ខ្ញុំ​ បាន​និង​កំពុង​ធ្វើ​ការ​ ជា​អ្នក​ជំនួយ​ការ​កម្មវិធី​ "មូលនិធិ​ ហ្វ្រេឌិច ណៅមែន​" ។ ក្នុង​ពេល​ជាមួយ​គ្នា​នេះ ដែរ នាងខ្ញុំ​ ក៏​ជា​ប្រធាន​ស្ម័គ្រ​ចិត្ត​នៃ​ "សមាគម​គំនិត​​ផ្ដួច​ផ្ដើម នៃ​ការ​ផ្លាស់​ប្ដូរ​" ដែល​ជា​អង្គការ​យុវជន​ស្ម័គ្រ​ចិត្ត​ ស្ថិត​នៅ​រាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញ និង​មាន​​ការិយាល័យ​សាខា​មួយ​ នៅ​ខេត្ត​បាត់​ដំបង ។ ​តាំង​ពី​អាយុ​១៥ឆ្នាំ​មក​ នាង​ខ្ញុំ​ បាន​ចូល​ប្រឡូក​ក្នុង​សកម្ម​ភាព​ស្ម័គ្រ​ចិត្ត​ជា​ច្រើន មាន​ជា​អាទិ៍ ការ​បោះ​​ជំរំ​យុវជន សិក្ខាសាលា កិច្ច​ប្រជុំ​ ការ​បង្រៀន​ភាសា​អង់គ្លេស​និង​កុំព្យូទ័រ​ ជំនួយការ​គម្រោង​អភិវឌ្ឍន៍​នានា និង​ការ​បង្កើត​គម្រោង​ជាច្រើន​ទៀត​សម្រាប់​យុវជន​​"។

ឈរ​លើ​ទស្សន​វិស័យ​​ច្បាស់​លាស់​របស់​ខ្លួន​ កញ្ញា​ នាង សុវត្ថានា​ បាន​បង្ហាញ​ពី​បែប​ផែន​នៃ​ទេពកោសល្យ​ដឹក​នាំ​របស់​ខ្លួន​ថា កញ្ញា​​ប្រើ​ប្រាស់​ភាព​ជា​អ្នក​ដឹក​នាំ​របស់​​កញ្ញា​ ដើម្បី​ជះ​ឥទ្ធិ​ពល​ដល់​មនុស្ស ដោយ​ការ​ផ្ដល់​ឲ្យ​អ្នក​ទាំងនោះ​ នូវ​គំរូ​វីរភាព​ណាមួយ​ដែល​បុគ្គល​នោះ​ពេញ​ចិត្ត​ ហើយ​និង​លើក​ទឹក​ចិត្ត​ឲ្យ​អ្នក​ទាំង​នោះ​ ជឿជាក់​លើ​សក្ដានុពល​ដ៏​ប្រសើរ​​​បំផុត​ដែល​ខ្លួន​មាន​​ ។ កញ្ញា​បាន​បន្ថែម​ទៀត​ថា ជា​ដំបូង​ កញ្ញា​ផ្សារ​​ភ្ជាប់​​ទំនាក់ទំនង​ផ្ទាល់​ខ្លួន​ ជា​មួយ​អ្នក​ទាំងនោះ​ តាម​រយៈ​ការ​ចែក​រំលែក​រឿងរ៉ាវ​ផ្ទាល់​ខ្លួន និង​ការ​ជួយ​ពួកគេ​ដោះស្រាយ​បញ្ហា​ផ្ទាល់​ខ្លួន​។ កញ្ញា​បាន​ប្រកាន់​យក​ នូវ​ជំពូក​អ្នក​ដឹកនាំ​មួយ​បែប​ ដែល​កញ្ញា​​បាន​ឲ្យ​ដឹង​ ដូច្នេះ​ថា ៖ "នាង​ខ្ញុំ​ ចង់​ធ្វើ​ជា​អ្នក​ដឹក​នាំ​មួយ​ប្រភេទ ដែល​គិត​អំពី​ការ​បម្រើ​អ្នក​នៅ​ក្រោម​បង្គាប់​ ជា​ជាង​ការ​ពង្រឹង​ការ​បង្គាប់​បញ្ជា​របស់​ខ្ញុំ​​​ទៅ​លើ​ពួកគេ​"។

ជា​សមិទ្ធផល​ សុវត្ថានា​ បាន​​ប្រាប់​ថា៖ "ឥទ្ធិពល​ទី​១​នៃ​ការ​ដឹកនាំ​របស់​នាង​ខ្ញុំ​ ដែល​នាង​ខ្ញុំ​សង្កេត​ឃើញ​ គឺ​​បន្លាស់​ប្ដូរ​វិជ្ជមាន​ជាច្រើន​ របស់​យុវជន​ដែល​នៅ​ជុំ​វិញ​ខ្លួន​ ។ ពួកគេ​​ បាន​ប្រែ​ក្លាយ​​ ការ​គ្រាន់តែ​ចេះ​គិត​គូរ​​ថែទាំ​អំពី​ខ្លួន​ឯង​ ឲ្យ​ទៅ​ជា​ការ​ចេះ​​យកចិត្តទុកដាក់​ថែទាំ​សង្គម​ទាំងមូល​ ហើយ​បាន​ចាប់​ផ្ដើម​​ស្វែង​រក​វិធី​សាស្ត្រ​ ជួយ​​ធ្វើ​ឲ្យ​ប្រទេស​កាន់​តែ​​ប្រសើរ​​ឡើង​ ។ នាង​ខ្ញុំ​បាន​ឃើញ​ផ្ទាល់​នឹង​ភ្នែក​ថា ប្រមាណ​ ១០នាក់ នៃ​យុវជន​ទាំងនោះ​ បាន​​ផ្ដើម​គំនិត​បង្កើត​គម្រោង​​ជាច្រើន ទាក់ទង​នឹង​ការ​ស្ម័គ្រ​ចិត្ត​នានា​ ក្រោម​កិច្ច​សម្រប​សម្រួល​ពី​សមាគម ។ ...ឥទ្ធិពល​ទី​២​នោះ​ គឺ​ថា ភាព​ជា​អ្នក​ដឹក​នាំ​របស់​នាង​ខ្ញុំ​ ត្រូវ​បាន​ប្រើ​ប្រាស់​ជា​គំរូវីរភាព​ សម្រាប់​យុវជន​ដទៃ​ទៀត ដែល​ជំរុញ​ឲ្យ​ពួក​គេ​ធ្វើ​សកម្ម​ភាព​និង​ជឿជាក់​លើ​ខ្លួន​ឯង"។

ក្រៅ​ពី​ជោគជ័យ​ ដែល​រៀប​រាប់​ទាំង​អំបាល​ម៉ាន​ខាង​លើ សុវត្ថានា​ ក៏​ជួប​ប្រទះ​នូវ​ការ​ប្រឈម​មួយ​ចំនួន​ដែរ ​​ទាក់​ទង​នឹង​ការ​គ្រប់​គ្រង​ពេល​វេលា ។ ទោះបី​ជា​ខិត​ខំ​បែង​ចែក​ការងារ​ទៅ​តាម​អាទិភាព​របស់​វា​យ៉ាង​ណា ក្ដី កញ្ញា​មាន​អារម្មណ៍​ថា ខ្លួន​ពុំ​ទាន់​ចេះ​គ្រប់គ្រង​ពេលវេលា​បាន​ល្អ ពិសេស​ពេល​ធ្វើ​ការងារ​ច្រើន​កន្លែង សិក្សា​ និង​ថែទាំ​ប្អូន​ៗ​​របស់​កញ្ញា​ ក្នុង​ពេល​តែ​មួយ​ជាមួយ​គ្នា ។ ថ្វី​បើ​យេនឌ័រ​ត្រូវ​បាន​កញ្ញា​ធ្លាប់​គិត​អាច​ជា​ឧបសគ្គ​ដល់​ភាព​ជា​អ្នក​ដឹក​នាំ​ កញ្ញា​បាន​ផ្លាស់​ប្ដូរ​ការ​គិត​នេះ ក្រោយ​ពី​កញ្ញា​បាន​ចូល​ប្រឡូក​ការងារ​ ក្នុង​ស្ថាប័ន​អង្គការ​ក្រៅ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​ ហើយ​អះអាង​ថា ស្ត្រី​ត្រូវ​​បាន​គេ​ផ្ដល់​អាទិភាព​ជា​ច្រើន។

កញ្ញា នាង សុវត្ថានា បាន​ផ្ដល់​ជា​មតិ​យោបល់​ថា ៖ "គ្មាន​អ្វី​ដែល​អាច​ជួយ​ស្ត្រី​ឡើយ ប្រសិន​បើ​ស្ត្រី​មិន​ទទួល​ស្គាល់​នូវ​គុណ​តម្លៃ​និង​សក្ដានុពល​របស់​ខ្លួន​នោះ ។...ស្ត្រី​ត្រូវ​យល់​ថា​ ការ​កើត​មក​ជា​ស្ត្រី​ មិន​មែន​ជា​បន្ទុក​ទេ តែ​ជា​អត្ថ​ប្រយោជន៍​"៕