Oxfam really does wonderful work

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Day 18
Today was a fabulous day with Oxfam. Darith arranged for us to be picked up by his driver from Oxfam at 7. By 7:30 we had picked up Darith and were having a quick Chinese/noodle breakfast in his neighborhood. We drove out to meet with a partner organization that works on the Rice Intensification program. It happened that their field organizers were in the office meeting with an Oxfam Communication specialist who was there to do a training assessment for a program that will be organized for them in December. The five field organizers all had a background in community organizing with other NGOs. We then headed out to meet with farmers who are participating in the program. The first group of farmers had planted their first crop using the new methodology. They found that while it took some getting used to, they only needed to use 25% of the seed that they had previously needed and the yield looked like it would be about 20% greater than in the past. Since this method also requires less water, in years when there is marginal rainfall, they might be able to plant a second crop when with the old methods they couldn’t. They were all extremely enthusiastic. About ½ of the farmers switched to the new method this year and they think the rest of the farmers will switch next year based on their results. As subsistence farmers who are completely dependent on their annual crop to be able to feed their families, making this type of change is a real risk. The government is now promoting this methodology across the country well be beyond the scope of the Oxfam program. One of the farmers told us that she had heard about the program on TV and was willing to take the risk to switch because of government promotion and technical support from Oxfam. The second group of farmers was even more enthusiastic. When I asked one woman who had made the decision in her family, she said she had participated in the decision making. I gave her a thumbs-up and it got a good laugh from the group. Darth who was translating said she got it about gender issues. It really made me proud to be associated with Oxfam because it was obvious that this program changes people’s lives and in a country with so much poverty this is a big deal. It was also obvious that everyone associated with the program from Oxfam and the partner organization is gratified by the success they have been able to achieve.
As we headed back we stopped and a huge temple that we had passed earlier. In a land of dire poverty the temple looked out of place. The statues of the signs of the zodiac also noted the name of the donor who funded the statue and how much they paid. I guess this is something they learned from Americans, along with the “Happy Hour – 2 drinks for the price of one” that is at every hotel.
By now it was time for lunch and with Darith’s skillful selection of a place to eat and ordering we had one of the best meals we we’ve had so far. The grilled tiger prawns, that they call lobsters, were amazing.
Before heading back to Phnom Phen, Darith took us to visit a “model” famer who has become rich, farming several types of fish and frogs. The farmer is not associated with Oxfam, since Oxfam only works with rice, but Darith had met him a couple of years ago and thought we would b e interested. The farmer now has 23 small ponds around his house in which he raises the fish and frogs. Jack asked how he refreshes the water and he said he doesn’t. Jack had done some research on this topic and was surprised at his response. Who knows, maybe he has special sauce.
On the way back into town we passed several large factories that were changing shifts. You see trucks that are packed with the women who work in the factories who are being transport back to their towns. It’s pretty grim from one perspective and good from another. I’m sure many of these women are happy to have the work. Darith told us that since the global financial crisis 200 factories closed and 200,000 people were put of out work. The factories are reopening and the workers are happy to have their jobs back.
We got back to Phnom Phen about 5:30 and after I finish this blog we need to pack for our 5:45 AM pick up tomorrow morning. Hopefully we’ll be done by 7:30 and will then have a quick dinner.

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