Tag - Kampong Cham

Plugging the brain drain

May 4, 2011
Dara Saoyuth
LIFT

Profile of Cambodian youth who is fighting the trend toward the city and making a difference, despite the difficulties in the provincial parts of the Kingdom

Upon leaving his homeland in Takeo province in 2007, Kim Bora began vocational training in the electronics field at the Centre Kram Ngoy (CKN). When he completed his final exam, he was just as quick to set his sites on a career in the countryside and within two days he was in Kampong Cham, where he continues to work today and hopes to raise his family.

The 27-year-old Kim Bora works for the Electricity Tboung Khmum Enterprise as a manager of their branch in Ou Reang Ov district in Kampong Cham.

He is tasked with not only ensuring the distribution of electricity to the people in the community he lives in, but also must ensure that his neighbours, and other customers, pay their bills on time.

“Electricity is very important in people daily life,” he said. “However, in some areas connections are still difficult and I often receive complaints that car batteries are much more expensive.”

Kim Bora admits that he has much work left unfinished, he is also proud of the accomplishments he has made. He said that so far, he and his team has equipped around 30,000 households with electricity and around 30,000 more households will be connected shortly.

Although Kim Bora moved swiftly to the province he currently lives in, he remembers the difficulties of settling in vividly. “At first, I didn’t have any friends and I felt very homesick,” he said.

But he remained persistent and after sticking it out for a while, he got used to the environment and everything has now reached a point where he feels very comfortable in his surroundings.

When asked about his future plans, he said he that he no longer considers taking a job in the city or making a return to his hometown. Why? you might ask. Well, that has nothing to do electric connections.

He fell in love with a woman while he was negotiating life in Kampong Cham and they want to stay right there to start a family together.

By: Dara Saoyuth
This article was publish on LIFT, Issue 69 published on May 05, 2011

Photo Story: Grapefruit Seller

January 8, 2011
Dara Saoyuth
Personal Interest/Experience

I’ve spent around 2 hours walking along riverside this morning to take some photos and make it into a photo story for my photojournalism class. I ended up with shooting a “Grapefruit Sellers” after trying many different subjects. Four photos accompanied by some descriptions below is what I handed to my teacher and I would like to share this with all STUDENT BLOG visitors here. Cheers,

1. Portrait

Portrait

Chan Sokhan, 62, comes from Kandal province to live in Phnom Penh an has worked as a grapefruits seller since 1983. Every 1 week to 2 weeks, there is a person taking grapefruits from Kampong Cham for her to sell. / By: Dara Saoyuth

2. Relationship

Relationship

She doesn’t sell alone. Normally, her husband, Kham Sokhorn, stays with her from the start until time they go back home. They work around 12 hours a day starting approximately from 8am until 8pm. / By: Dara Saoyuth

3. Establishing shot

Establishing shot

They have to pay 500 riels per day to police to be able to sell in front of Chaktomuk theatre on the pavement where they use as the place for resting, having lunch and dinner. / By: Dara Saoyuth

4. Person at work

Person at work

When there is nothing to do, Chan Sokhan peel grapefruits skin ready to sell to customers. "Though I cannot get much from selling grapefruits, I want to live on my own rather than asking for money from my children." / By: Dara Saoyuth

By: Dara Saoyuth
08/01/2010

 

Pine Plantation Area in Mondulkiri

December 28, 2010
Dara Saoyuth
Inform

Dear all Student Blog visitors,

As mentioned in previous post, our trip to Mondulkiri 3 weeks earlier is not only a fun but also a study tour. We were assigned to do a project under Eco-tourism theme. My group has done a short video clip on Pine Plantation Area in the province. Let’s see what we have for you! Cheers,

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4Z7RlSgPcM&hl=en&fs=1]
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Reflections on a different of the Kingdom

December 22, 2010
Dara Saoyuth
LIFT, Personal Interest/Experience
Sunset in Mondulkiri

Sunset in Mondulkiri / by: Dara Saoyuth

The eight-hour trip on the bus to Mondulkiri was the longest journey of my life. To reach the final destination of our class trip to one of Cambodia’s most beautiful places we passed through Kandal, Kampong Cham and Kratie provinces. It wasn’t going to all fun on the trip, as my classmates at the Department of Media and Communication at RUPP and I were divided into groups to do class projects about eco-tourism, however, we were sure to find plenty of time for fun on the trip.

Being used to watching never ending traffic and looking at buildings that reach high into the sky, I really enjoyed the view along the way to Mondulkiri, filled with various types of trees, expansive fields and rolling mountains. Once the long trip was finally over we were dropped off at the city centre, where we checked out the central market and surrounding parks. The market was small and unimpressive and the park was filled with dust instead of flowers, so we weren’t anxious to stick around.

Since 80 percent of the population was comprised of ethnic minorities, making me think it would be rural and lack a lot of modern influence, I was surprised to see there were plenty of guesthouses and karaoke bars nearby. It seemed there were very few differences between life out here and back in Phnom Penh.

But, after talking to some of the native people I began to notice a gap between Cambodians in the city and ethnic minorities in the country side. The indigenous people often live alongside nature and make a living by farming and growing vegetables. Among other things, living deep in the forest or far away from civilization makes it harder for ethnic minorities to get to school and receive a proper education.

 

Development in Mondulkiri

Development in Mondulkiri / by: Dara Saoyuth

Now that industry is beginning to get started in the province, people are able to move about more and even start their own businesses in the area. We saw an example of this two nights during a party at Angkor Forest Guesthouse, where we were staying, when people were invited to dance to Khmer music and indigenous music from local minority population.

The hardest part of staying in the northern forest of Cambodia was the cold weather in the evening and especially in the morning.  I had to cover myself with two blankets just to sleep, and wear a sweater whenever I left my room. Beyond that, I liked everything in Mondulkiri, especially the natural tourism sites. I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to say yes if anyone asked me to go there again.

By: Dara Saoyuth
This article was published on Lift, Issue 50 published on December 22, 2010
You can also read the article on Phnom Penh Post website by CLICKING HERE
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