Cambodia The church builds new houses as a Health education Care Centre for HIV/AIDS people

Posted: 16th March 2006

The houses for HIV/AIDS people in Phnom Voah, Kep City

Kep city (CSC) -- Ten houses made from cement and thatched roof, 3 x 5 meters size each, was build on two rows isolate from each other, as a health education Care centre for HIV/Aids people Named “The Pro life Centre – John Paul II” on the inclined of the hill surrounded by the sparse forest and yard fields, in the former of Khmer rouge location of Phnom Voah, Kep city about 170 Kilometers to south west of Phnom Penh, celebrated Openning Ceremony on Feb 27,2006 under H.E Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio Apostolic Nuncio to Cambodia, Bishop Emile Detombes, Apostolic Vicariat of Phnom Penh, and H.E Mut Morn under-governer of Kep city.

In the speech to the peoples in the ceremony Fr. Olivier Schmitthaeusler, Mission Étrangeres de Paris (MEP) who start this new centre said that the Church have build this centre “The Pro Life Centre – John Paul II” because we want to help the HIV/AIDS People to have a good life and hopefull in their future life. He also thanks to Apostolic Nuncio, Bishop Emile Vicar Apostolic of Phnom Penh and the Governor of Kep city that support in the this small project to help the HIV/AIDS people. He continouses the former Pope John Paul II was traveled a round the world to promote the culture of peace, he said that “The Human life is valuable, Please respect it” that’s why we named the Health Education Care centre “The John Paul II”. He expainted.

Apostolic Nuncio speaked to the People in the ceremony that It is proper that this centre is named after the great Pope, Servant of God John Paul II, who left to us an unforgettable example of showing always a special care for the sick and the suffering people of the society as he was enthusiastic in visiting and consoling them. This centre is also hommage in Cambodia to the venerable memory of Pope John Paul II for the paternal sollicitude and concern he always had towards this country. He continues our duty is to offer our inadequacies and difficulties to God our loving Father and to try our best to assure that great providence of God to those suffering brothers and sisters through our loving care. Together with all of you, I wish and pray that this “John Paul II Pro Life Centre”, be a refuge to people with HIV/AIDS, where they find the necessary physical, spiritual and psychological support. Let us work together for the welfare of others, the progress of this beloved country and the good of the world at large.

“John Paul II Pro Life Centre” health Education Care centre is not like a hospital for the sick, but it is the centre of encoragment for HIVAIDS people to keep their hope, lives living.

The centre have different project for support the Centre in the future. And also educated the HIV/AIDS people how to take care themselve, professional skill training and send their children to school.

Fr. Olivier told CSC reporter that the centre train them how to plant the Mulberry tree, to take care of silkworm, and make the silk. He continues these kind of skill will help them in the future, they will earn some money from their job or sell products, the centre will pay them, and we do not give rice or money like the present. He expressed.

Nget vannak , 35 year-old effected with HIV/AIDS sine 1994 said to CSC reporter with big smile and hopefully that “I really thank to fr. Olivier” for helping me and my family. My children can go to school, I hope it will help them in the future, so I don’t worry about them. And also now I am hopeful and Happy. She added that before I came here (the centre) I are very hopeless, I don’t know what can I do for my little children, I just wait for the day of dying, I don’t know who will take care of my children after I die, my relative refuse me and my family, they afraid I transfer the HIV/AIDS to them. I did so pity on my children that they know nothing about HIV/AIDS and they could not play with my relative. Fortunately, my first child does not effected by HIV/AIDS but my last child I don’t know yet. She expresses with full tear on her eyes.

Thean sophan, 21 year-old told csc report that “I am vey happy and hopeful” the centre support me rice and encorage me to continue in living. The centre gives us land for planting crop, and vegetable, we have 8 ares for each family, she added.

In the last 10 years Phnom Voah is a place of fighting between the government soldier and the Khmer rouge force, no body enter in this area only the Khmer rouge friends. After intergraded with the government this place has been change become more alive as the other village over the country, eventhough it is still far from the others.

Fr. Olivier reviews that in 2003 his first trip to Phnom Voah, there are 70 HIV/AIDS people staying in this area with a traditional Khmer doctor in the hope of healable of the natural medicine made by him. In the year of 2004, some of HIV/AIDS went home and 3 Families still staying with no home, Fr.Olivier decided to help these three families and send them to the Hospital in Takeo about 70 Kilometres to the south of Phnom Penh. In the year 2005, there was a storm destroyed the houses, so that Fr. Olivier decided to build new house from cement and thatched roof for each victim families all of them are HIV/AIDS families. This is health Education Care centre “John Paul II Pro Life”. there are 18 peoples (Husband and wife) and 21 children. He added that the Church support them 40kg of rice and 40000 riels (10 USD) per week, and send them to the hospital. Fr. Olivier explains the centre gets money supports from his friends in France.

According to the report of National Aid Authority there are 123,100.00 people from 15 to 49 years are living with HIV/AIDS in early 2003. In 1997-1998 have 3.3% of persons with HIV, but in 2003 this data is failed to 1.9%. On the report of world document showed that one day has 1,400.00 people get HIV/AIDS and among of them there are 200.00 are children under 15 year-old and 1,200.00 are adults from 15 to 49 years old. In Cambodia according to the National Aids Authority said that one day have 20 people get HIV/AIDS in 2003.The National Centre for HIV/AIDS, Dermatology and STD (Sexually Transmitted Diseases) expressed that in 9 months of 2005 there are 10,000.00 new with HIV and 19,811.00 with AIDS.

Article Source: Catholic Social Communications, Cambodia