Achievements

Our main criteria for evalution is that Christian communitites become present in the Cambodian society serving those in need. We find ourselves in that process, the disabled people have also proposed to us 12 priorities for action: means for livelihood; food; access to water; access to education; access to health services; a way to generate income; a total ban on anti-personnel mines; access to the land and capacity to cultivate it; availability of physical, social and labour rehabilitation; the capacity to walk, to see, and to communicate; possibility of the disabled to assist one another with responsibility and concern; education about the danger of mines and about the use of violence to resolve conflicts. Some of these priorities help us evaluate our work. These are some indicators:

ACCESS TO LAND AND FOOD

• During the past three years, 80 hectares of land have been bought. In the last months of 2003, 20 additional hectares were bought. Land is meant for rice cultivation and about 1,200 families benefit from it.
• The program "food for work" is now self-reliant. When it started, the prefecture bought the rice in the market and gave it to the communities as an exchange for construction of wells, houses, etc. Now the rice is bought from those families to whom the land bought by the Church has been given for cultivation.

EDUCATION

• The handicapped students at Arrupe Center have the best marks in their school. The director of Battambang school expressed his congratulations for the children's effort.
• The Prefecture expanded its educational support program so that in 2003, more than 300 children and youth were studying in elementary, junior and senior high school, and university and were supported through the Tep Im Student Program in Battambang city and surrounding provinces. 48 students are living at the Tep Im youth hostel. Another hostel and high school were built in Kompong Thom.
• The number of scholarships provided by the diocese is around 300. Many of the students supported are disabled.
• Two schools were repaired and nine were built, five to be handed over to the government for its management and four by the Catholic church.

HEALTH

• "Pet Yei Chee" center for the Sick receives an average of 30 persons per month, not counting those that it sends to hospitals in Phnom Penh and Battambang. In Kompong Thom, the health service to the most needy sick people reach an average of 20 persons per month.
• Transport is provided to all from the villages to the hospital or to Arrupe Center, or from the center to the hospital, as well as return trips.
• Some 15 to 20 people are sheltered monthly in Arrupe center before directing them to hospitals or other institutions. The center covers 100% the costs of shelter, transport and food.
• 25 babies are assisted monthly and integrated into special nutrition programs in the St. Vincent of Paul day care center.
• There is permanent availability of basic material in good condition (medicines, mosquito nets, clothes,etc)
• Availability and distribution of goods for personal hygiene in hospitals, in Arrupe Center and in the villages.
• An average of 6 wheelchairs are distributed monthly to handicapped people. Maintenance of wheelchairs and follow-up of the disabled people is part of the service provided.

AID TO THE DISABLED

• An average of 20 houses have been built for handicapped people. Other 10 houses have been built for poor families.
• 10 handicapped people have been hired by the prefecture and are working in different areas: gardening, wheelchair maintenance, house maintenance, income-generating activities,etc.
• The disabled children are able to move comfortably around the whole Arrupe Center.
• Income generating activities, namely the production of handicrafts, give support to about 400 families (2000 persons). Many of the handicrafts are made by handicapped people and are then sold in Arrupe Center or through the some NGO

NEW BUILDINGS

• 13 multipurpose centers have been built or repaired. These centers provide cultural meeting points, kitchens, and shelter. Schools have been repaired or built and then given to the government for management.
• 14 churches have been built or repaired.

PASTORAL and TEAM BUILDING

• All the parishes have Sangkahas in place reaching out to the poor and the sick in the villages and following up these cases.
• Over 100 catechists are part of the parishes
• An average of 5 lay expatriate volunteers work (some full time and some part time) each year the Prefecture.