the 2h project

Hidden behind the power lines and a political party banner live 108 families; approximately 600 people fighting the ravages of poverty. The building is the old Phnom Penh movie theatre, not used for screenings since the Khmer Rouge left town - a drama of a different kind is now being played out.

We're always amazed at what a group of friends can achieve.

Several years back Kate Shadiac was completing her Bachelor of Midwifery when she raised a bunch of support for 2h through a chocolate drive. Even then Kate was keen to help and do what she could. So, when she made the decision to join this year's Safe Arrivals team it was no surprise that she'd kick some major fundraising goals.

Not sure if anyone's 'content' with a few thistles in life.

But its inevitable. Things do 'crop' up.

Funny how life works out. Six degrees of separation and all that.

Steng Mean Chey  dump site in Phnom Pehn is probably like any other large city dump; smelly, busy and built on huge piles of garbage. The stench in the Cambodian heat is hard to imagine. Flys are everywhere, not to mention the mosquitoes and the muddy entrance makes bogged garbage trucks common place.

It’s not very often you come across a genuine life changer. It’s even rarer to find one that takes just fifteen minutes! But cataract surgery is exactly that. It’s medical intervention that stops just short of 'unbelievable'. If you happen to ask one of the hundreds of patients of the Battambang Ophthalmic Clinic (BOC) – the ability to see is an out and out miracle!

At the age of six Bill Downie was sent home from hospital expected to die. A ruptured appendix had left his young life hanging in the balance. In spite of the early set back and three subsequent battles with cancer Bill (now 93 years old) exhibits a passion for life you'd expect to find in a teenage boy.

Having heard of our interest in 'the new friend of 2h' Bill had prepared for our visit. Sao biscuits, a variety of sweet biscuits and the kettle ready to be boiled. It took a little getting used to Bill's broad Scottish accent (afterall, his only been in Australia for 31 years).

Sitting comfortably in his suburban home Bill chatted as if we were an old friend. He shared his memories of growing up as one of seven kids in Scotland, the troubled ear that kept him from fighting the Germans in North Africa and the day he met his wife of 64 years; the girl from Aberdeen, Evie.

Bill's working life had a hint of British TV about it; from his first job at 14 looking after cattle, a stint as a bus conductor, a wood contractor, a forrestor, a rabbit catcher (snaring 180 rabbits in one day - possibly a world record!) then a 35 year career with the Scottish Department of Agriculture fondly remembering - 'it was just like a holiday!'

Born in 1918, Bill knows change. Like the Aussie farmer he met shortly after immigrating in the early 80s. "He'd bought one of those new computers. And he was building a bloody shed for it!" But when asked if the world were a better place in the past, Bill gave us a glimpse into the life of a man that's focused on living today, 'The past was good and we were happy, but I wouldn't like to go back'.

Thanks Bill, you're officially the oldest friend of 2h (and possibly the most remarkable!) 

Give a man a fish and he has food for a day; teach him how to fish and you can get rid of him for the entire weekend.
It’s a nice twist on the original.

Brings back memories of teaching my youngest son to fish. Caught every exotic animal in the sea that afternoon. Not one of them could be eaten. Topped it off with a moment of 'motto skill madness' when I clumsily dropped the mobile in between the rocks and into the deep blue.
Fish I like. (I even cleaned out the tank the other day). Fishing I’m not so keen on.

But the Chinese were on to something. Serving up fish is a daily millstone.  Buy them a rod, give them a couple of your ‘secret spots’, take away the mystery and if their livelihood depends on it, they’ve got every motivation in the world to get real good at it, real quick.
To not be needed can be very satisfying.

A lifetime of handouts or a lending hand. To not be needed, development’s goal. Job done.
Time to go fishing, ... or something.
 

(original proverb – Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Lao Tzu)

Building sustainable eye care for Cambodia

‘My vision had slowly deteriorated over two years till I was left blind  and unable to work in the ricefields’ says Mr Nhien Nak, 67, who lives in Cambodia’s Tom Poung village and cares for his grandchildren orphaned by AIDS.

The memories that live on

The importance of the birth attendant training really ‘hit home’ for me when I was listening to a woman tell her story at a medical clinic in a remote Cambodian province.