(By Joekarl Diaz) GK Cambodia has established two villages in its capital city, Phnom Penh. The first village was established to help raise and upgrade the houses located in a flood-prone village along a riverbank. The second was established to relocate scavenger families living in makeshift houses beside a dumpsite.

When I heard that there were GK villages in Cambodia, I knew people would have to go and visit. So Kris Alegrid and I ventured to Cambodia on the 7th March for a seven-day journey. We wanted to meet with the GK workers, the beneficiaries and find out about Cambodia, so that we could encourage more people to visit the GK Cambodia in the future.  What Kris and I saw was similar to the poverty in the Philippines – there were people scavenging in rubbish areas, kids begging for money, roadside and riverbank shanties, and squatters on land and in buildings, albeit, more tame and less harsh than the bustling city streets and towering buildings of Manila.

Cambodia is a developing country with a population of around 14 million people.. Despite its brutal history during the reign of Pol Pot, Cambodia is widely known as a peaceful country, possessing a low crime rate making it safe for tourists to walk around the streets (even at night). It is, therefore, a ‘worry-free’ place for GK GATers to visit!

Kris and I were even able to briefly delve into the life of a “tuktuk” driver. It was amazing when Piset, the “tuktuk” driver, invited us to come with him to see his home. He led us through the busy streets onto a rugged narrow alley way and into a dwelling barely the size of a GK house. With the few English words he knew, Piset told us about his family. It was humbling to witness the life of a happy and hardworking man. Although he was not living in a GK village, he lives by the GK principles of no drinking, no gambling, no smoking and working hard to send his son to a Khmer and English school. We also met Sister Louise, a nun stationed at the Catholic Church in Seam Reap, who ran classes for a few strayed kids and who looked after seven surrounding poor villages – building houses, running health and hygiene programs, similar to the GK style. In our travels we visited the GK Rafaella Village, the second GK village established in Cambodia. It celebrated its first anniversary on the 27th February, 2008. It comprises of 20 families who used to be trash scavengers,
but now mostly work as – market vendors, plant growers, cooks in a hotel, bakers, etc – thanks to the GK livelihood programs.

The most difficult challenge Kris and I encountered in the village was the language barrier, since there was only one person in the village that we knew who could speak English. We spent a few days and nights in the village and most of the time we spent was playing charades, just to communicate with them. Though they could not speak English, most of them could understand; and although they knew Kris and I could not understand their language they persisted in speaking to us, as if hoping that if they spoke to us for long enough, we would understand.

Being a Filipino, I remembered the non-Filipinos who visited the GK villages in the Philippines; now I can say that I know how they felt. After one year, GK Rafaella Village still has some structures to complete – a SIBOL school, a concrete canal and a wall at the outer surrounds. The GK workers in Cambodia, led by Andrew Chua, are currently seeking opportunities to establish a third GK village. These plans sound exciting but more work needs to be done, more houses need to be built and more volunteers need to visit Cambodia.  Contact me on 0410573429 if you are interested in going for GKYGAT Cambodia 2010!

1st Australian team to join the Bayani Challenge in Sulu Mindanao

Team Southern Cross who made history to be the 1st Australian team to join the Bayani Challenge in Sulu Mindanao in April 2009.  Their experience truly showed liberation from religious prejudice, uniting to fight a common enemy of peace - that which is poverty.