Author: Charles Dittmeier

Bad Officials

The number of headlines in the newspapers that allege illegal and immoral activity on the part of officials here is amazing. These are three headlines I cut out of newspapers today. In case there’s any doubt, the Supreme Court headline is about officials grabbing poor people’s land. There seems to be something in Cambodian culture that encourages elected and appointed officials to see themselves as above the law and presented with an opportunity to enrich themselves at the expense of the common people. Of course it’s not all officials, but headlines like these are a daily occurrence, pointing out the misdeeds of ministers, the police, the military–anybody with authority.

Lower Middle Income Status

According to World Bank statistics, Cambodia was one of the fastest-growing economies in the world between 1998 and 2018. During that twenty-year period, Cambodia’s average growth rate was 7.7%, a really impressive rate of growth–and one that is continuing today even though so much of the economy is informal, like the women above selling on the street who pay no business registration fees or taxes. Results of the rapid growth have been dramatic: Cambodia has moved from a Least Developed Country status to a Lower Middle Income level and during the period of 1998-2013, life expectancy increased by 23%.

Corn on the Street

Corn, or maize as some cultures know it, is an interesting part of the food chain. In some places in Africa, it is the main food of the culture. In other places, especially in Asia, it is seen as mainly fodder for cattle. Cambodia, though, has a really delicious sweet yellow corn like this vendor is selling from her bicycle. When it is in season, big pots of corn are boiling all day long on the highway for motorists ready to take a tasty break. Within the city, vendors like this woman boil the ears and then stack them neatly in large plastic bags and peddle them from their bicycles. It tastes just as good on the city street as it does on the highway in the countryside.

Catholic Church and Disabilities

Today Bishop Olivier asked all the Catholic NGOs that work with people with disabilities to come together for a sharing session. About 12 or 13 groups were represented. The main speaker for the morning was a spokesman from the government’s Disability Action Council
Mr. Te Serey Bon, the director of the Caritas Takeo Eye Hospital (where I had my cataract surgery) made a plea for government funding for programs that the church has set up with government cooperation but without government funding.
A lot of good networking and information sharing takes place
among the participants at the break times.
Bishop Olivier encouraged and thanked all the groups for the work they are doing, especially among some of Cambodia’s poorest people.

Notre Dame Students

Ellie (L) and Zoe are two students from Notre Dame University in the United States. They are in Cambodia with Maryknoll for a summer program for two months and will spend part of their time at the Deaf Development Programme.

Here they learn Cambodian Sign Language with two of the DDP sign language teachers.