Here is a busy street corner in Chbah Ampov, across the Vietnam Bridge, along Highway 1 (of Vietnam War fame). These women dispense bread and gossip, probably a goodly amount of both.
Social Security in Cambodia
Several years ago, Cambodia started to develop a social security system for the welfare and protection of its citizens. It was implemented just three or four years ago with the introduction of a scheme to care for workers injured on the job, what would be called workmen’s compensation in the United States. This year a second phase is being rolled out, a healthcare plan; and a third phase, old age pensions will be introduced a few years from now.
Because the plan is relatively new and not well understood, an official from the National Social Security Fund came to Maryknoll today to speak to representatives of the Khmer employees of Maryknoll’s six projects.


DDP Staff Retreat 4
Today was basically a travel day. We left the retreat center after breakfast, made a stop at the big market in Sihanoukville, and then headed north to Phnom Penh and points beyond (for the Kampong Cham team). Click here to see the pictures.
DDP Staff Retreat 3
Day Three was spent half at the center and half at the beach. Click here to see more of what we did.
DDP Staff Retreat 2
This full day was spent at the retreat center in Sihanoukville. Click here to see what happened on Day Two.
DDP Staff Retreat 1
This year the DDP Annual Staff Retreat was held in Kampong Som Province on the southern Cambodian coast. Click here for Tuesday, Day 1.
Website Troubles
I’m currently in southern Cambodia with all of our Deaf Development Programme staff from three provinces, for a staff “retreat,” a chance to talk about some of our values and policies and at the same time allow the staff to meet and enjoy each other. I have a good Internet connection in the building I am in at the Catholic center, but for some reason my efforts to log into and change my website have been stymied since I arrived–until just now when I found I was able to start creating this new post. I’ll see now if it goes through, and if it does then I can post some new pages.
Off to Sihanoukville
Tomorrow the whole staff from the Maryknoll Deaf Development Programme heads to the Catholic center in Sihanoukville on the southern coast of Cambodia for a four-day staff retreat or conference. We’ll be there till our return on Friday. I hope I’m in a building that has an Internet connection so I can post updates about the goings-on there.
Take Your Pick. Shipping Extra.
You’ve got your pink plastic flamingos and you’ve got your garden gnomes–and then here you’ve got the real thing! I don’t think you can find these on Amazon, but if you’re interested, let me know which one you like and I’ll negotiate a deal for you, F.O.B. Cambodia.
Salesian Sisters 25th Anniversary
The Salesian Sisters of Cambodia celebrated twenty-five years of service in education to the kingdom with a very enjoyable program that featured performances by students from their six or seven schools throughout the country. Click here to see pictures of the celebration.