Ankor Children's Hospital - Spreading Needed Knowledge

Ankor Children's Hospital was inspiring to visit. They are the best children's hospital in all of Cambodia, and people travel from all over the country to see their specialists. It is so well known that many notable people have visited, such as Bill Clinton and Quincey Jones. We were fortunate enough to have a quick tour of several facilities (most of them were closed off to the public for privacy reasons), and then spoke with the head social worker. He explained that for most families, the average weekly wage is around 7 dollars, and merely getting to the hospital round trip can cost that much. Many families weigh the decision of feeding their families for the week or taking a sick child to the hospital. The social workers at Ankor Children's Hospital not only monitor the medical progress of the hospital's previous patients, but they also help families get transportation costs covered and logistics organized. One in twelve children die before the age of 15, and most of these deaths are preventable - children usually die because medical care is sought after it is too late.

What really struck me about Ankor Children's Hospital is its dedication to improving the quality of medical care throughout Cambodia. Since 2009, the hospital staff has trained 1,350 clinicians and social workers from the 40 other children's hospitals in Cambodia. Not only is Ankor Children's Hospital the best in the country at what they do, they are disseminating the knowledge free of cost to those who need and want the information. After this visit, I am thinking about the themes of community collaboration, advocacy, and teamwork.

Working at the school today felt even more comfortable. It is always joyful when you start to make jokes with the students you are working with, know their names, and can start to form relationships that go beyond the surface. I am dreading leaving already but trying to stay present! The teaching strategies used by the local teachers get more varied by the day - the collaboration between those visiting and those from the area is inspirational!

I really enjoyed having the opportunity to help out with the mural project and soccer practice in between working in the English classes. Great things are happening all around Ta Pang Primary School!