We’ve been selecting
and training Community Heroes from all over Cambodia since 2011, watching as
they go on to train other members of their community on how to protect their
family from traffickers, raise awareness about abuse and educate on human
rights. As part of our anniversary series celebrating Chab Dai’s achievements, we talked to Nop Sen, Project Manager for
the Community Heroes team…
Sen won a scholarship to study an ABA in English Literature with
Asia HRDC before working in administration and human resources. He came to the
Chab Dai via the then-called Doorsteps Project (now Charter-Doorsteps) and now
decides budgets, coordinates activities and prepares crucial reports for the
Community Heroes Team.
“A few years ago, I worked with a company but I think that
they can only find support appropriate for their staff, they don't have time or
opportunity to help the Cambodian people. I applied to Chab Dai as a Christian
organisation but also I think that Chab Dai has a vision to help the Cambodian
people without getting any profit or benefit from it. So I appreciate working
here, because when I have experience or knowledge that I can share, I can get
it out to the communities, the other people who lack information about this.”
Who are the Community
Heroes?
For every province the CH Project works in, 10 heroes are
chosen from existing trainer volunteers from the other two prevention projects (Safe
Community and Ethnic Community projects) and, as Sen says, “often our heroes
are on or know the local authorities so it’s easier for us to collaborate with
them.”
“After we have worked with the villagers and heroes/heroines
I think that most of the villagers in our target areas
have more
knowledge about how to deal with brokers, how to report from the helpcard
that we [use to] provide the hotline, they know to call when they have a
problem with a rape case in the community. We also do refresher training with
the heroes, so they have more knowledge to get their point across, and are more
confident when teaching the villagers.”
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| Sen (centre) & the Community Heroes team |
Human trafficking prevention in the
nick of time
“One boy in the North-eastern provinces stuck the helpcard
on the wall in his house as our hero explained to his school that they might
need it for the future…When one of his sisters was taken to China and forced
into marriage, she managed to call her father and tell him to call the number
on the helpcard – she remembered seeing it on the wall. Her father called to the
Case Support Team; they are now dealing with this case and the broker has been
arrested.”
I ask Sen what he hopes to see in Cambodia in the next ten
years in regards to this issue.
“According to our work with them, most local authorities
have high commitment to help the villagers in their own community - I hope that
for the next 10 years, NGOs, the government and local authorities are going to
build strong relationships and continue to network together to help to abolish
all forms of trafficking and abuse. This will be great for Chab Dai’s vision.”
