Paper on Best Practices of Collaboration with
Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability (APCD)
(Cambodia - Associate Organization)
1) Theme:
Community-based Rehabilitation
2) Organization:
Veterans International (VI)
Contact address: Office #16, Street 21, Phnom Penh, CambodiaPhone: (855) 23 217 204
Fax: (855) 23 218 963
Email: pining@vic.org.kh
3) Brief Introduction:
Veterans International (VI) was launched in late 1991 and has established itself as a well-known and trustworthy international organization working with landmine victims and other persons with disabilities. All of the programs and activities of VI rehabilitation centers have been geared towards providing Person with disability with adequate mobility to enable them to gain access and be able to participate in mainstream community activities.
At present, VI operates three physical rehabilitation centers: Kien Khleang, Kratie, and Prey Veng. The Prey Veng Rehabilitation Center operates a small satellite repair shop at Svay Rieng.
For the last four years, VI has extensively built the capacity of the provincial and district staff of MoSVY in community-based rehabilitation. In the provinces of Kratie, Prey Veng and Svay Rieng, a number of provincial staff and all district staff are active and competent members of the CBR activities.
Administration and Management
VI is proud of the achievements of its Nationalization Program, as it is the first non-governmental organization in the rehabilitation sector to be managed by national staff.
Community-based Rehabilitation
As we evolve our activities to community based-rehabilitation (CBR), the management and administration will put in place a CBR organizational structure that would ensure the effective implementation for this transition from CFU to CBR. From 1992 to 2002, Veterans International program known as the Cambodia Prosthetics and Rehabilitation Program focused on becoming a center of excellence for prosthetic and orthotic production, wheelchair production and distribution, physiotherapy treatment, gait training and community follow up. The community follow up was primarily to follow up patients in their homes for the correct use of their devices.
Starting in Year 2002, VI started to integrate person with disability to schools by providing the children with school materials, bicycles when needed to go to school and building school ramps and road access. A few of the poorest among the poor person with disability were given small grants/direct assistances to help improve their daily living conditions. These additional services were part of the community follow up to person with disabilities served in the centers.
In 2003, Mr. Ull Meng Hour was able to participate on the CBR training offered by APCD. Mr. Hort Seila, the rehabilitation program manager also attended conferences/workshops facilitated by APCD discussing the BIWAKO and the Millennium Goals, opening further discussions with other participants and other members of the rehabilitation sector on the CBR compared to center based rehabilitation. Further discussions among the VI management and technical managers on CBR was taken during the strategic meetings, where in 2005 VI decided to evolve from community follow up to CBR as VI have already been working in communities and the trainings on CBR to staff from MOSVY. Donors also were opened to fund programs that are community based. In 2005 we have adopted the six components of CBR where we agreed that rehabilitation work in the centers is only one of the components. During these two years, three of our site managers in the centers and one rehabilitation worker were invited to join the trainings on CBR and SHGs. These four staff who attended the trainings offered by APCD is members of the CBR senior team who facilitated the development of self help groups. APCD came to us at the right time when we needed resource people in CBR and SHG. In 2006 our goal was to mainstream person with disability to community development in Cambodia.
4) Key Persons who collaborated with APCD:
E.g., Ex-trainees, Resource Persons for APCD Training Courses, etc.
There are four staffs who attended APCD trainings on CBR and SHG. They also participated when APCD staff would come to Cambodia to follow up on their trainees.
- Mr. Keo Rithy - Site Manager for Kien Kleang Rehabilitation Center (KK)
- Mr. Kim Samon - CBR staff for KK
- Mr. Ull Meng Hour - Site Manager for Prey Veng Rehabilitation Center
- Mr. EE Sarom - Site Manager for Kratie Rehabilitation Center
5) Activities collaborated with APCD:
E.g., Participation in the APCD Training and post-training activities in their locality, organizing a domestic seminar in cooperation with APCD, etc.
These four staffs were VI's resource persons when VI started to facilitate the development of four self help groups. At this time they are adding two self help groups. They are also key personnel when VI evolved from community follow up to community based rehabilitation.
6) Positive Changes (Outcomes) through Collaboration with APCD:
The three site managers and one community workers who attended the training on CBR and SHGs are able to use their knowledge when VI started to facilitate the development of 6 SHGs when VI started to evolve from community follow up to community based rehabilitation.
7) Relevant Vision/Plan for the Future:
VI's plan for the next five years is to continue to mainstream persons with disabilities to community development in Cambodia and a stronger collaboration with APCD especially with the trainings being offered would help VI achieved its vision and plan.
8) Visual Records:
We attached one story that would serve as an example on the positive impact to a person with disability to the services received from Veterans International and through the facilitation of APCD in training four of the VI staff in CBR and SHG.
