Hi! The time has flown since I last wrote. I worked regionally for two weeks, discussing plans and strategies with another of our country programmes in the region, and with their partner, a semi-government organisation working with people with disabilities. Although the partner seems to be very interested in improving the lives of people with disabilities, it is still difficult to ascertain their genuine commitment, and identify methods for measuring progress which will be satisfactory to both HIB and the partner. However, it is possible, and essential and very soon a strategic plan shall be developed.

There has also been another holiday since I last wrote to celebrate the Cambodian King’s birthday – hurrah! I don’t want you to think we are always on holiday, but April and May do have a substantial concentration of them. Some friends of mine visited and we explored the N.E. of Cambodia on trail bikes that we hired. The N.E. is very sparsely populated, beautiful, and home to a number of ethnic minorities who are quite maligned here. We were almost unscathed by the experience (motorbiking off road), however, it is the beginning of the rainy season, and in rural areas where the roads are unsealed,  just a few minutes of rain can make the going treacherous. I’ve never experienced mud so slippery AND sticky at the same time! But it wasn’t just us clumsy barangs (foreigners) sliding all over the place, I was relieved to see everyone on two wheels floundering. Although I think we were the most pathetic.

Last week I went on a field visit to HIB’s Community for All project in Siem Reap Province, N.W. Cambodia. This is a project which I wrote the plans for about two years ago, and I wanted to see the reality of the implementation. I was very impressed by the team of field staff who work with people with disabilities in 24 villages currently, soon to expand to 48. The object is to link people with disabilities together, find if they want to form what are called self-help groups, and then give initial support to this process. The aim of the self-help groups is to give people the chance to identify problems they may experience and try to find solutions together. One group I visited had had a great success – a few of the participants were supposed to receive a veteran’s pension from the government, but were not doing so. When the group members realised this shared problem, they went to the office responsible en masse, debated with the officer, and now receive their pension punctually. It was very satisfying to see the project in action, and achieving tangible successes.

At the end of last week me and my colleague (Operations Coordinator – Jeanfrancois) had a joint leaving party. It was a great event, with many colleagues attending, at our Country Director’s house (Bruno Leclercq). It was also a bit sad, because of course it is the beginning of the end. People brought us lovely gifts and sweet words! My weekend was then filled with putting my belongings into piles – for home by freight, to give away, to carry with me when I leave on a trip to India, to throw away, to return to HIB etc. It is a bit stressful.

This week, as well as trying to put the piles into boxes, I am finishing reports and have lots of appointments to drink beer (not in working hours). It is quite difficult to keep focussed when I sit at my desk actually. I keep realising new tasks to be done – close my bank account (just did it at lunch time), pack my bicycle with pedals off , buy gifts etc.

In addition to the excitement and emotions around leaving, there is also a new opportunity ahead of me! I shall be returning to the Maldives as Country Director to close the programme. This will be for three months from August to November. Actually, it is a great opportunity for me, as I commenced my work with HIB there, establishing the first year of the programme. We always anticipated it would close in 2009 as the intervention is a result of the tsunami which destroyed a tenth of the Maldivian’s homes. It shall be very interesting to go back and see the results of our interventions there. Also, the Maldivian president who held power for nearly 30 years was replaced last year through real democratic elections, so I am interested to see what the impact of this is on the country.

Now, I really must get on with my end of mission report, but shall write again from the Maldives in August!

• Some great things have been achieved
• From the Maldives
• My first week in the Maldives