Poipet 2010 Mission Trip UPDATED

In September 2010, 13 people from St Michael le Belfrey Church will be travelling to Poipet, Cambodia to work with Cambodian Hope Organisation.

 

Poipet is the main border crossing point between Thailand and Cambodia. It is in the North Eastern province of Banteay Meanchey. Originally a refugee commune, Poipet has developed into city of about 80,000 people.

The city has been described as at “the epicentre of the Asian AIDS epidemic” as well as at the epicentre of child trafficking. One recent New York Times investigative article makes sobering reading (http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/17/opinion/girls-for-sale.html ).

It is estimated that around 10% of the population of Banteay Meanchey province are HIV+ or have full blown AIDS. Poipet draws the poorest, most unhealthy and most vulnerable of Cambodians as they hope to find a way out of poverty in the city. An interesting article on Poipet's place within Banteay Meanchey Province and Cambodia can be found http://www.krousar-thmey.org/e/poipet03e.PDF .

In recent years Poipet has become a centre for Thai gamblers. Gambling is illegal in Thailand but on a strip of Cambodian land between the Thai immigration and Cambodian immigration controls there have sprung up a number of Las Vegas style casinos. This enables Thai people to gamble on Cambodian land without having to cross through passport control. This has brought some money and jobs to the people of Poipet but has also brought with it some problems such as an increase in prostitution. The stark contrast between the border-zone, with its large modern buildings, paved roads and general wealth (and the squandering of that wealth) and the local Cambodian poverty is shocking. It is hard if not impossible not to feel a sense of anger and confusion as to how such extremes of wealth and poverty can exist side by side.

Cambodian Hope Organisation run projects to combat these problems. With projects ranging from microfinance sewing projects to AIDS education, from informal schooling to anti child trafficking projects, CHO is having a massive impact in the city. 
We will be spending our time doing some medical work as well as building a home for children who are orphaned or vulnerable due the HIV/AIDS or trafficking. We will also run a children's camp for the children of the villages surrounding to town of Poipet. 
We hope to raise the money not only to get there but to buy the resources we need to build the home and other resources for the people there. Please give as generously as you can.

You can give by visiting www.justgiving.co.uk/Poipet2010 or by calling in or telephoning the Parish Centre.

 

FUNDRAISER

We are having an Indian Banquet and Charity Auction this coming Thursday 29th July 2010 at 7pm in Belfrey Hall. Tickets are £10

The list of items for auction are HERE.