Reflections

Chloe Tan

My first Sothea main trip was an invaluable experience and has left me with so much to reflect on and to be thankful for. Being my very first overseas CIP trip, I went into it with an open-mind, eager to explore ways that us Singaporeans could help the villagers of Cambodia, given the limited infrastructure and access to resources. 

I think the beauty of an overseas CIP project is that it allows us to appreciate the differences in our beneficiary’s world, and the world we live in. Unlike Singapore, in Cambodia, adequate healthcare institutions are located miles away, transport systems are insufficient and villagers’ financial situation may very well leave them feeling helpless. Travelling in Cambodian villages was an eye-opening experience for me as it allowed me to observe the living conditions in the villages and how drastically different they are from the country I grew up in. In addition to that, my first interactions with the villagers of Cambodia were heartwarming, seeing how they readily offered us seats in their homes and welcomed us with smiles. I remember one particular villager who shared about the loss of her daughter due to her inability to identify the signs and symptoms of Dengue. The fact that the villagers were so willing to open up about their uncertainty and anxiety regarding their health made this a very intimate and meaningful experience for me. It reminded me of the reason why I had even joined this project — to make a difference in these villagers’ lives. 

During our health screening, I was thankful to be able to experience most of the health screening stations, as well as to sit in during doctor’s consultations and witness the interactions between the doctor and patient. However, beyond the scientific knowledge behind the patients’ illnesses, it was the patients’ backgrounds that struck me the most — the journey they took to travel to our health screening, how many hours they waited in line to see the doctor, and how uncertain they were about their health conditions. Even so, the villagers waited patiently, with hopes that the doctor would have the answers to their health. The faith and belief that these villages have in our project constantly inspires me to work even harder to help them. It was also during health screening that I discovered the true meaning of our motto “small things with great love” - though we might not be able to cure everyone’s illnesses, we have to strive to put in our best effort to help those we can. 

Project Sothea’s Main Trip could not have been possible without everyone who contributed in one way or another. In the months leading up to the trip, I was heartened by the amount of passion and dedication evident in the planning and preparations done by my fellow committee members. Moreover, I am so grateful to have been able to work with the Cambodian student volunteers - our Cambodian Wing, consisting of kind-hearted individuals with a desire to serve their community. Moreover, I was inspired by the doctors who travelled from Singapore to Cambodia to join us in health screening and the way they received patients one after the other for hours on end. Their passion to care for and treat patients is something I appreciate and admire greatly.

Joining Project Sothea has given me a lot to be grateful for. The volunteers, with so much will to serve and so much to give; the villagers, for their patience; and the common belief we have in the project that pushes us through each day of the trip, each step of our journey.