Nov 13th, 2018 11/13/18 | Community Stories

1,200th BABY MILESTONE

CCF recently celebrated the safe arrival of the 1,200th baby in the community by fixing up the family home as a surprise Sleeping peacefully in a hammock, little Veasna is one special baby. He might not be aware but the little boy marks a big milestone for CCF: our 1,200th baby safely delivered into the community. CCF couldn’t let the occasion go by without doing something special. So our Maternal Care Program arranged a little surprise for Veasna’s parents while they were staying in the hospital in Phnom Penh after his birth. Their most urgent need was repairs to the family home, a small wooden dwelling, which flooded whenever it rained - a big problem during Cambodia’s months-long rainy season. With the family away, our maintenance team moved in and fixed up the house, fitting new cladding to the roof and walls. Kea, 32, and husband Khean, 33, discovered their handiwork when they returned with their newborn son. Making sure the family has a watertight home for baby Veasna and his two sisters to grow up in was the best present they could have had. Now four months on, Veasna and the whole family are doing well. “We are very happy that CCF helped us,” said Veasna’s mum. “Before the rain would come into the house all the time and it would flood. Now, we have a dry and safe home for our children.” Both Kea and her husband work as scavengers, collecting recyclables from the streets, to provide for their growing family. Their little home is neat and tidy. There is a school photograph and an framed award certificate of their daughters, Mony, aged six, and Kannitha, 11. Two pink matching school bags hang from a nail in the wall downstairs, while a yellow teddy bear swings from a hook. Little Veasna is adored by his two big sisters, who are both in CCF’s education program and are doing well at school. CCF’s Maternal Care Program (MCP) is working with the family and making sure that Veasna has the support he needs to grow into a happy, healthy boy. Started in 2011, the MCP has achieved a 0% maternal death rate across more than 1,600 births, an incredible success story. As well as providing care to mums-to-be and established families, the program provides maternal and health education to the community. Kate Ginn/CCF
Tags
Written by

Kate Ginn

More Stories & News

See all