The 3rd Rose Charities International Meeting held at the Imperial Garden Hotel in Phnom Penh was officially opened by Proff. Sea Huong, Vice Secretary of State at the Ministry of Health. Rose Charities International, Rose Charities Cambodia, Operation First Cambodia and Rose Rehabilitation Cambodia is very grateful to Excellency Sea Huong. A copy of his opening address is found below (beneath the photographs)(left to right: Dr Basant Sharma, Vice President, Dr William Grut, Sec. General Rose Charit. International, Excellency Sea Huong. Under Sec. of State for Cambodia, Mr Mike Webber OMNZ. Meeting Moderator)
Opening address of Excellency Sea Huong..
It gives me great pleasure today to open the 3rd Rose Charities International Meeting, Co-hosted by Rose Charities Cambodia, Operation FIRST Cambodia, and Rose Charities Canada, three organizations which have up to 12 year histories of helping to deliver health care to the poor of Cambodia under the guidance and permission of the Government of Cambodia
I would like to welcome today both delegates from Cambodia, delegates from our close neighbouring countries and also from further overseas. These countries include Malaysia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, the United States and Canada.
I would also like to say to Rose Charities – Welcome home ! I say this because I know that it was here in Cambodia that Rose Charities started. Initially a branch of the organization IRIS in 1997, it became its own independent organization in 1998 registered in British Columbia, Canada. Though Rose Charities now has branches and/or projects planned or existing in over 15 countries, it was nevertheless here in Cambodia that was the starting point. So this is why I say ‘Welcome home’
I know though that there are some delegates here who have not previously visited Cambodia at all. To you I say, a special welcome and a thank you for traveling to see us. I hope you all very much enjoy your stay. I extend a special big welcome to you and hope that you will take home many happy memories with you.
The Government of Cambodia considers the provision of proper health care for the poor to be a very high priority and welcomes properly managed and run NGO’ efforts to assist in this process. It is extremely important however for such NGO’s to work closely with the Government and follow all official programs and protocols. It is only through such coordinated and standardized procedures that real progress will be made. A team where individual members are not following rules and procedures will fall to pieces and help no-one. They do not help Cambodia . But a team where members are all working together in properly coordinated efforts will advance in great strides to advance the welfare of all and help to build a bright future for the country. I am very happy to say that we consider both Rose Charities directed and founded by Dr Hang Vra and Operation FIRST, directed and founded by Dr Nous Sarom, to be proper team members of the best possible type and so I was happy today to come to open this meeting.
Though their surgical and eye projects respectively Dr Nous Sarom and Dr Hang Vra have and continue to provide a most wonderful service to the poor and debilitated people of Cambodia. These two surgeons demonstrate not only the highest ideals of charitable assistance and professionalism to their patients, but also fit it into a framework of teaching and training to pass their knowledge on to others. I express my appreciation of their work as does, I know the whole Rose Charities network
Rose Charities and Operation FIRST are both fully registered Cambodian organizations and are thus sibling members of the whole Rose Charities international family. It is a family which also has many close friends which cooperate and mutually assist with project work and administration. Some of those friends are here today too, such as Impact Cambodia, FDCC Cambodia, Sovann Komar, Somali Mam and AMDA. They and others all contribute so much to all our work to improve the lives of those in need.
Rose Charities and Operation FIRST projects have at times been assisted by not only individuals and sibling Rose organizations but also from other governments through their embassies. Most noteworthy here has been Australia who have provided both material support but recently, support through their ‘Youth Ambassador’ scheme to sponsor a physiotherapist trainer, Ms Joanna Thomson, to assist with rehabilitation services at Operation FIRST Such initiatives are a great help to Cambodia and much appreciated. Rose Charities New Zealand has also been pivotal in assisting with material, teaching and logistical support for eye surgery and medicine as well as optometry. Mr. Mike Webber and Dr David Sabiston of New Zealand as well as Dr Basant Sharma of the Lumbini Eye Hospital, Nepal, have been foremost in these efforts without which the Rose Charities Eye clinic would be far smaller and less functional than it is today.
I would also like to acknowledge the non medical, social, income-generating and education programs that various Rose Charities organizations also carry out many by delegates within this room. Progress in all these areas of the developing world is vital and Rose Charities carries this banner high particularly in countries in Africa as well as Sri Lanka and Vietnam. Rose Charities Malaysia combines public health education (Expo) with vital clinics for the needy and I praise this too. Finally, I must mention the emergency humanitarian relief activities of Rose Charities which have been carried out for many years and included at one stage assistance for flood victims here in Cambodian itself. Most recently however has been the Haiti Earthquake disaster where Rose Charities nursing teams continue to work
It remains for me then to officially declare this important meeting open. I wish it all success and hope that its aims of learning, networking, mutual understanding and advancement are entirely fulfilled. My very best wishes for this now, and far into the future. The meeting is now open !
Thank you. ..
Excellency Sea Huong (center). Mme. Trish Gribben Rose Charities NZ Chair (right)
Mrs Linda Roberts. Rose Charities International Hon. Secretary presents an opening address
Below.. a packed conference room...
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