Bethzer

Proposal

Nov 2011

A proposal to expand the Phnom Penh Dormitory Agri-Project to assist in long term Flood Recovery

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Author, Contributors and Reviewers PRINCIPAL AUTHOR: Michael Hewitt, South Brisbane, QLD, Australia Reviewers Document Details Create Date 11 Nov 2011 Last Update

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Table of Contents 1 Project Summary...................................................................................................... 4 1.1 Agri-Project ........................................................................................................ 4 1.2 Project History .................................................................................................... 4 1.3 Results ................................................................................................................. 4 1.4 Current Financial Situation............................................................................... 4 1.5 Proposal Summary ............................................................................................ 5 2 Funding Request Breakdown ................................................................................. 6 2.1 Replanting costs .................................................................................................... 6 2.2 Additional Staff/Wages ........................................................................................ 6 2.3 Transport and Moto ............................................................................................... 6 2.4 Extension and Equipment..................................................................................... 6

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1 PROJECT SUMMARY
1.1 Agri-Project
The Agri-Project is a sub project of the Phnom Penh Dormitory project. The project involves trial interventions designed to address chronic malnutrition and health issues arising from lack of finances and poor choices by students in nutrition. The project seeks to educate students and families with financial literacy training and nutrition training. It further seeks to assist families to develop better agricultural practices in order to maximise income and increase the amount of money spent on student health and nutrition. The initial trial was based on 5 families with 1 family dropping out of the program early in the process.

1.2 Project History

The sub-project trial started in January 2011 with staff planning and preparing for project implementation. Sister Saruom was employed as a technical expert in agricultural practices and by March, activities with target families had begun. In the last 6 months, staff members have attended train the trainer courses in nutrition and most recently in financial literacy. The trial of the project has reached conclusion, but the late availability of the financial literacy training meant that a key element of the project trial did not take place and the trial has been extended to see if financial literacy training will improve project impacts. A project assessment was prepared by project staff and is available on request. Recently, flooding in Cambodia has heavily impacted the families of contacts and Brothers and Sisters. This proposal covers expanding the project activities to cover support of up to 8 additional families.

1.3 Results
Some impact is evident from project activities, but the delayed implementation of some project activities has limited the outcome. Project implementation shows that financial literacy training and nutrition training for students and families will be important to stronger results. A more comprehensive evaluation of results is found in the Agri-Project trial evaluation.

1.4 Current Financial Situation

To date, this project has been funded by private donations. The project funds up to 5-8 families but is seeking funding to accommodate up to another 8 families affected by recent flooding in Cambodia.

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1.5 Proposal Summary

The proposal seeks $10800 to expand existing Bethzer project activities to cover a wider scope, particularly families in need as a result of the disaster flooding of 2011. A significant proportion of that sum includes funds to cover the replanting of 1 hectare of rice fields for each of the 8 families covered in the proposal. This proposal follows an appeal for $5600 dollars for immediate and mid-term flood relief for the families facing health and food issues.

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2 FUNDING REQUEST BREAKDOWN

Item Replanting costs (1 x Per family) Additional Staff/Wages Transport Moto Extension costs Equipment Contingency No./Monthly Expense 8 12 12 1 12 12 12 $300.00 $200.00 $100.00 $600.00 $200.00 $100.00 $50.00 Total $2,400.00 $2,400.00 $1,200.00 $600.00 $2,400.00 $1,200.00 $600.00

$10,800.00
2.1 Replanting costs cover the costs for purchasing additional rice
seedlings and providing appropriate water for growth. The new crop would be ready in January or February and should provide enough rice to keep a family in food for the year if they tighten their belts.

2.2 Additional Staff/Wages The additional human resources required to

double the size of the existing project could be covered by employing part time staff. The part time staff would include three staff, one with expertise in the field and two of the students whose families are in difficulty. Those students (Seangly and Kunthy) would be studying agriculture at Prey Lieb University. The meagre part-time pay would cover their food and expenses while studying, thus removing the burden of monthly food costs from their families.

2.3 Transport and Moto cover the costs of moving staff around the

provinces. For long distances, road travel is dangerous, so staff travel by taxi van or by bus. For closer provinces, the employees use their own motorbikes. Recognising the damage the increased useage brings, the project would supply a second hand moto.

2.4 Extension and Equipment costs cover the purchases directly used in
agriculture, but not covered by the one off rice planting funds. Equipment includes anything from computers to tools.

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