Kep iREACH Inauguration Day

14th June 2008

Damnak Chang Eur

Kep Municipality-Khan Damnak Chang Eur: Today is a historical day for Kep Pilot Project-Informatics for Rural Empowerment and Community Health (“iREACH”), which was inaugurated on June 14th, 2008 at Khan Damnak Chang Eur, Kep Municipality.

The Inauguration Ceremony was held at Damnak Chang Eur’s Office, presided over by Senior Minister HE Cham Prasidh, Minister of Commerce of the Kingdom of Cambodia, high ranking officers from municipal government offices, local authorizes, 20 staff of iREACH Kep, IDRC’s representative, and witnessed by 1,000 participants from most part of projected areas, students, villagers, of Kep Municipality.

The iREACH Project was funded by Canadian based organization, International Development Research Center (“IDRC”). In March 2006, Ministry of Commerce (“MoC”) of the Kingdom of Cambodia was awarded US$1,229,777 from IDRC for two iREACH piloting programs in Kep Municipality and Kamchay Mear District of Prey Veng Province from May 2006 to April 2009. MoC lately granted US$173,683 to the Center for Social Development (“CSD”) to implement this project starting from November 2006.

Information Communication Technology (“ICT”) is only available at big cities in Cambodia, but not the rural area. “The objectives of this project aim to integrate universal access to ICT, develop wireless technology, ICT participatory, and the utilization of alternative energy. Small and medium enterprises can be benefited from this project as well in research and development purpose by using this technology”, said HE Pan Sorasak, Secretary of State of Ministry of Commerce.

Mr. Im Sophea, Executive Assistant of CSD, addressed to the audience on the iREACH Kep development and challenges. He raised that, “through our implementation program of more than a year and half, we conduct mapping for the community coverage areas of the 9 community information centers, encouraging gender based participation of community people”. iREACH Kep’s staff have been given training sessions on computer usage, e-mail and internet for 478 trainees . “CSD is committed for this project be implementing successfully as scheduled though some energy supply challenges occurred such as lack of light from sun ray for solar panels, disruption to internet connection caused by bad weather…etc. We have also organized civic education by using information collected from printed media like Koh Santepheap, the Cambodia Daily, Radio Free Asia, Voice of America and direct interview at community” said Im Sophea.

HE Cham Prasidh thanked the IDRC for this project assistance and raised the importance of ICT system used for community people in searching information. “The importance of internet is essential in searching for sale price of commodity, education, agriculture and trading, Buddhist philosophy. We want each school of Kep Municipality has one room with one set of computer access to internet” said Cham Prasidh. He added that, “this ICT system should be used for the benefit of education, health, agriculture, fishing...etc; but should not used this system for political gain. Any information can be used for benefit of community, but not political motivation, no interaction from any political party into the system, otherwise, this system be shutdown. Only use this system for improvement of standard of living and social benefit.”

HE Cham Prasidh tested the infrastructure and used Skype called to Singapore to talk with Mr. Ricard Fuchs, IDRC Regional Director in ASIA.

The ceremony was held and celebrated successfully.