Supporters of Ponheary's work...help needed
 

Hi all...I don't know if you are aware, but the school in Koh Ker has had an outbreak of malaria and dengue fever. Ponheary is trying to help them as much as she can, but the money that's collected through the foundation can't be used for medicine, only for school supplies.

If any of you are interested in helping out...write to her or Lori and I'm sure they would be extremely grateful!

How do we write to Ponheary or Lori?

Lori's e-mail is [email protected]
Ponheary's is [email protected]

I know they've just had one boy die, and another one is suffering not only from malaria and dengue, but has TB as well!

The problem is not only the money for medicine, but Koh Ker is 3 hours from Siem reap, so it's expensive to even get there and back!

I'd try Lori first...

Thanks heymo!

I'll try Lori first.

I've emailed Lori to find out where people can contribute.

We went to Koh Ker School in December. At the time, one of the teachers had Malaria. The kids seems to be suffering from "general malaise" and malnutrition.

When they went back a few weeks later to bring more supplies, they discovered that most of the kids were ill with very high fevers and malaria. As far as I know, they found donations at the time to help cover medicine and doctor's costs. There was a lot of hope that once the kids got well, the focus on learning could start.
I'm very sad to hear they've either not gotten better, or there's been a reoccurance of everyone getting sick.

If anyone wants to see photos of the school, they are on my website:
http://www.wired2theworld.com/Cam2007SiemReapDay4.html

I'll let you know when I hear from Lori.

We are taking loads of chewable acetaminophen and chewable Vitamin C with us in March, as requested by Lori. Please post here if there is anything else (relatively light) that we can bring. I will email Lori right before our departure.
Liz

I will be interested to hear what you find out from Lori Kristina. I will not email her yet but wait to see what you find out. I had a look at your photos which were great & the best thing was I recognised some of the kids from when we were there in Oct 2006! One interesting thing is that it looks like you were able to drive all the way to the school. We had to walk from the main road as their had been some heavy rain in the previous weeks and there was no way we could drive. You should have seen Ponheary's face when we got there and the road was gone and she thought we wouldn't be able to get to the school. But we loaded up our backpacks and each carried extra bags of school supplies. It took about an hour to walk to the school and it was hot & humid! So we were quite a sight when we got there! It was all so very sorth it though.
J

Please do post here what we can do. That way we won't all email Lori at once!

Another request to please post any further information from Lori. So many of us have been deeply moved by our experiences with Ponheary and Lori in SR.

I have just finished packing 150 pounds of supplies to take to an orphanage for HIV+ kids in Ethiopia later this week. I'm sure my 1 week volunteering there will be an amazing experience...but a piece of my heart is still in Siem Reap and I just wish I had more to give!

Here's part of the last e-mail I got from Ponheary...

I just got the call from the doctor about one kid got the serious Dengue fever and has to be sent to emergency help.
That one has three problem malaria,Typhoid Fever,Dengue and problem with the intestine (I don't know the word for that fever).
So we have to pay the transportation for both way that cost one way 100USD and I don't how much the way back.
This is the emergency problem and last the kids died because no way to help because the family has no money to do it on time.

We are going to Koh Ker on Feb. 26 & I will be at Knar Primary on Feb. 28, if there's anyone in the L.A. area that wants me to bring a check to Ponheary, let me know. We depart LAX Feb. 16, so it would have to be this week.

I hope that they are taking precautions with the acetomenophine with the kids, as it's very easy to OD children with Tylenol. It doesn't take much to cause liver failure in small, malnourished children.

I have an email address on Trip Advisor & post under the same name, you could email me there w/ your phone number.

BTW, how does one get typhoid? From dirty water, correct?

I emailed Ponheary to let her know we will be in Koh Ker on Feb. 26, in case she'd like us to take supplies.

The kids need multivitamins, not vitamin C, they are malnourished... they need vitamins that include iron & calcium for growing bones & blood production & the other necessary vitamins... bread & noodles have no vitamins... it just fills an empty stomach... so if Ponheary needs us to take supplies, I am going in a van w/ porter, in addition to my driver & guide Te.

Typhoid is a food and water-bourne illness, spread the same way as Hep A.

AskOksana...I'm sure Ponheary will be thrilled with the supplies you're bringing! I may try to send you a check myself this week...can you send me the pertinent info to my e-mail address and I'll get it to you today or tomorrow. I don't live in the L.A. area but I'm sure I can get it to you in time.

After being there in January I can understand what motivated Lori to do what she's doing, and I am working on things here in Detroit to get as much help to those kids as I can! every little bit helps...

I emailed you Heymo...

I'm leaving this Saturday at night, also I don't know if you should send a personal check or a cashier's or how to make it out... UPS will get it here by Friday...

We go to Khao Lak before Siem Reap

<i>The kids need multivitamins, not vitamin C, they are malnourished...</i>

Lori specifically asked us to bring Vitamin C, so that is why we chose to do so. She did not mention multivitamins.

Greetings Fodors Friends.

Ponheary and I are often floored by the kindness and generosity of the travelers on Fodors.

I just posted an update regarding situation at Koh Ker on the PLF website.
http://tinyurl.com/hg2sj

To circumvent any discussion about what kinds of vitamins these kids might need, that issue is under careful consideration of someone in the medical field who understands all too well the nutritional problems of these kids. The chewable vitamin C is a difficult thing to find in Siem Reap and it greatly aids those who are recovering from Malaria in doing some simple immune system building. Vitamin C is not all the children are taking, but we leave that up to the medical staff..

Please do not start taking all manner of drugs and vitamins to kids there. As AskOksana touched on, these things should be administered by a health care professional. We are only suggesting to the people who ask, that they might bring US the things that are easily brought across borders and that we know the doctor is using, so we don't have to buy them here.

One last piece of guidance. It's not necessary go to all the trouble to send money straight to Ponheary. Donations can be made to the Foundation in Texas, properly accounted for and wired forward.

One last plea...I need to get connected to someone in Doctors without Borders. Anyone with any connections in Cambodia, please let me know.

Again, thanks to all.
Lori &amp; Ponheary
[email protected]

Lori,
Did you find a connection to Doctors Without Borders?

crosschk, no not yet. Many leads going no where.....