North Star, News, Wednesday, May 7, 2008
by Stephannie Johnson
PARRY SOUND =96 In a few weeks' time, the first rural maternity hospital
in Cambodia will open its doors.
Funded with partnerships including Operation Temporary Emergency
Shelters (OTES), founded by David Mackenzie, of Parry Sound, the 13-
bed hospital was constructed in less than three months.
Although minimally equipped, Mr. Mackenzie is hoping to raise $10,000
for additional equipment before he and his wife Janice make the trip
abroad for the opening on May 23.
=93This is a big deal for (the Cambodian people) - it=92s a monstrous deal
for them,=94 Mr. Mackenzie said. =93It=92s a 13-bed hospital, by our
standards it=92s small. For them, it is huge and it=92s fully equipped.
One of the people that work with (one of the partnering) organizations
in Cambodia has connections with upper (levels) of government and he
has funded, through the government, the beds, and a lot of the
equipment. But he has sent us a list of things that are still
remaining to be provided for the hospital.=94
The list includes items like bedding, plastic mattresses for babies=92
and mothers=92 beds, 13 baby beds, and mosquito nets for the babies=92
beds.
=93They have a mortality rate in Cambodia of 14 per cent, in Canada it=92s
0.1 per cent,=94 he said. =93It=92s 140 times Canada=92s rate and that=92s
o=
nly
the children, that=92s not including the moms. If a lady were to have a
problem in rural Cambodia and she couldn=92t afford to get to the
hospital, let alone afford the hospital, she=92s in bad shape. This is
an amazing opportunity for us to be able to do this.=94
Through his organization, Mr. Mackenzie also hopes to build modular
OTES homes around the hospital. The buildings are micro-financed;
homeowners pay whatever they=92re paying in rent until it is paid off.
=93We learn, very quickly, that you can=92t just hand things to people and
expect it to last,=94 he said. =93The homes that we have done so far in
Guatemala that are like this, the people are out washing them every
week, they=92re like show homes.=94
To keep cost down, inspire a sense of ownership in the projects and
keep money in the community, panels for modular homes and the hospital
are assembled where the construction is taking place. Between 10 and
20 Cambodians have been working on the hospital since Feb. 18.
=93Instead of building the (modular home) panels here and shipping them
=96 which is becoming hugely expensive =96 we are able to hire people
there and keep the money in their economy,=94 he explained. =93We are so
privileged and so blessed, because of the advantages that we have with
our affluent society. We have a hard time trying to rationalize what
these people are going through. You can see all you want on TV, but
until you experience it, it doesn=92t connect. This is going to save
lives. I can=92t stress enough how hard it must be for these women that
are having problems in their pregnancy. I keep going back to the fact
that we, here, just don=92t understand this.
"Our society is so in tune to me, me, me, me, me, that=92s all that we
think about, that=92s all that we care about. There, they think about
how am I going to get through the day.=94
For more information or to donate, go to www.otes.ca.
Mr. Mackenzie founded OTES a decade ago and has built 21 modular homes
in Guatemala, constructed a mission home in Nicaragua and three homes
with World Vision.
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