Nokor Tep Foundation

03/05/2022

This past Sunday was a day where I was reminded of why I love Cambodians as I do. Myself and my co-founders; Phavi and Sieng, of the Nokor Tep Foundation went with our partners TYDA on a medical mission in Pursat. On our arrival we were met with 700 plus people which quickly swelled to more than a thousand people and over 200 volunteers of all ages, sexes and skills.

There was an atmosphere of expectation, of receiving medical help but also expectation by volunteers in treating the people. The leader of this mission was Pich Chanmony, a woman of privilege and high rank in Cambodia. Her attitude of compassion erased barriers as she was the model of caring, taking the time to speak with many of the people waiting. With her medical background she was able to comfort, encourage and set up treatment for those with whom she spoke.

As she was talking, I looked around to see a school transformed into a mini mobile hospital; rooms for medical interventions of all types from common illnesses to specialized treatment rooms for teeth, eyes, pregnancy, gynecology, neurology, etc. There were several specialized trucks capable of doing minor surgeries in various illnesses. There was a pharmacy and blood testing areas. I saw a large room with various medical doctors and nurses doing triage and sending patients to the right rooms and doctors for further treatment. I saw all the medical personnel dressed in proper PPE for added protection against the Covid virus; I saw that everyone wore a mask.



I saw village volunteers, young people there to serve others. I saw young men carry the elderly and the infirm with compassion and respect to where the people needed to go. I watched as doctors with degrees in surgery and neurology willing to guide patients to the right areas for treatment. I watched a well-organized, compassionate and passionate group of people become one with the villagers they were serving. I heard from patients who had received life giving surgeries such as open-heart surgery saving a young man’s life. When asked by Pich Chanmony how he felt, he was as one of us when he quipped, I have two more children for that is the natural way of life.

I asked them why, and the answer was consistent. It’s from our hearts that we do this. And I was reminded of our Tabitha volunteers coming to build houses with their compassion and zeal. I was reminded of the many times when equally poor villagers would forgo receiving a house so that another who had no family support could get one. I was reminded of how villagers would ensure that orphans in the village would be fed by donating a cup of rice daily despite suffering from food shortages themselves. I remember how Tabitha staff are seen as members of each family they served.

My heart was filled to the brim when Pich Chanmony made it official that our former hospital would become the National Cancer Hospital of Cambodia. I was deeply humbled when she said that she would be responsible for making this happen. Our dreams for Nokor Tep Hospital became full circle as she could complete what we had envisioned originally. Outreach, compassion, dignity, respect, service to the people of Cambodia.

As Phavi, Sieng and I left, the three of us were filled with an immense sense of gratitude that our God had taken our vision and passed it on to like minded Cambodians, people with the skills, compassion, and passion to fulfill what we had started. We ended our visit with going to a Wat to say prayers of thanks and blessings on our partners, TYDA, each of us in our own way to our God.

I will let you know all our needs in future newsletters. This one is about being one with Cambodians and my deep gratefulness that I serve a God of Grace and Mercy in a land of people whom I love because of their own compassion and grace for each other. How good is that!

Janne

See More Pictures of the Mission on TYDA page

21/04/2022

Dear friends and partners,

It is with great pleasure that I write to you this morning about the Nokor Tep Foundation. As you all know our hospital, Nokor Tep Women's Hospital was sold to the government of Cambodia in a direct response to the Covid Pandemic which was ravaging the country. The hospital was used to treat critically ill patients suffering from the Covid virus, a gift we were humbled and honored to share and serve the people of Cambodia.

The NKT Foundation has been through a process of finding like minded partners in order to further our vision of providing effective, efficient health care for the peoples of Cambodia. We entered into talks with an NGO called TYDA which is headed by His Excellency Hun Manet and his wife, Madame Pech Chanmony. Yesterday we had the honor and privilege of signing an agreement with TYDA to carry out the following activities over the next couple of years.

1. To reach out to the people of Cambodia in the rural areas with volunteer teams assessing health needs of the people. Teams will diagnose, provide medicines and refer seriously ill patients to health facilities in Phnom Penh.

2. To insure that all patients receive complete medical treatment through the formation and use of a welfare fund that will supplement medical costs as needed and as per patient.

3. To develop Luang Me (formerly NKT Hospital into a specialized hospital (probably specializing in Cancer) which will include an accredited University course in Oncology and all its aspects, thereby developing medical oncologists capable of and treating of all cancers for the peoples of Cambodia

4. To prepare and develop health care modules to be used for students throughout Cambodia to enhance their ability to be aware of illnesses

It was a very moving morning as both parties look forward to serving the people of Cambodia. Our first project will be on May 1 as we travel together with volunteer medical teams to the Krakor District of Pursat where we will encourage the booster shots for the Covid virus.

A wonderful way to start our relationship together. I thank my God for finding and working closely with TYDA. I thank my God that our vision as Nokor tep Foundation will continue to grow and flourish. I thank each of you who have stood with us in the journey and I look forward to our continued par

21/02/2022

I had the extra ordinary experience of visiting the hospital Luang Me (former NKT Hospital) this morning. It was my opportunity to pay my respects to a miracle I was part of. Walking inside the building brought tears to my heart. The tears turned to humbleness and a sense of thankfulness for what had happened during the pandemic.

The hospital was put under the responsibility of T.Y.D.A and the Cambodian Military. In a short three weeks the hospital was transformed into a COVID hospital for the critically ill. I cannot begin to express how deeply impressed I am with the T.Y.D.A and Military team. I am so very thankful for my co-founders, Dr. Ing Kantha Phavi and Trac Thai Sieng along with the hospital co-ordinator, Moni Anne Trac for enabling the transfer to happen so smoothly.

I listened as the doctors told me of the extra-ordinary efforts put into the treatment and prevention of spread of the virus within the hospital. An average of 350 patients per day were treated for several months at a time. The inside of the hospital was transformed into very specific isolation areas with stairs, elevators closed, open spaces blocked to prevent spread of the virus.

I listened as they told me of the extreme sacrifices the teams of medical professionals and support staff made. A team of 50 doctors were split into three teams. 2 weeks serving the patients, 2 weeks of isolation in special wards at the hospital and 2 weeks at home with their families. PPE was strictly enforced.

I was shown the special oxygen tanks and system for 80 beds. I saw wards where the critically ill were treated with compassion and care. I heard of stories of deaths of some and the recovery of many more. I met with people of compassion and strength; of their willingness to serve their fellow countrymen in a very difficult time.

I stand in awe of T.Y.D.A. and the Military for their service to the people of Cambodia. I am deeply humbled by their efforts, by their dedication. I stand before my God with a deep sense of humility and thanksgiving that I was allowed to be a small part of all of this. I thank my God for each of you who believed in all of us and in the people of Cambodia.

We are currently in talks with T.Y.D.A as the pandemic is easing and we talk of the future for the hospital and health outreach to the people of Cambodia. For me, it cannot get any better.

29/08/2021

An update from Nokor Tep Foundation. The Nokor Tep Women’s Hospital was successfully transferred to the Government of Cambodia. The Pandemic through the Delta virus has and is deeply affecting the people of Cambodia and we are very thankful the hospital is being used to treat Covid patients from all walks of life.

Prior to the transfer of the hospital to the Cambodian government, the foundation accepted a donation of a container of hand sanitizers from Australia for Nokor Tep Women's Hospital with thanks to the help of Dr Anita Bourke and Bob Page. As there were delays due to lack of ships sailing and extra paperwork required to ship the inflammable goods, it took well over 3 months to send out of Australia! As we ended up transferring the hospital, we negotiated with Dr. Anita if we could still receive the donation and pass it on to the volunteer doctors who need all the protection they can get to help us all get through this COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, in July we received the donation and were able to pass on over 19,000 bottles (500ml each) of hand sanitizers to the Samdach Techo Voluntary Youth Doctor Association who are in charge of testing, vaccinating, and treating COVID-19 patients. Attached are some pictures of us giving the donation "symbolically" as all the hand sanitizers were dispatched to high risk areas even before we managed to meet.

We will continue to send out updates of other needs to fight the pandemic. Thank you for standing with us in this difficult time.

27/03/2021

27/03/2021

Much has happened with the Nokor Tep Women’s Hospital this past week. We have made the transition to the new mission running the hospital as a Covid Hospital for Cambodia. Over the past 12 months, Cambodia has been spared from the pandemic but in the recent month the virus has taken hold of the country in an unrelenting way. The Cambodian government under the leadership of the Prime Minister, Samdech Techo Hun Sen, searched for the means to treat the people of Cambodia affected by the virus. In that search, the Prime Minister asked us founders for permission to use Nokor Tep Hospital for the use of a Covid hospital.

For us, as Founders of the hospital, we know that we contributed to the urgent call of the nation to save lives of people affected by the Covid 19 virus. It is a miracle hospital in so very many ways for which I thank my God. The Prime Minister has requested that we sell these facilities to the government so that after the pandemic the hospital will become a public hospital, a hospital to be used by all Cambodians. This has always been our vision, a place of healing, of comfort, of hearing the people of Cambodia.

And the miracle continues, for the Prime Minister and the Government of Cambodia have requested that we, as Founders, do not forget or leave our vision behind for the Nokor Tep Women’s Hospital. Our new vision is to purchase land and then build a new Nokor Tep Women’s Hospital, complete with equipment for the women of Cambodia. The sale of the hospital is under negotiation for this vision to occur.

Your donations and faith in us have resulted in a public hospital and a speciality hospital for women. An unbelievable gift! We are grateful for the trust and respect shown to us by each of you, our partners. We are grateful for the trust and respect shown to us by Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and the government of Cambodia in encouraging us to rebuild the Nokor Tep Women’s Hospital.

We have learned much in the building of Nokor Tep Women’s Hospital and we take these lessons with us in the construction and functionating of the new hospital. I thank my God for His mercy and grace through all of this. I ask that you stand with us and rejoice as together we stand with the people of Cambodia. How humbled I am by that gift.

Stay tuned as we will continually update you on the new hospital and your role in standing with us in this honor.

On behalf of my co-founders Phavi and Sieng, we wish each of you to stay safe in this year of the Covid.

27/03/2021

Saturday, March 27th, 2021
In Phnom Penh, CAMBODIA

Re: Nokor Tep Women’s Hospital, 1st Edition
Nokor Tep Women’s Hospital (1st Edition) faces the East and was inspired by a rising sun with shining rays, a symbol of Hope for all those that seek care at Nokor Tep. Our aspiration is to ensure widespread access to health care to the people of Cambodia, and with the unprecedented surge of COVID-19 patients throughout the country due to community transmissions, Nokor Tep has decided to stand together with the Royal Government of Cambodia to fight the war against COVID-19 raging throughout the country, the region and the world. It is in times of crisis that we should stand together, and when mankind is threatened, it is our duty to respond: “Present!”. Under the State, the Nokor Tep Women’s Hospital (1st Edition) shall endorse a higher responsibility servicing women, men, elderlies and children against an unprecedented greater threat and to protect and heal the people of Cambodia.
As the State cannot foresee the end of COVID-19, the Prime Minister in support of the Nokor Tep Foundation believes that it should continue its mission by providing us the means to rebuild a new hospital through the purchase of the ready-made 1st edition hospital. The founders, united together, would like to assure our donors and supporters that the spirit and mission of Nokor Tep will continue to live on, and with the blessing of the Prime Minister of Cambodia, we will keep the name “Nokor Tep” – City of Angels – and create our new 2nd edition hospital.
We would like to express our deepest thanks to all our donors and supporters in believing in the Nokor Tep Foundation and in standing with us to make a difference in the lives of many. We hope that you will all be blessed with good health and find happiness in these hard times.
We look forward to better times, and seeing you soon.
The Co-Founders of the Nokor Tep Foundation


H.E. Mrs. ROS Priboun Mrs. RITSKES Janne H.E. Dr. ING Kantha Phavi H.E. Mr. TRAC Thai Sieng

Founded in 2011, the Nokor Tep Foundation is a non-profit organization whose vision is to create a health care program designed to facilitate access to health care services to Cambodian women and their families. Completed and launched in 2019, Nokor Tep Women’s Hospital (1st Edition) was designed and built by the Nokor Tep Foundation through the strong support locally and internationally of our patrons, donors and supporters. The Nokor Tep Women’s Hospital located in Khan Dangkor, Phnom Penh is an eco-friendly hospital comprising of a basement, 4 floors and terrace, holding 26 consultation rooms, 4 major surgical rooms, 5 delivery rooms, 80 patient beds connected to air-systems (oxygen, air and vacuum) and an imaging department with digital medical equipment.

16/03/2021

THE RIDE IS NOW LIVE! Join our virtual mission and just follow the instructions below. See you on the Mission!

Ride (Walk, Ski, Skate, Move) for Nokor Tep Women’s Hospital in Cambodia

The Goal:
As a group, we want to collectively cycle, walk, etc - the circumference of the globe twice, 100,000 km from March 15 until April 19, 2020

Step 1: Registration:
https://www.myvirtualmission.com/missions/104464/run-walk-swim-cycle-collectively-we-can-do-100-000kms

Step 2: Cost: Each participant has to start off their participation by donating $50 USD
https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-display/showROFundraiserPage?userUrl=NokorTep2021&pageUrl=1

Step 3: Mission administration will Let you Join the Mission

Step 4: Login your activity on the mission daily or weekly

Step 5: Share the mission with family, friends and co-workers. Donate through your country of choice.

Donations: in your country of choice
Cambodia: https://nokor-tep.net/index.php/donate
Australia: https://tabithaaustralia.org.au/donate-now/
Canada: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/tabitha-foundation/campaign/mission-nokor-tep-womens-hospital/
USA: https://give2asia.org/nokortep/
UK: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/charity-web/charity/finalCharityHomepage.action?charityId=1015718
Netherlands: https://nokor-tep.net/index.php/news-and-events/88-latest-news/162-netherlands-stichting-toetssteen-nokortep-campaign
Hong Kong: https://www.tabithahk.org/donate-to-programs

Web Site: https://nokor-tep.net/.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Nokor-Tep-Foundation-135096996634488/?ref=hl

A Hospital for Women's cancers and gynecological Diseases

12/03/2021

Receiving two updates in one week from Nokor Tep Women’s Hospital is a bit of a record. My co-founders received a call from Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen a little over 24 hours ago asking that Nokor Tep Hospital be used as the Covid hospital for Cambodia. There has been a recent community spread of the virus, probably a variant strain as the spread is rapid. The first death of the corona virus occurred in the past day, while no one died of the virus during the past year.

This past year, Cambodia has suffered smaller clusters of the virus, always brought in by someone coming from overseas. This past week, it has become community spread as 4 foreigners escaped from a Covid hotel and travelled to markets, restaurants and bars within the city. Despite the lockdown of the city, the virus is spreading at an alarming rate.

There are now several hundred people ill with the virus. They are being treated in various hotels and public hospitals throughout the city which is proving to be a difficult situation. Under the leadership of the Prime Minister, the Cambodian government started searching for an ideal location in which to keep and treat all persons with the virus. In that search they came to Nokor Tep Hospital.

The Prime Minister has assigned the task of running the Covid hospital to the military. The head of this military mission believed that Nokor Tep was the miracle hospital for it is large enough to accommodate 500 patients and can be easily isolated so that only medical personnel and Covid patients can enter the hospital. Nokor Tep is their miracle.

We have made an agreement with the Prime Minister and the Cambodian government to allow them to use Nokor Tep as their main Covid 19 hospital for as long as it is needed. All of our staff may volunteer to work within the military if they so wish to do so. It is volunteer in the sense that the staff choose whether or not to stay. If they join the new mission they will receive salaries from the new mission.

The transition has begun as the military bring in the 500 beds and accompanying needs for patients. The military medical team are delighted that operations and deliveries can occur if patients come suffering from an additional issue such as appendicitis or a woman may be pregnant and need to deliver her baby, as the hospital is already equipped to do so. After two weeks of transition, Nokor Tep staff, founders and top-level management may no longer enter the hospital grounds until the epidemic has ceased in order to contain the spread of the virus.

Once the epidemic is over, Nokor Tep will be handed back to us co-founders and we will resume normal operations as a hospital and as per our vision.

Our vision to bring hope and care to Cambodians has moved to a higher level in a way none of us could have foreseen. Nokor Tep means the community of compassion to all people, regardless of status. As the head of the mission has told us, we have moved to a higher level of compassion, an unbelievable gift to the people of Cambodia.

For us as founders and top management of Nokor Tep Hospital our vision over the coming months is to ensure that we are ready to open our doors to everyone, full time when the hospital is handed back to us. In light of this, we will need to continue and increase our fund raising so that we are able to hire and train all who need to be trained for this happening.

I encourage all of you to participate in the Virtual Ridethon for Nokor Tep beginning March 15. Do register and join people world-wide for this event. In May a second virtual event will begin. I will send you the information at a later date.

I thank my God that Nokor Tep Hospital is now being used to alleviate and help so many who are suffering from the Covid pandemic. I thank my God that our vision of healing is now extended to all Cambodians who are suffering from the virus. I thank all of you who have been a part of this miracle, of this City of Compassion. It can’t get any better.

Janne

08/03/2021

It is with great pleasure that I write to all of you today. The economic fallout from the Covid pandemic has deeply affected the vast majority of people within Cambodia. Many have no longer any source of spendable income as the tourism and garment industries have been hit hard. A direct result is that many people are unable to afford health care.

In direct response to this Covid and health crisis, we, Nokor Tep Hospital have revised our vision to open the hospital to all people; men, women and children with women’s issues remaining our specialty. Our patients often do not have the funds needed to fully cover their costs, so Nokor Tep has been using our Solidarity Fund (A specific fund to help people with low income) to offset costs that patients cannot afford. This fund is now running low.

We have done a number of procedures over the past several months, procedures that have alleviated the pain and suffering of a number of patients. We've had breast fibroma surgery, a**l fistula removals, breast abscess surgery, partial penectomy (due to cancerous growth), etc. How very thankful we are that we were able to perform these procedures.

Many of the patients were unable to fully pay for these services, so we covered the costs with our Solidarity Fund. I shared this with several friends of mine, Bruce Ford, Doug Perris and Pinaki Ray. Their response to our needs and to the needs of our patients was to come up with a Virtual Mission of Riding Twice Around the World or 100,000 kilometers. This mission will begin on March 15 and end on April 19.

This Virtual Mission is an international one – one that invites people from all over the world to join in. Because of the winter season and Covid restrictions, a second Virtual event for the Northern Hemisphere will begin in May with a trip through South East Asia.

My vision is that we raise $10 per kilometer for the 100,000 kilometers to be covered. It’s a huge vision but this vision will allow us to help a great many Cambodian people receive the health care they deserve. Below is the information:

Ride (Walk, Ski, Skate, Move) for Nokor Tep Women’s Hospital in Cambodia

Rationale:
The funds are to be used for the Solidarity Fund of the hospital. Because of the Covid pandemic the economic situation in Cambodia has become severe. The tourism industry is shut down and the garment industry has been reduced by 60% leaving a vast majority of Cambodians without a steady income. Many people can no longer afford health care. A direct result is that we have opened Nokor Tep Women’s Hospital to everyone including men and children. Our Solidarity fund is to enable us to pay for services for people who are unable to pay for themselves. This fund has been used quite extensively these past 6 months.

The Goal:
As a group, we want to collectively cycle, walk, etc - the circumference of the globe twice, 100,000 km from March 15 until April 19, 2020

Cost:
Each participant has to start off their participation by donating S$50
Participants send are asked to send out a one page flyer (to friends / family / colleagues to raise money (whether by cents per km, or just a donation)

Registration: https://www.myvirtualmission.com/missions/95764/around-the-world-twice-100-000kms
Code number: nokortep2021

Donations: in your country of choice
Cambodia: https://nokor-tep.net/index.php/donate
Australia: https://tabithaaustralia.org.au/donate-now/
Canada: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/tabitha-foundation/campaign/mission-nokor-tep-womens-hospital/
USA: https://give2asia.org/nokortep/
UK: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/charity-web/charity/finalCharityHomepage.action?charityId=1015718
Netherlands: https://nokor-tep.net/index.php/news-and-events/88-latest-news/162-netherlands-stichting-toetssteen-nokortep-campaign
Hong Kong: https://www.tabithahk.org/donate-to-programs

Web Site: https://nokor-tep.net/.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Nokor-Tep-Foundation-135096996634488/?ref=hl

I thank each one of you for your constant support for Nokor Tep Hospital in so very many ways. I thank my God, that we are able to continue despite the many financial struggles the pandemic has surrounded us with. I thank my God for people like Bruce, Doug and Pinaki for their willingness to come up with a new and innovative way for standing with us. I thank my God for people like Cristin DeSilva for making it possible for our partners in the USA to donate and receive taxable donations. It is so very good.

Janne