Him Pha, a 56-year-old grandfather, has discovered the benefits of participating in caregiver sessions that have taught him effective communication, empathy towards his grandchildren's emotions, and positive discipline, as well as strengthened his relationship with his grandchildren.

Mr. Pha is a farmer, and his wife, Ms. Sao Chanthy, 51-year-old, is a vegetable seller. They live in Trapeang Thma village, Krala Commune, Kampong Siem District, Kampong Cham Province. The couple's four children are all married, with three living elsewhere. Their youngest daughter lives with them along with her husband and son.

Initially, Mr. Pha was hesitant to take on the responsibility of caring for his grandson, Sopharith, who was merely a year old. However, he eventually agreed because the child's parents needed to work. Since he did not know much about proper child-rearing methods, Mr. Pha’s ways of discipline were often harsh, resorting to shouting, screaming, and sometimes even physical punishment when his children and grandchildren didn't comply with his words.

Mr. Pha also neglected Sopharith’s basic needs, such as providing them with healthy food options, a clean living environment, and personal hygiene. Instead, he frequently bought them processed snacks in plastic packaging, disregarding the potential harm they could cause. This left his grandchildren in an unhealthy and unhappy environment that failed to meet their basic needs.

“Back then, I didn’t understand anything about proper parenting methods. I let Sopharith play on the ground and gave him snacks and sweet drinks. When he was sick, I asked his parents to take him to the hospital,” he said.

In July 2022, the Grandparents, Parents, and Communities Join Forces to Give Young Children a Healthy Start in Life (GRAND) project, funded by Save the Children Hong Kong, was introduced in Kampong Cham province, and one of the project activities is the caregiver sessions, which are led by trained facilitators.

These sessions provide caregivers valuable information and skills related to childcare and development. Some examples include effectively communicating to understand a child's needs and emotions, empathizing with their feelings and perspective, maintaining consistency in discipline, and adapting to the changing needs and stages of a child's growth. The sessions also help improve parenting abilities, emphasize the essential role of male caregivers, and equip caregivers with knowledge about child protection.

Mr. Pha admitted that he had undervalued the caregiver sessions when he was first informed about them. He believed that he had enough experience raising his four children, but his approach changed when he attended the sessions on behalf of his wife.

Mr. Pha has learned ways to make sure that Sopharith stays healthy and grows up to be intelligent by providing him with well-cooked and nutritious food. He has also spent quality time playing with Sopharith. He has engaged him in activities that would be enjoyable and help develop his cognitive and social skills.

"I no longer let my grandson play alone on the ground without cleaning it first because I believe the ground has many harmful bacteria. I make sure to feed him only healthy and nutritious food because it helps boost his brain development. As a result, I have noticed that my grandson has grown fonder of me and enjoys spending time with me," he said.

Ms. Pha Srey Ouy, the 20-year-old Sopharith’s mother, expresses gratefulness to the caregiver sessions supported by Save the Children Hong Kong and believes that her two-year-old son (as of the time of reporting) is now receiving the love and proper ways of care that her father neglected to provide to her and her siblings.

“My father is a lot different now. He is more patient and supportive. Importantly, he gave up drinking alcohol to spend time with my son, thanks to the Save the Children Hong Kong-funded GRAND project,” she said.

Ms. Loun Haksetha, the group facilitator and deputy chief of Trapeang Thma village, has stated that the twelve lessons introduced during the caregiver sessions are incredibly valuable assets. She believes that these lessons can greatly change caregivers' attitudes and positively impact child development.

“The sessions changed Mr. Pha and other caregivers in this community. I intend to bring up the idea of continuing these sessions at the community level to provide support for other caregivers,” she said.

Ms. Haksetha is optimistic that Mr. Pha's experiences can be inspiring for other caregivers in similar communities, adding that these experiences show how caregivers can be strong and resilient. By sharing his story, she hopes others can find inspiration in their caregiving journeys. To maintain these positive changes, Ms. Haksetha believes that continuous support, including resources, networks, and long-term funding, is important to ensure these initiatives continue and result in better caregiving practices.

Interviewed by: Leng Tim Kosal, Project Officer
Written by: Taing Vida, Communications and Campaign Manager
Proofread by: Chin Kethya, Donor Reporting Specialist
Photography: Yous Ratha, Communications Officer