In early 2007 there will be a Fact-Finding Mission to Cambodia, where we will meet with various representatives of the Angkor Hospital For Children (AHC), interview candidates to act as our In-Country Project Coordinator, and work with the Capacity Buiiding Health and Education Program (CBHEP).
We further intend to meet with representatives of the Dental School in Phnom Penh, as well as the Cambodia Dental Association, Business Officials, Dental Educators and the Media.
Our goal is to finalize timing and components of the Project.
To clarify expectations of the respective parties, a memorandum of understanding between Climb For A Cause and Friends Without A Border outlining the goals of the Initiative was created.
In 2007 our Project begins in earnest. We first will arrange for a group of U.S. dental professionals to visit Cambodia to engage in the Educational Exchange. Concurrent with this we will distribute the Dental Hygiene Curriculum, first among the primary school educators, then study materials to the school children.
To incentivize them to take the curriculum seriously, there will be a Dental Hygiene Awareness Competition the winners of which will receive cash, other awards and recognition at the Annual Dental Hygiene Awareness Awards Ceremony to be held at or near the end of the school year.
The goal of this effort is to encourage communication between the United States and Cambodia, and to assist local dentists in providing world-class dental care and basic preventative education and treatment to Cambodian citizens in need.