BATTAMBANG

The compound of Battambang parish in Battambang City hosts the central office of the Diocese of Battambang. The parish compound is known by the people of Battambang as "Pet Yiey Chee", which means "hospital of grandmother nuns". Pet yiey chee can be understood by its four lines of action

1. Health:

The Welcome Centre for shelter the Sick in Battambang has six main apostolates. One of them, the Hearing Aid Program, is run in partnership with Jesuit Service Cambodia.

• Welcome Centre for the sick: health care for Walk-in Patients Apostolate
• Hearing Aid Program
• Battambang Provincial Jail Apostolate
• Village Medical Service Apostolate
• HIV-AIDS Patients Apostolate
• Hospital Assistance Program
• Support to children

2. Support to children with disabilities:

Support to children with disabilities Cambodia is one of the countries with highest number of physically disabled people due to landmines and difficulties of accessing basic health services. The Apostolic Prefecture of Battambang seeks solution to the difficulties for disabled people accessing education, health care and job opportunities.

• Outreach team: assistance for rehabilitation of people with disabilities in north-western Cambodia.
• Arrupe centre: Welcoming home for young children with disabilities, journeying with them through their studies or teaching them manual skills. The centre also provides a temporary welcome to people with disabilities who are brought to Battambang for specialist care.
• Out patients: The prefecture cooperates with “Takamau centre for child mental health”, helping children that suffer from mental health diseases and their families.

3. Education

Cambodia has one of the youngest populations in the world; therefore, education is considered essential to future development. In Petyieychee there are different projects such us:

• Kindergarten: Funded in 2001. This initiates education for boys and girls who are stimulated to learn and play in a supportive environment.
• Tep Im center: A Student Hostel for girls and boys coming from very poor families and isolated villages. They study from tenth grade through university.
• Scholarships: Available to children and young people living around the parish. The scholarships help with school supplies and fees in elementary, high school and university.
• Anatha project: Founded in 2005. This program provides scholarships to children that do not study or might be in risk of abandoning school in order to help their families.

4. The church

The Apostolic prefecture office is in the compound of Petyieychee. From here we lead and encourage the prefecture’s 26 communities. These communities work to heal wounds of war and to develop their areas, with
special attention to those most in need.

The parish of Battambang, besides the religious services, has organizations for young people, social help for the elderly, music groups (traditional and contemporary) soccer clubs and various other activities to create community integration.

In Apostolic Prefecture we also have the Mgr. Oscar Romero Pastoral Centre, which offers catechism classes, promotes culture and arts and has a department of communication and mass media. The centre nurtures social awareness that promotes accompaniment and support of the community at large.