Mayumi Kato is a former coordinator of ACHR's Young Professionals Programme and is now working for the World Bank in Washington DC

"In August 1994, the ACHR TAP-Young Professional Program organized our first summer school for students of the Faculty of Architecture, University of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh. Phy Chunthy was the very first successful Cambodian young professional to emerge from the programme

The summer school was as an opportunity for the students to get in touch with urban poor communities and learn how to work with them. Thy was one of the most active participants of the summer school. The students were divided into five groups, and each was assigned to work in a squatter community of Phnom Penh. Thy was a leader of one of the groups. At the end of the summer school, each group had a presentation and his group was outstanding.

I remember him arduously asking me and other resource-persons from Asian countries questions on how to communicate with the community and proceed with the survey and planning work, every day. He would ask questions point by point and tried to follow every piece of advice thoroughly. I recall, riding on his motorbike on the bumpy road to the community, and on the way, we would discuss many things.

The momentum of the summer school was high right after and many students wanted to continue community work. But in a few months, the number decreased. Some said they were too busy. Others said they need to be paid for their work. Thy was one of the few with sustained interest. When I returned to Phnom Penh a few months after the summer school to discuss the follow-up, he expressed his interest to continue working in poor communities.

From this time, May, John, and all other YPs in Cambodia know his achievement better and they could share more stories. I would say that his success lay not only in his career with us and UNCHS, but especially in his tremendous growth and commitment to working with the urban poor.

As the former coordinator of YPP who worked with him, I am happy that we were able to touch on his life. I can imagine, in East Timor too, Thy would have been working hard- trying to talk to the people, trying to know their lives. He passed away too early-he could have shared so many things with potential young professionals back home- but I am sure that there will be young people who take over his aspirations in Cambodia.
Mayumi

 

Mayumi Kato

 

" I can  recall, riding on his motorbike on the bumpy road to the community, and on the way, we would discuss so many things.

 

 

 

 

" He passed away too early - he could have shared so many things with potential young professionals back home - 

May Domingo-Price first worked with the urban poor in Tondo, Manila's largest slum. She then joined ACHR in Cambodia and is now in Bhutan with husband Jon and baby Louisa.

"I first came to Cambodia in 1995 as a young professional, with the support of ACHR. The first task I had was to help organise a summer school for Young Professionals (YPs) in Phnom Penh with the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism of the Royal University of Fine Arts, on working and planning with urban poor communities on urban poor issues. This was when I first met and knew Thy.

We thought then that a good way to organise the workshop was to ask for volunteers from among the students at the Faculty. We got more than 20 volunteers and Thy was one of them. And as to be expected, the number went down as we went along, and Thy was one of the few who stayed on.

He showed so much dedication and because of this, he became highly involved and played many important roles in the workshops - as a resource person, translator, group facilitator, and workshop organiser. Looking back, I think his involvement played a big part in the success of the workshop, not only in the commitment he showed, but also in the way that he influenced and got other students interested.

The first traits of Thy which I noticed and immediately admired was that he was quiet, yet very reliable. He was shy at first, but from his good nature and very down-to-earth sense of humour, I knew quickly that he was a good person, well-meaning and very sincere. He was full of energy and always keen to learn new things.

Anyway, this workshop was the start of Thy being my colleague and friend for more than four years. (We worked together doing follow-up activities after the workshop for a year, and then joined the UNCHS/MPP urban poor project, until I finished in 1999.) I must say we had great times together as friends and colleagues - sharing the confusions of work, laughing at our mistakes and learning a lot from each other.

Thy had always had a natural flare for working and relating with people in the communities. I remember the first time we visited a community together, I told him it is always good not to talk too much but to look and listen more. I'd forgotten that I'd told him this until he reminded me three years or so after, and he was still in the thick of working with community people on community contracts.

Of course, it will be difficult to forget the nights of beer, playing pool, dancing, etc. with Thy and all the other friends. It was during these moments when Thy was so much himself that you see his goodness all out - the very sincere, down-to-earth, modest, funny, honest Thy.

I could go on but it will be difficult to know when to stop. We have always admired Thy in so many ways and it is hard to imagine that he has passed away. He will always be remembered by his many close friends in Cambodia and those who are now in different parts of the world.

May

 

May Domingo

 

 

 

 

" Thy had always had a natural flare for working and relating with people in the communities ...

 

 

 

" Of course, it will be difficult to forget the nights of beer, playing pool, dancing, etc. with Thy and all the other friends. It was during these moments when Thy was so much himself that you see his goodness all out - the very sincere, down-to-earth, modest, funny, honest Thy.

 

 

 

Halam Goad worked with the urban poor in Phnom Penh until last year.  He helped set up the Urban Resource Center and later initiated a Cyclo Centre. He is now back in the UK working with GroundSwell.

I didn't know Thy as well as others writing on this page, but I was always struck by his great sense of humour. He obviously had considerable talents as an architect, but kept a self deprecating humour which made him very easy to get on with. I remember him drinking with Samoeurn and a high pitched laughter which was very infectious. I'm sure he would have been joking away right up until he died. Never heard him talk grandly about the work he was doing, but he was so committed to trying to help his fellow Cambodians. Low on talk, big on action. A real shame that he had to go so young.

One idea that struck me, is to make a memorial award or scholarship at the Phnom Penh university to help students study there or abroad. I think he was sharply aware that his generation of Cambodians needed help in study and perhaps he would have gone to AIT himself. Maybe the fund should be only for study in Cambodia - It's just an idea I would like to throw in and would be happy to try and follow up on it if necessary.

Hal

 

Halam Goad 

 

" Never heard Thy talk grandly about the work he was doing, but he was so committed to trying to help his fellow Cambodians. "

Arlene Lusterio has been a key member in the Philippines for the ACHR YP programme. She has worked with urban poor communities in Manila as well as Cambodia. 

I first met Thy in 1994 in Cambodia, in the Workshop on Urban Planning and Housing organized by ACHR, the Royal University of Fine Arts and the Ministry of Culture. Early on I saw Thy as one of those students who is not only concerned with completing his academic requirements with the Faculty, but has a real interest in the issues concerning the urban poor. Those were the times when a lot of students I asked about their plans after graduation told me "I want to go to Singapore or Thailand".

In 1996, we organized a YP Summer Camp in Cebu, Philippines. Thy was among those (May, Jon and Daniel) who came to attend the activity. In the brief period of about four days he had built close friendship with some of the participants (those he worked and slept with in the community workshop) and also with his foster family who adopted him for a few days during the workshop.

I remember Thy asking to go to SM Shoemart, a shopping mall, to buy a parting gift for his foster parents. He was thoughtful... and faithful too - he has to leave early because he promised his girlfriend (then) he will be back soon after the workshop.

On the lighter side, after the workshop I got some short stories on Thy from his group-mates... told me he liked balut (aborted chick) a lot. They said he finished a whole plate of probably 6 pieces, the night they have to work late to finish their group output just before the workshop ends.

He has a spark of innocence or naiveté, too.... One of his group-mates, Cesar, his sparring partner and translator, told him he is a boxer and he believed him so. Of course he isn't.

He once complained why his blanket is tough and itchy, (in the Philippines we normally "starch" - (soak in starch) our linens and beddings and use them on special occasions or for special guests only. He was considered special hence, he got a tough (starched) and itchy blanket.

He spent a lot of time arguing with his Cesar, on the solutions for community issues in their community work to the point that Cesar complained " I should have been done with this work earlier on, if I didn't have to argue with you. Because of that we have to work overnight. "

In 1997, I had the chance to visit Phnom Penh again and this time, Thy is already working with the UNCHS Urban Poor Communities Development Project. I had the chance to attend some of their meetings with communities and I saw how Thy handled the meetings, both as translator and facilitator. For a young and quite fresh from college professional, I consider his performance exemplary. He has the patience to listen and follow instructions of his senior colleagues (Jon and May), without getting pissed-off (had it been me I must have been easily irritated) and at the same time choose his words carefully when addressing the local leader, so as not to offend but get the community participation and decisions needed. He has a way of blending with the community, making working with communities a normal routine. What he probably lacks is the "arrogance" of most young professionals of his time and age

Arlene Christy Lusterio

" Thy had a way of blending with the community, making working with communities a normal routine. What he probably lacked was the "arrogance" of most young professionals of his time and age

On the lighter side .... at the workshop in the Philippines Thy once complained why his blanket is tough and itchy, ( we normally "starch" - (soak in starch) our linens and beddings and use them on special occasions or for special guests only. He was considered special hence, he got a tough (starched) and itchy blanket.

Jonathan Price lectured at the University that Thy attended and later worked with Thy in Phnom Penh with the UNCHS urban poor project.  Jon is now in Bhutan. 

I first met Thy only a few weeks after I'd arrived in Phnom Penh in 1992 as a VSO volunteer at the Faculty of Architecture - not at work but on a trip to the cinema as part of my orientation - he translated for me. He was studying architecture at the Faculty at the time but also participating in a full time translators course run by another VSO volunteer, in a different University! Quite an achievement to do two courses at once. He took every opportunity he could to better his situation.

At the Faculty he was one of a group of 147 students. He stood out because his peers often chose him as a group leader and he reluctantly agreed. He was modest and quite shy, but it was clear that he was a talented architect and respected by all for his abilities. His first involvement in work with the urban poor was in the 1994 ACHR supported workshop - he was a natural group leader. When the follow up 'catalogue' survey of 'squatter' communities began he showed up to the first meeting because friends of his were attending. He was the only one that quickly grasped the objectives of the work and his friends insisted that he become the survey coordinator. From then he went from strength to strength, doing work for PADEK, being a resource person in the next Faculty workshop, working with ACHR and eventually joining the UNCHS project where we worked together for three years.

He was great to work with - the project depended on him and Samoeun for the first few years - and it was hard work. To relax we would go out for 'special meetings' - drinking and eating till the early hours. Often Thy and I would play snooker and drink beer together - as the evening went on and we got somewhat drunk, he would get better and better at snooker whilst I got progressively worse. He could really knock back the beers. There were several nights when we were wondered how he would make it home - but he would always show up at the office or the community, the next day.

He loved to sing at 'Kara OK' bars too - like many Cambodians he had a kara OK system connected to his TV at home, where we shared several evenings crooning drunkenly and tunelessly.

He was such a humble guy. Modest, yet tireless in his work with the communities. He had a great rapport with community leaders - never being too pushy or coming on as the expert architect. He was always listening and learning.

It's difficult to imagine that he won't be there when we go back to Cambodia. He will be missed by all of us.

Jon

Jon (centre) in the community Phnom Penh

 

"Thy took every opportunity he could to better his situation. He once took two courses at the same time. Quite an achievement 

..  From then (the initial  Workshop) he went from strength to strength, doing work for PADEK, being a resource person in the next Faculty workshop, working with ACHR and eventually joining the UNCHS project where we worked together for three years

 

He was great to work with - the project depended on him and Samoeun for the first few years - and it was hard work.

 

He had a great rapport with community leaders - never being too pushy or coming on as the expert architect. He was always listening and learning."

Mike Slingsby is the former Chief Technical Advisor to the UNCHS project in Phnom Pemh for whom Thy worked until last year. Mike is now in Haiphong Vietnam.

"I was very saddened to hear that Phy Chhunthy passed away  after a long illness. He was one of the first people to join the Phnom Penh Urban Poor project and worked with selfless devotion for the poor people in Phnom Penh.

He will be greatly missed by his friends, colleagues and all the poor communities in Phnom Penh for the support he gave in helping them solve their own problems.

Many urban poor and squatter communities now have a better environment and living conditions as a result of the technical support he gave to those communities. He was the most important person in the community contracting system, which enabled poor families to build improvements in their own areas and without his devotion and support to the urban poor communities this would not have been a success.

Students from the Faculty of Architecture also benefited from his knowledge and experience which he readily shared with others.

I personally will greatly miss Phy Chhunthy as a colleague, as a friend and as one who gave much of his short life to helping others.

Mike 

 

Mike Slingsby

 

 " Thy was the most important person in the community contracting system, which enabled poor families to build improvements in their own areas and without his devotion and support to the urban poor communities this would not have been a success.