This project aim to using art as an innovative tool to enhance awareness of the challenges faced by elderly disabled women, expanding access to opportunities, and education as well as increasing capacity for advocacy throughout Battambang province. This 23 months project is expected to create a change in behavior in the community through strengthening inter-generational linkages between younger generation, and elderly disabled women. Also, it is intended to enhance elderly disabled women participation in promoting awareness on issues of disrespect, abuse, neglect, decreased confidence, and lack of health care. Another expected outcome is to increase lobbying, and advocacy capacity for elderly disabled women to participate in implementation of National Ageing Policy.

Furthermore, its will promote economic empower for elderly disabled women.

Elderly and young artist will be grouped together to create their artwork, and performance expressing their issues of disrespect, abuse, neglect, decreased confidence and lack of health care. The artwork and performance created by the elderly disabled women will be put in the exhibition and performance resulting in generating community awareness on the issues they face.

« I am so happy I got to know that this project existed, and I could be part of it with other elderly in my community. My expectation for the future is that I want the community and the Government to support the elderly. I want to have a health equity fund ID, so I can go to have my health checked for free at the hospital.”_ Said Mrs. Leap Ren, 63 years old.  

“I’m very pleased with this program. This art workshop encourages elderly people to stay strong and enjoy life and its surprise, keep it positive. I enjoy being here. I feel very touched when Phare created this art workshop, teaching us poems, theater and drawing, helping us to gain more knowledge about arts and have some fun as an elder in the community.”_ Said granma Nhil Tha.  

“ I love theater. I am feeling better today after the trauma I had, missing my children. I used to have insomnia because I didn’t know whether they were gone, dead or alive after the war.”_ Said grandma Chan Noum.  

The ongoing community outbreak of Covid-19 in Cambodia, increased fatalities and hospitalizations, has further impacted the living conditions of people in Cambodia. Communities, especially the poor and people who are living at or just above the poverty line have been affected even more than others.​ 

This unexpected spread led to additional delays or cancellations of the project activities​.  

• The project aimed to use arts as an innovative tool for older people to express their challenges. Generally, from the project starting until now, it was noticed a huge change in how older people became more confident to express their concerns and challenges in small groups and big groups of people. In addition to that, they also found artwork as a fun and attractive way for them to learn, share and recall their past talent. Moreover, some older people also stated that Art allowed them to get to know each other (build solidarity), release stress, bring joy at that moment during art practicing and performing. Young artists who engaged in teaching older people also developed a deeper respect for the elderly and an understanding of their situations. The young artists enjoyed the interactions and have now a greater awareness of what the older people need most – respect, connectedness, accessibility, and the right to develop. 
• There is an increase in the participation of older people, especially older women and older people with disabilities, in participating in community activities such as the Elderly Talent Program, which was attended by more than 200 participants included the elderly from two target provinces (Siem Reap and Bontey Meanchhey). Moreover, there was 25 local government from the provincial level included 14 district governors were also part of an event with another 93 elders participating in the contests. 
• Elderly people in the three target districts, mostly women, including the elderly with disabilities, are aware of some of the priorities dimensions in the National Aging Policy. They also participated in addressing their challenges and needs through contemporary theatre, poetry, painting, video, and photography. In their messages, about 90% of them prioritized security, finance, and health, with much emphasis on the need for equity cards to receive subsidies from Government and free medical services. 

• Moreover, there has been an increase in the number of elderly people receiving equity cards to receive government subsidies during the outbreak of Covid-19 and access to free health care through the implementation of relevant government policies.  

• Throughout the implementation of the project, it was noticed that art can amplify voices in many different ways. Art is the best way for people to express both their joys and issues. Marginalized and discriminated people can address their concerns more confidently through art. Art can also use as a creative way in the awareness and campaign. 

• Older people, especially elder women mostly spend their time at home taking care of their children and grandchildren. Many of them don’t get an opportunity to participate in a community event or another social gathering. Elderly talent events allow them to express their issue or challenges in a small group. They were hesitant to speak but working in the smaller group made them safer and feel more confident to express their feeling.  The member of marginalized and discriminated groups was feeling safe that they will not be exposed to any discrimination or any other emotional or physical harm. The project team had created such a peaceful environment.  

• In total, there 12 videos on National Aging Policy and Age-Discrimination have been produced and endorsed by MoSVY to broadcast and share in key project events and government engagement workshops/meetings include posting on its social media.  

• 1000 books of artwork made by the Elderly and the reflection (all artworks as result from the Elderly Talent contest) by art students were printed. This book is meant to showcase the impact of the project, activate stakeholders to take action, and inspire other organizations and communities to use the arts as an innovative tool for social development.  

• Due to Covid-19, new outreach activities for awareness-raising on the impact of this project were changed to an online gallery using Kunstmatrix virtual exhibition. 40 artworks, including 6 photos and 34 paintings were displayed in the gallery.   

• 752 posters of 8 different types (4 English and 4 Khmer) were printed to share with the NGO partners, government sector, and OPAs in Cambodia to raise awareness about the older person’s right to develop. 

• 1 MV, 26 digital posters with Khmer and English were designed and 8 short videos were created. To implement all these, older people from three districts and PPS artists, students and teachers are involved. Despite limited boosting and the absence of influencers, the campaign achieved high effective results on all Facebook media metrics.  The core campaign asset (a 3 mins high-quality music video) reached 366,700 users with 59,900 post clicks, 5,100 responses and 1,290 shares. 

Publications:  

• How artwork bring positive change and contribute on elderly issues and development https://fb.watch/8bUEhYOsIB/  
• Video documentary of the project: https://fb.watch/8HpxdEOh9u/  

World Elderly Abuse Awareness campaign “Rights to develop”:  

• Facebook Lives on WAEED: https://cutt.ly/Fmf8161  
• Facebook First Video Cross-post: https://cutt.ly/8mf82oI  
• Rights to develop video: https://youtu.be/4D6i1IzgVY8 

• Poster: https://cutt.ly/Ema830v  
• NAP 4 videos: https://cutt.ly/Uma0hfP 

Digital campaign poster and music video for international day of elderly people:  

1. Phare Ponleu Selpak – Posts | Facebook 

1. (1) Phare Ponleu Selpak – Posts | Facebook 

1. (1) Phare Ponleu Selpak – Posts | Facebook 

1. (1) Phare Ponleu Selpak – Posts | Facebook 

1. (2) Phare Ponleu Selpak – Posts | Facebook 

1. (1) Phare Ponleu Selpak – Posts | Facebook 

1. (1) Phare Ponleu Selpak – Posts | Facebook 

1. (1) Phare Ponleu Selpak – Posts | Facebook 

1. (1) Phare Ponleu Selpak – Posts | Facebook 

Music Video on elderly: 

(2) Phare Ponleu Selpak – Posts | Facebook 

Video Testimonials: 

(2) Phare Ponleu Selpak – Posts | Facebook 

(2) Phare Ponleu Selpak – Posts | Facebook 

(2) Phare Ponleu Selpak – Posts | Facebook 

(2) Phare Ponleu Selpak – Posts | Facebook 

(2) Phare Ponleu Selpak – Posts | Facebook 

(2) Phare Ponleu Selpak – Posts | Facebook 

(2) Phare Ponleu Selpak – Posts | Facebook 

Instagram posts: 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CLTv91eMlp8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CM1ezP_MQAw/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 

https://www.instagram.com/p/COr88PNsW3D/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CQYH4Dxsq_C/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ-xPsIMJkE/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/PharePS/status/1412340658581368844?s=20 

https://twitter.com/PharePS/status/1413427392433905665?s=20 

https://twitter.com/PharePS/status/1406905982727245826?s=20 

https://twitter.com/PharePS/status/1333313321076805633?s=20 

Media report about the outcome and good practices of the project:   

• Facebook post: https://cutt.ly/5micK3U 
• Media Broadcasting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3WWux4NCZ0 
• RFI channel: https://rfi.my/7IfZ 
• Sabay Daily: https://news.sabay.com.kh/article/1289109#utm_campaign=onpage  

Case studies:  

• https://www.facebook.com/phareponleuselpak/posts/4312990625447841  

All project learning are documented under their social media page “Voice of older people” : https://www.facebook.com/voiceofelderlycambodia/