Jenna Forstrom

What is your definition of life?

What is your definition of life? Various people have given the definition of life: Life is a struggle. Life is learning. Life is communication Life is a busy world. You may have seen different lifestyles in different cultures and situations so maybe you can help me to define the life of this family: A widow has survived with seven children …

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Emergency Foster Care Visit – June 2019

This article comes from Gillian, MRO’s Battambang Team Advisor, as she shares her first hand experience working with the Social Work Team and Emergency Foster Care Visits. Arriving at work on a Monday you never quite know what the week will look like. This week, it starts with a question from the visiting Youth Sector Manager, “Are you free tomorrow …

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Reintegration Forms – Real Practice June 2019

This article comes from Gillian, MRO’s Battambang Team Advisor, shares her first hand experience working with Reintegration forms and Care Leavers. Today I am going to attend a ‘real practice for reintegration’.  It is called a ‘real’ practice as it involves a real case, with real people, in a real community.   We meet at a Residential Care Institute to …

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Out of the Spreadsheets into the Reality

The challenge with being a ‘back room’ girl is that it is easy to lose sight of the reason you are manipulating numbers, reading and editing a variety of documents, scratching your head over systems and processes, etc. etc. and whilst you know that you are working for a great organization and you believe in and enjoy contributing to their …

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Orphanages Will Not Stop Orphanage Tourism: Who Will Put Research into Action?

Recently, Georgetown University’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs asked the question: How can we end orphan tourism? In 2016, ReThink Orphanages, a network of Australian stakeholders published a report calling orphan tourism to be considered part of modern-day slavery.  Orphan tourism is part of a larger industry called voluntourism, where travelers participate in various volunteer works for …

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2018 Impact Videos

In 2018, M’lup Russey Organization partnered with a local video producer to create a series of impact videos highlighting the work M’lup Russey Organization did in 2018.  We were able to get these short films edited and published them on YouTube and Facebook. We are super excited about the work M’lup Russey Organization did in 2018. This video series highlights …

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“Why Not a Family?”

“Why Not a Family?” is a short documentary that highlights the value of family in the lives of children growing up.  This video provides insights from three organizations that have years of work experience in Cambodia supporting orphans and vulnerable children through provision of family-based care.     Imagine a grandmother, caring for three grandchildren and struggling to raise them. …

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Reintegration Family Visit – Tuesday, January 22, 2019

*beep beep beep* My alarm starts sounding off at 6:15 am on Tuesday, January 22.  My dog, Bullet, stretches beside me and then hops off the bed to sit next to his food bowl and wait for breakfast.  On our morning walk, I reflect on my previous visit to the province with the M’lup Russey Organisation (MRO) team. I know today will …

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Foster Care Visit – Thursday, January 17, 2019 – A Narrative

*beep beep beep* My alarm starts sounding off at 6:15 am on Thursday, January 17.  “Dear Jesus,” I pray, “Please give me eyes to see, ears to hear, and an understanding mind.  Oh! And keep me safe today.” This mantra in some form has been part of my daily prayers since I arrived in Cambodia in October 2017, but today …

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