By Lynn Foden | CEO
Water is essential to human life and a staple in our everyday activities. Its importance is affirmed by the Sustainable Development Goals, which urges countries to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all countries. In Vietnam, significant improvements have been made to give rural communities access to water. In 2017, 87% of the rural population received basic access to clean water and 49% with access to water that met the Ministry of Health’s water standards. However, disparities between provinces and geographies remain. Rural areas in mountainous and remote areas are still unreached.
Reaching Rural Communities
In the small province of Ben Tre, many communities get their water from the Mekong Delta, a massive body of water that cuts across a large portion of southwestern Vietnam. However, these communities are situated along the most contaminated parts of the river, and have grown accustomed to consuming the contaminated water because they had no other options.
We at Thrive Networks want to help Ben Tre be a healthier and more resilient community. This project will help bring clean water to 400 families (1,600 people) through the expansion of a water supply pipeline in the Châu Thành District, Ben Tre Province. We want to build on the government’s successful projects by bringing in private sector expertise in building and managing water schemes that can provide water to large numbers of rural people. Our Vietnam office has a strong partnership with the Provincial Centres for Rural Water Supply and Sanitation, allowing us to focus on upgrading water supply systems and extending pipe distribution to previously unserved customers. Almost 5,000 water supply connections have been purchased and installed by households in low-access areas in 18 provinces.
Happiness and Hope
One of our successful projects is in Chieng Mung Commune. Tong Thi Tam, a resident, shares, “Now the water company has brought clean water for us to use. It is convenient for my family to use this water. The water comes to our door which makes us very happy. Cooking is more convenient and our food is more hygienic”.
Thrive’s work creates opportunities where there were none – opportunities to have access clean water translates into opportunities for people to improve their quality of lives and their futures. The pipeline expansion project is one of many initiatives that will contribute to our goal of ensuring that all households are connected to a safe and secure water source.
Join us!
We invite you to be part of our work. Your help will allow us and our partners to reach more like Tong Thi Tam and their families to have clean water to use everyday.
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