Water for Health in Pu Char Village

Dear supporters, 

You wil be all very happy to learn that our project finally started! The biggest part of the project is indeed funded by the Australian Embassy, the Direct Aid Program. This allows us to start the construction of the water supply system! 

Before the construction, our staff organized meetings with the villagers and the authorities to introduce the project and the future programme. The villagers will indeed receive trainings about Health and Sanitation. Besides, one of the most important component of this project is the constitution of the Water Use Committee.

What is the Water Use Committee? This committee gathers 5 people: the village chief, the commune council representative and some beneficiaries. Their mission is to manage the water supply system and its use, and the relationship with CRDT. As the village is located in a very remoted area, CRDT needs the support of people on the field to be sure that the project is doing well. 

Once the Water Use Committee has been created by-law, the members received some trainings on system operation and maintenance, financial management, bookkeeping, and conflict management. They are now completely able to assure the management of the water supply system, and fortunately they will still have the CRDT staff on the field with them during the construction to secure their knowledge and skills. 

As part of this project is also the improvement of home-gardening, we have distributed seeds and buckets to the families, to help them irrigate the vegetables. 

Keov is one of the commune consult in Pu Char village, here is his story: “Water is very important for my family daily life. Without a water supply system, we face many issues. Every day I have to go to the stream to collect water like the other villagers. I have to carry water from 200m away from home., and water is heavy. I spend, on average, about 14 hours a week collecting water for bathing, cooking and drinking. Once in a while I borrowed a neighbor’s moto to carry water but I have to pay for gas and it is too expensive for me. Because they drink the water from the river, my family got sickness such as diarrhea and borne diseases. In the meantime, I have to go to the forest to farm, to come back home to carry water for household use. My days are very busy, as well as the rest of the family's.  Since CRDT started to construct the water supply system at the back of my family’s house we are very excited. I know that soon I will have 14 hours more per week to do other activities. And with the water filters that we received the kids can now drink the water without being sick. It is a real relief for my wife and I. I am so happy that I am one of the beneficiaries in the village.”

As you might know, next Tuesday, the 29th of November, is #GivingTuesday, and thanks to a generous gift from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation $1 Million USD of eligible donations will be matched at 50%! It means that on this day, a $25 donation will represent $50 for us!

#GivingTuesday has been created in 2012 and kicks off the charitable season! While you are thinking about the gifts for your beloved one and your christmas tree, we are preparing the next year projects and its funding. End of year is a really important moment for us, and a huge opportunity to fund our projects. 

After the #GivingTuesday, the Year-End campaign will start, until the 30th of December. For this one, only the new monthly recurring donations will be doubled by GlobalGiving. We are aware that it is not always easy to give to charity, we all have our own expenses and issues, but every help matters. By making a personal donation, you can make a real and tangible difference in the lives of the Cambodian families we support. It doesn't take much, and recurring donations help us to ensure our project in the future. 

Don't hesitate to share this report and our GlobalGiving project around you, the more people know us, the best it is! 

We hope you will continue to support and to read us :)

Warmly,

Links:

• Our Website