Water for Health in Pu Char Village

Access to clean water and adequate sanitation is a human right that should be afforded to every individual. This is often not the case, however, in rural Cambodia. It is a difficult place to retrieve clean water, as the easily accessible water contains bacteria, dust, insects, and pollution. This is why so many families and children are often very sick. Clean water is necessary for drinking, bathing, sanitation, cleaning your home, cooking, feeding animals, and growing vegetables. To meet all these needs, you would need to carry heavy water buckets for many return trips.

This was the life for the 70 indigenous families living in the Pu Char village before CRDT began its "Water for Health" project, funded by the Australian Government and your donations.

This project aims to improve the health and economic situation for the Indigenous families living in the Pu Char village, through providing fresh clean water to all. Much of the main aspects of the project have been achieved but there is still work to be done.

Mr. Chantoen is 33 years old and lives with his wife, and his two children. Mr. Chantoen is interested in planting vegetables and raising livestock with the Water for Health project. For this reason, he decided to enrol as a project beneficiary. He joined business plan training with Ekareach Group in Pu Char village, which our project staff facilitated. Mr. Chantoen utilised his new skills for a pig famring business, and liaised the CRDT project team to oversee his business implementation. He now confidently raises pigs for reasons beyond family-use. In addition to raising livestock, he is also growing vegetables for daily consumption and animal food.

He explained, "I am able to raise livestock and grow vegetable due to our new water supply system here. In the past, we had to depend on rain water and water from the stream”. 

CRDT has also followed up the previous training on primary health, and continues to provide training on health to the Pu Char community. It is very important for our beneficiaries, including Mr. Chantoen and his family, as it helps to reduce the money burden that is required when going to the hospital. CRDT also continues to provide Sanitation and Hygiene training to improve the health situation amongst the indigenous communities.

The main aspect of the project has been achieved thanks to your participation, but there is work still to be carried out. Some of the houses in the village have not yet been linked to the water system. It is also highly important to provide the necessary training, which is currently pending. Your donations will help contribute towards implementing this training and all the reading materials required to raise awareness within the community. Additionally, some toilet and sanitation facilities still need to be built. Your contributions will greatly change the lives of these people forever!