Thirsty? Nearly two out of three rural people in Cambodia have no access to safe drinking water. During dry season, stomach and intestinal diseases are prevalent due to clean water shortage. Most people have not enough money to pay the costly medical treatment caused by water-related diseases and run into debt.
The goal of this project is to supply safe drinking water by building water tanks with a cap that will collect the rainwater of the rainy season and store it for the dry season. Hence the villagers suffer significantly less from diseases. Accordingly medical treatment is needed less often. In addition to the provision of safe drinking water for rural households, local jobs are created during the construction phase of the rain water tanks.
The project benefits around 1,050 people in three villages at Takeo Province. Recipients of the rain water tanks are asked to give financial or labour contributions according to their financial situation. This principle encourages personal responsibility to take care of the rain water tank received and the feeling of ownership - as ownership is critical for a lasting serviceable life of the tank.
• Project Duration: April 2012 to December 2012
• Project Cost: € 50.000 (US-$ 65,000)
• Financing:
o Donations by Sorya Germany, Entwicklungshilfeklub Wien: € 8.000
o Contributions by recipients of rain water tanks: € 4.500
o Funding by Ministry Economic Cooperation & Development (BMZ): € 37.500
• Project Location: Rovieng Commune, Takeo, Cambodia
• Project Partner: Sorya Cambodia
There are close links between people’s health and their economic well being. Illness can really devastate a poor family. Better health has a lot of economic flow on effects including the ability to be more productive at work, and when participating in education and training.
Waterborne diseases, due to degraded drinking water sources, are a major public health issue in Cambodia. Diarrheal diseases are the number one cause of death and disease in children.
The impact of having clean, convenient supply of clean water to households in Rovieng Commune is immeasurable in terms of the prevention of illness. Additionally there are specific social benefits that could hopefully be measured in the long run. We would expect to see a lowering of illness and death rates from water borne diseases. We hope that for the majority of the year, women and children will be freed up from the task of collecting water every day and will have a greater chance of going to school or getting a job or growing more vegetables or whatever other tasks they need to carry out.
The rain water tanks are priced fairly so people and communities will be able to afford partial contribution. People are trained in the manufacture of the tank liner which is a semiskilled job that earn a higher income for local families.
Partial quotes thanks to: Engineers Without Borders Australia 2008; Improving Household Drinking Water Quality WSP UNICEF 2007
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