Field Notes for September and October 2015

Cambodia

The construction of 9 Community Water Treatment Plants in selected communes (refer here to previous field notes for more details) was completed in October, with all plants passing water quality tests based on local drinking water standards. This follows the completion of September’s training of the entrepreneurs and community water management committees, which focused on developing skills necessary to effectively manage a Community Water Enterprise and building technical familiarity with the operations of a Community Water Treatment Plant.

A quarterly review meeting with entrepreneurs and community water management committees whose enterprises have been under their management for a period of two years was held, and is our way of ensuring the long-term sustainability of the community water enterprises continues. With periodic check-ins even after the enterprises are handed over, an open channel continues to be available, where all parties involved can iron out any issues affecting the sustainability of the operations.


Vietnam

We carried out a feasibility study at the ‘Humanitarian Centre Bamboo Village’ in Dong Nai province to assess water and sanitation needs of the centre. The centre houses the elderly and helpless; abandoned children; children with disabilities and children with cerebral palsy where families are unable to care for. The quality of water from the two tube-wells on the compound is being tested, the result of which would determine our next steps forward.


China
 

We held project management training for 7 Student Village Officers (SVOs), several Water Management Committees members and local authorities in the provinces of Shandong and Yunnan. The training equips participants with the tools and skills integral to successfully executing a water and sanitation project. During the session, our project managers shared candidly on past project management experiences and explained how they resolved real issues faced in the process. The training offered SVOs a comprehensive perspective and fostered good working relations for all involved.
VMP Training_Sept 15

 

Singapore

 We participated in the 9th CSR Asia Summit held in Kuala Lumpur in October, showcasing our Community Water Enterprise and Village Water Management programmes to over 400 delegates from across 28 countries. The summit is an annual conference on corporate social responsibility in Asia and networks business, government and civil society representatives to discuss issues such as challenges in development, as well as the environment and sustainability. This year, the spotlight was on the leading issues of water scarcity, climate change, and conservation, underlining how environmental resources will continue to present some of the biggest challenges over the next decade.

Lien AID at the CSR Asia Summit 2015