Cambodia Archives - Page 2 of 3

Updates from the field: Community Water Enterprise projects in Cambodia

3 August, 2016/in Clean Water Programmes, Community Water Enterprise, Field Notes /by Lien AID

Exploring new sites in Kratie Province

We shared plans in May on exploring new sites for Community Water Enterprise (CWE) projects in Cambodia. Our team conducted feasibility studies in nine communes within Kratie province during end June and start of July, and identified four sites for further needs assessment.

Through the feasibility studies and discussions with the commune councils, we found that villagers in Kratie province face the risk of exposure to arsenic-contaminated water and low water sanitation and hygiene practices. As piped water supply is only available in more populated areas along the river, villagers who live in remote locations face increasing difficulties in accessing clean water.

Recent developments for ongoing CWE projects

In addition to the upcoming intervention in Kratie province, we are also picking up on the progress of ongoing CWE projects in Cambodia. In the past two months, our team set up water distribution points and selected local water entrepreneurs and water promoters over four sites in Prey Veng and Kampong Chhnang provinces.

Water Management Committees (WMCs) and water entrepreneurs in Prey Veng province attended training on effective management and monitoring of water distribution systems while water promoters were trained on ways to increase awareness and understanding of clean water benefits among the villagers.

Water promoters in Prey Veng province attend training (left); WMC members and water entrepreneurs attend CWE training (right).

Plans are afoot for eight CWE projects across Kampong Thom and Siem Reap provinces. With WMCs established and commune council meetings underway, the construction of water treatment facilities and capacity trainings are expected to kick off in the coming months.

Meeting with the commune council in Koul commune, Kampong Thom province (left); Current water source for villagers in Msar Krang commune, Kampong Thom province (right).

Join us now to work together towards a common vision of better water governance and a future where sustainable clean water access is available to everyone. You can also learn more about our work in Cambodia here.

Clean water sources critical amid Cambodia’s prolonged drought

31 May, 2016/in Clean Water Programmes, Community Water Enterprise, Field Notes /by Lien AID

Cambodia’s drought crisis

Exhausted drinking water supplies, cracked river beds, dead animal carcasses and ruined crops – a barren and desolate sight greets many Cambodians as the country is gripped by one of the worst droughts in decades.[1]

According to a recent Channel NewsAsia report, many regions in Cambodia have not received significant rain since late last year and about two-thirds of the country now has insufficient drinking water. One of the regions is Kampong Thom province, where locals shared that they have not recalled seeing heavy rain for about a year.[2]

Our upcoming intervention at Kampong Thom province

Clean water sources have become even more critical amid Cambodia’s drought crisis. Back in 2015, as part of our Cambodia three-year work plan, we identified Kampong Thom province as one of our key focus provinces.

We conducted needs assessments and baseline surveys in seven communes within Kampong Thom province between 22 February to 3 March this year and found that most of the respondents acknowledged to falling sick from drinking untreated water.

We have kicked off our Community Water Enterprise intervention in these seven communes in Kampong Thom province this month:

Kampong Kou commune, Kampong Svay district
Prey Kuy commune, Kampong Svay district
Koul commune, Prasat Sambou district
Sraeung commune, Prasat Sambou district
Chhuk commune, Prasat Sambou district
Mean Chey commune, Prasat Sambou district
Msar Krang commune, Stoung district

Stepping up on our CWE projects in Cambodia

In addition to our upcoming interventions in Kampong Thom province and Ta An commune in Siem Reap, we are also exploring viability of projects at Kratie and Stung Treng provinces. Both are located along the Mekong River and the Provincial Department of Rural Development (PDRP) reported only 48% and 49.5% of families with access to improved water supply in Kratie and Stung Treng provinces respectively. Some of these local communities also face:

Risk of exposure to arsenic-contaminated water
Limited access to treated drinking water
Lack of piped water supply
Low water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) practices

Join us now to work together towards a common vision – better water governance and a future where clean water access is available to everyone. You can also learn more about our work in Cambodia here.

References

[1] Crothers, L. (2016, 05 05). Animals die as Cambodia is gripped by worst drought in decades. Retrieved from The Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2016/may/05/animals-die-cambodia-worst-drought-decades

[2] Board, J. (2016, 05 18). Desperation grows as drought grips Cambodia. Retrieved from Channel News Asia: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/desperation-grows-as/2792150.html

World Water Day and Lien AID in 2016

22 March, 2016/in Community Water Enterprise, Field Notes, Others /by Lien AID

Observing World Water Day 2016

22 March marks the annual international observance of World Water Day where we learn more about water related issues, be inspired to share and take action to make a difference.

As we look forward to learning from the United Nations World Water Development Report that is launching on 22 March, we are taking this opportunity to share our recent Community Water Enterprise (CWE) project handover to the communities in Banteay Meanchey Province, Cambodia, last Wednesday, 16 March 2016.

Handover of CWE project to communities in Banteay Meanchey Province, Cambodia

This CWE project was implemented in partnership with Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) and Asian Development Bank (ADB). MRD and ADB had improved access to clean water with the development of community ponds, wells and rainwater jars previously. Lien AID joined the partnership and worked with Provincial Department of Rural Development, local authorities and commune councils to set up water treatment plants to enhance the quality of drinking water, as well as to train new Water Management Committees and water entrepreneurs, in both Phnom Dei and Bos Sbov Communes.

New water entrepreneur, Mr Bo Saroum, 25 years old, shared, “This business teaches me about the production of treated water and water distribution system. Villagers can now have clean bottled water at affordable prices and I can also look forward to earning more income to support my family.”

Under this CWE project, these water entrepreneurs will be serving and selling clean affordable bottled water to 15,000 villagers.

Ms Tark Sanith purchased clean bottled water at the handover event in Banteay Meanchey Province, Cambodia, on 16 March 2016.

One of the villagers, Ms Tark Sanith, 41 years old, who attended the handover event said, “This treated water will prevent my children from getting water-related illnesses and I would no longer need to boil water before drinking.”

Lien AID in 2016

2016 marks Lien AID’s 10th year in enabling sustainable access to clean water and sanitation for rural poor in Asia. This year, we are focusing our efforts on:

Expanding our programmes for 120,000 new beneficiaries in 47 communities across four countries – Cambodia, China, Myanmar and Vietnam.
Enhancing programme and technical support for Monitoring & Evaluation of our projects.
Increasing public awareness on the issue of clean water and sanitation in Asia, as well as Lien AID’s mission.

Back in January, we shared some of the groundwork completed for upcoming projects in China, Vietnam and Myanmar. In Northeast Vietnam, we have since completed our Phase II research in four villages in Bac Quang and Vi Xuyen Districts and we are starting our pilot projects in two of these villages this month.

Stay tune as we share significant learnings and milestones from these pilot projects in Northeast Vietnam, as well as our 8th batch of Village Water Management (VWM) programme in China, pilot project in Tetma village, Magwe division, Myanmar and CWE projects in Cambodia in the coming months!

Field Notes for April and May, 2015.

7 July, 2015/in Field Notes /by Lien AID

Cambodia

In April, as part of the final stage of the pre-project development process, Lien AID held a series of meetings with the respective local commune councils and village leaders from each of the identified communes. These communes were selected from our previous needs assessment and situational analysis process and we wanted their reaffirmation of commitment to the projects. We took the opportunity to explain in further detail the ownership and management approach of our Community Water Enterprise programme in Cambodia and respond to their questions and concerns.

Subsequently, the agreements for 11 new projects that will be delivered under our Community Water Enterprise programme in Cambodia (2015), was officially signed in May. Among these, 2 each are in the Banteay Meanchey, Kampong Chhnang and Pursat provinces, with the remaining 5 communes (projects) in Takeo province.

CWE project kick off in Takeo province, Cambodia.

China

Among the 35 water project proposals received for the 7th intake of our Student Village Officer training workshop conducted in March, we went on to assess on-site situations for 12 of those in April, with another 17 completed in May. Together with the Student Village Officers and village officials for each of the respective projects, we assessed village conditions and water situations through observations and interviews with the villagers.

Over a span of 10 days in April, we covered 7 villages in the counties of Malipo, Shidian and Lianghe in Yunnan Province as well as 5 villages in Chishui county, Guizhou. Our local partners and stakeholders – Guizhou-Chishui Council for the Promotion of Construction in the Old Revolutionary Areas; Yunnan-Malipo Foreign Aid Office; Yunnan-Shidian Poverty Relief Office; Yunnan-Lianghe County Government were also involved, facilitating meetings and discussions.

In May, we had a much tougher schedule, travelling to the counties of Wushan and Wuxi of Chongqing Municipality, the counties of Meitan and Luoyang in Guizhou, Sangzhi county of Hunan, and surveying 17 villages in 22 days. Our local partners involved in these projects are the Chongqing Poverty Relief Office; Guizhou-Zunyi Council for the Promotion of Construction in the Old Revolutionary Areas; Hunan-Sangzhi Poverty Relief Office.

Such on-site assessments are critical to our programmes as they enable us to better evaluate the suitability of the proposals through a first-hand understanding of the situation and sentiments on ground, while acting as a data validation exercise as well.

Project inpection in Jiexi village, China.

Needs assessment in Tieguang Village, China.

Singapore

Our Digital Strategist Jeremiah Rogers gave a lunchtime presentation about marketing for A River’s Tail at the United Nations in Bangkok. You can read his writeup here and also find a link to the full presentation.

Saved Labor Helps Mrs. Man Provide More Birth Control Education

6 July, 2015/in Clean Water Programmes, Community Stories, Community Water Enterprise /by Lien AID

Mrs. Man Ti Ma in her home where she runs a birth control and beauty supply business.

Pram Damleng Village, Peam Chileang Commune
Cambodia

Mrs. Man Ti Ma has something of an unconventional business and household, at least at first glance. While much of her income comes from family land that Mrs. Man rents out for growing rice, Mrs. Man’s main focus is on a beauty supply and family planning business in her local Muslim Cham community. Alongside beauty supplies, make up and hair dye Mrs. Man and her daughter provide education on natural family planning along with birth spacing pills, condoms, and pregnancy tests.

Unlike some of the other families in her community, Mrs. Man has long had enough money to buy wood to boil water. Before the Community Water Treatment plant was installed in her community Mrs. Man would buy wood, gather water, and spend time each day boiling the water to drink. The routine of making a fire and boiling water took away time from Mrs. Man’s family and her business.

“Not needing to boil water gives us time back to see customers and so business has improved. We give customers who show up the water to drink and they like it, leading some of them to buy it for their families. With increased income I can now give my son 5,000 Riel for food and allowance every day instead of 2,000 Riel before.” Mrs. Man said.

Mrs. Man is divorced and needs to care for her son and daughter alone. Any time spent on household chores took away time from her family and her business. Boiling water wasn’t a perfect solution either: Mrs. Man’s 15 year old son, Ei Amanas, still got sick about twice per month and missed school.

“With the treated water from the Community Water Treatment plant my family is healthier and my son doesn’t get sick anymore. I think that our skin looks better as well. I tell the women who come to me for beauty treatments to drink the water so that their skin will be healthy and clear.” Mrs. Ma said.

Now that her family spends less time acquiring water they spend more time on their businesses. Four to five customers per day arrive, many initially for beauty supplies, but some leave with either family planning education or condoms, birth spacing pills, or pregnancy tests.

Mrs. Man demonstrates a visual guide to natural family planning.

Among beauty supplies Mrs. Man’s family also sells condoms and birth spacing pills.

Mrs. Man is a member of the commune government and also spent five years as a member of the Reproductive Health Association of Cambodia. The RHAC educated Mrs. Man on how to train the local community about birth control. When the RHAC recently closed Mrs. Ma decided to continue the education on her own.

As outsiders we were initially uncomfortable asking Mrs. Ma about the birth control business when we saw the stocks of condoms and pills in her cabinets. Our assumptions made us think it might be a secretive business. This turns out not to be the truth at all: Mrs. Man’s community fully supports her role as an educator.

“The community doesn’t support abortion, but birth control is fine.” Mrs. Man told us.

While most visitors come for beauty supplies during the day, Mrs. Ma’s birth control business picks up at night: “People arrive late, even when the door is locked, if they need birth control urgently.” Mrs. Ma said with a laugh. “They bang on the door, and if we are home we help them, but we do wish they would plan ahead.” She continued.

This project in Peam Chileang commune, implemented under the Community Water Enterprise programme in Cambodia, was supported with co-funding from the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.

Field Notes for March, 2015

27 April, 2015/in Field Notes /by Lien AID

Singapore: Celebrating World Water Day 2015 with #The Water Machine

Using #The Water Machine at Singapore World Water Day.

Singapore World Water Day drew a crowd of more than 6,000 participants.

Every year, the Singapore Public Utilities Board (PUB) celebrates Singapore World Water Day with community partners throughout the month of March. This year, the main event on 21 March was staged together with partners from both the private and non-profit sectors at the new Singapore Sports Hub. Lien AID was one of the 27 official partners of PUB for the event, which drew a crowd of more than 6,000 participants.

Unlike residents in Singapore who enjoy clean water at the turn of the tap, right from the comfort of their homes, obtaining clean water for most of Asia’s rural poor is a difficult task requiring an arduous walk, spending time in queues or having to make do with polluted water.

For this year’s Singapore World Water Day, we created #The Water Machine to shine the spotlight on water challenges faced by Asia’s rural poor and let people in Singapore experience a small taste of how much effort it takes for them to obtain clean water. During the 3 hour event at the Singapore Sports Hub, a total of 156 people took up our challenge at Lien AID’s #The Water Machine.

Singapore: A Partnership with the School of the Arts

An outdoor sculpture made of over 2,000 discarded water bottles by students from the School of the Arts.

As part of our efforts to engage youths in Singapore, we also partnered with the School of the Arts to create a large outdoor sculpture for the event at the Singapore Sports Hub. Made up of more than 2,000 discarded mineral water bottles, the sculpture is a symbol of the collective will that Singapore has shown in the conservation and protection of its water sources and which is still needed to ensure residents can continue to enjoy affordable clean drinking water in the long run.

China: Training Workshop for 26 Student Village Officers

From 23^rd March to 26^th March, Lien AID China held a training workshop for 46 Student Village Officers and grassroots leaders in Chishui city, Guizhou Province. The workshop participants represent 35 poverty stricken villages in Yunnan, Chongqing, Hunnan and Guizhou facing clean water access challenges.

Lien AID’s China team hosted workshops for 46 Student Village Officers in Chishui city, Guizhou Province, China.

The opening ceremony of the workshop was graced by leaders from the China Association for Poverty Alleviation and Development, the Guizhou Council for the Promotion of Construction in the Old Revolutionary Areas, the Zunyi Council for the Promotion of Construction in the Old Revolutionary Areas and the Guizhou-Chishui Council for the Promotion of Construction in the Old Revolutionary Areas. A simple commendation ceremony was also conducted for 9 of the Student Village Officers (representing the best 9 delivered projects) who were part of Batch 3 and Batch 4 of the Village Water Management programme in China.

The 5-day workshop delved into topics related to small – scale water project management, with a particular focus on teaching participants how to conduct needs assessment and draft water project proposals. Upon completion of the workshop, participants have an opportunity to submit water project proposals to Lien AID China. Through a rigorous evaluation and selection process that looks at urgency and severity of water need; commitment from villagers, local governments and Student Village Officers, suitable projects will then be selected for implementation as part of the 7th batch of projects delivered under the Village Water Management programme in China.

Cambodia: Soft Launching 15 sites and selecting 12 new sites for 2015

In Cambodia we soft launched and handed over 15 water treatment plants of CWE program to local communities on March 26th in Kampong Cham. You can read our full writeup on the handover here.

After handing over the 15 CWE sites this year, Lien AID has selected another twelve communes in Takeo province, Kampong Chhnang province, Pursat province and Banteay Meanchey Province for implementation of water treatment plants next year.

Local children playing in a school next to the water treatment plant.

Villagers carrying recently purchased water bottles away from the treatment plant.

The project site’s initial supply of 20 litre water bottles quickly sold out.

Fifteen Completed Treatment Plants Transferred to Local Cambodians

7 April, 2015/in Clean Water Programmes, Community Stories, Community Water Enterprise /by Lien AID

On Thursday, March 26th Lien AID and UNICEF handed over 15 recently completed water treatment project sites at an event in Tbong Khmum province, Cambodia. The completed water treatment plants and associated infrastructure are now owned by the local communities.

The project sites in Prey Veng Province, Kampong Cham Province and Tbong Khmum Province were a collaboration between UNICEF and Lien AID and target approximately 72,000 people in 74 villages. The plants are administered by the local communes and operated by a Community Water Entrepreneur.

Approximately 500 villagers and 50 officials attended the handover including Cambodian commune chiefs, Tbong Khmum Provincial Governor Mr Prach Chan, Undersecretary of State His Excellency Theng Chan-Sangvar and the Minister from the Ministry of Rural Development His Excellency Chea Sophara.

At the event H.E. Chea stressed that charging for water is important so that people will use the water responsibly. H.E. Chea added that many of the local wells access water sources which are contaminated with arsenic, so even if people have access to water the main issue is that the existing water is not safe to drink.

UNICEF WASH chief Mr. Kabuka Banda highlighted that projects are a part of the UNICEF WASH programme arsenic mitigation response. Instead of gathering water, “women and girls who collect water for their families will save time for other chores including studying“ said Mr. Kabuka.

“We look forward to partnering with UNICEF again on the provisioning of sustainable clean water access as well as other WASH sector activities in Cambodia.” said Mr. Lian Hock, CEO of Lien AID.

A 20 litre bottle of water from the plants sells for 1,000 Cambodian Riel (about 25 cents), lower than the common 4,000 Riel cost in private markets. After the event in Pi Village, Kampong Treas commune the village water entrepreneur Mr. Math Ma El began selling water to villagers. The initial supply of 20 litre bottles sold out in about 45 minutes.

Cambodia’s Minister of Rural Development H.E. Chea Sophara cutting the ribbon at the opening of a new water treatment plant in Tbong Khmum province.

Cambodia’s Minister of Rural Development H.E. Chea Sophara sampling water from the recently completed treatment plant.

The project site’s initial supply of 20 litre water bottles quickly sold out.

Villagers carrying recently purchased water bottles away from the treatment plant.

Field Notes for January and February, 2015

20 March, 2015/in Field Notes /by Lien AID

Every month we share updates on recent work from our offices around Asia. This month’s Field Notes has updates from the three countries we work in: China, Cambodia, and Singapore.

China: On January 30th in Guizhou Province Lien AID, held project management training for six Student Village Officers whose projects have been selected for implementation in China. The goal of the training was to provide additional coaching to the Student Village Officers on how to effectively document and report on water projects in the villages of Lianghekou, Tiantaishan and Baoyuan. These projects will launch in the first quarter of 2015 as part of the sixth batch of projects under our Village Water Management programme. More than 3,000 villagers will benefit from piped water connections in their households when the projects are completed by the end of 2015.

Cambodia: In February in Prey Veng province we trained eight Community Water Entrepreneurs along with water management committees and local officials. These water entrepreneurs and water management committees will support 8 new sites: two in in Kampong Cham and six in Prey Veng province. Next month we will hand over several sites to UNICEF and share pictures and stories of results from those sites.

Singapore: We completed a 4-month collaboration with students from Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s Advertising and Public Relations Diploma Course. Taking on Lien AID as a client, the students were tasked to create an outreach campaign for Singapore World Water Day, encouraging youths in Singapore to take action against water pollution. Under the mentorship of The Hoffman Agency, the students developed detailed campaign strategies and plans, and in the process gained a deeper understanding of water issues both in Singapore and the region. We’ll be sharing some of their work in upcoming blog posts as well as the students’ take on this experience.

This month we will be celebrating World Water Day with #TheWaterMachine and an outdoor sculpture with the School of the Arts. More of our exciting activities in our next field note. See you next month!

Research Team Collaborates with Lien AID to review its impact in Cambodia (Part 3 of 3)

5 August, 2014/in Clean Water Programmes /by Lien AID

Researchers from the Asia Centre for Social Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy traveled to Cambodia to speak to key players (government officials, local contractors, beneficiaries, partners) of the project sites and get a personal insight on Lien AID’s impact in the country.

To find out more about our work in Cambodia, take a look at Where We Work – Cambodia.

Research Team Collaborates with Lien AID to review its impact in Cambodia (Part 2 of 3)

23 July, 2014/in Clean Water Programmes /by Lien AID

Researchers from the Asia Centre for Social and Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy traveled to Cambodia to speak to key players (government officials, local contractors, beneficiaries, partners) of the project sites and get a personal insight on Lien AID’s impact in the country.