27
%
of the population of Cambodia don’t have access to safe water, that’s 4.5 million people.
23
%
of the population of Cambodia don’t have access to sanitation, that’s 3.86 million people.
17
%
of the population of Cambodia don’t have access to basic hygiene facilities, that’s 2.85 million people.
Our Work in Cambodia
In Cambodia we aim to address issues of water contamination and storage by improving sanitation facilities and coverage.
We work with village communities, schools, and health centres in the rural province of Siem Reap. Here we provide biosand filters in people’s homes to provide them with safe drinking water, household latrines to stop open defecation and make local environments cleaner, and hygiene training to promote lasting behavioural change.
We also provide health centres with smart solutions like sand carbon UV filter systems. These can process 1,500 litres of water per hour by using an ultraviolet lamp to kill bacteria in the water, providing enough safe water for a whole medical facility!
Cambodia Background
Cambodia is a country of 17.42 million people and is one of the poorest countries in Southeast Asia.
The rural communities we work with rely on agriculture for income. Cambodia has high rainfall and is prone to flooding, so although there is not a lack of water, much of this is contaminated and not safe to drink.
Water, and especially sanitation, remain key development challenges in Cambodia. Poor hygiene conditions and lack of sanitation facilities are the leading cause of the widespread diarrhoea and waterborne diseases. These cause significant loss of quality of life and premature mortality.
Cambodia has a high burden of child malnutrition caused by poor hygiene and lack of sanitation facilities, with repeated cases of diarrhoea and intestinal nematode infections preventing optimal food utilisation. Food security remains a severe problem.