Nearly half of rural Cambodians do not have access to clean drinking water or sanitation. Journeys Within Our Community has been taking action to help spread hygiene education in an attempt to address this ongoing issue…
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According to a UN report released in March, some 6.3 million out of 14.9 million Cambodians are unable to access clean drinking water, most of them poor and living in rural areas. Looking to address this ongoing issue, Journeys Within Our Community runs a clean water program that looks to not only provide and maintain wells for communities in need, but also to educate on the importance of proper hygiene.
JWOC has a contract with local government operated schools to provide clean water and training to students in Siem Reap. Nearly 6,500 students have taken part in the training which teaches students how to protect themselves and their families from water born illnesses.
Learning the importance of hand washing and oral hygiene helps prevent the spread of disease; two of the three most deadly illnesses affecting children are malaria and diarrhea which can both be directly linked to unclean water.
In addition to training the students directly, JWOC supports the school by providing water testing. The water is tested for dangerous chemicals such as arsenic that naturally occur in some areas of Cambodia. If the water in a particular well is unsafe the well is dismantled and another location is sought to find a solution.
Over the course of the last weekend guests joined the volunteers at a local school to help spread the message. Along with their new-found knowledge, students get a bar of soap and a toothbrush to take home with them to help kick off their healthy habits!
For other programs, villagers are required to attend basic hygiene seminars delivered by JWOC scholarship students. Presenting to adults and children separately, these seminars are designed as interactive and engaging information sessions focusing on hand washing and teeth cleaning. Villagers are encouraged to think about concepts of basic hygiene that they can introduce or develop in their everyday lives to get the maximum impact on their health.
To learn more about JWOC’s efforts to improve the clean water and sanitation situation in rural Cambodia, check out their website or consider volunteering a few hours during your next trip to the Land of Smiles!