The Power of Rainwater, supporting the poorest and most marginalized families in accessing safe drinking water in Stung Thmei village, Pramouy commune, Veal Veng district, Pursat province, Cambodia
１．Project site
Stung Thmei village, Pramouy commune, Veal Veng district, Pursat province, Cambodia
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２． Number of expected beneficiaries
254 beneficiaries
-Those receiving rainwater systems: 104 (20 households: 37 men, 36 women, 31 children）
-Awareness session: 150 attendees (15 men, 35 women, 100 schoolchildren)
３． Local partner
RainWater Cambodia(RWC)
www.rainwatercambodia-rwc.org
４． Project description
Three months have passed since the project began. The project is going well, as per the initial plan. RWC has closely worked with local stakeholders in the community, including district, commune and village focal points, on project implementation, discussion sessions, training workshops, construction of rainwater harvesting systems, and inspections of completed work. A key point highlighted by the project is the transfer of knowledge to village focal points, schoolteachers and families in Stung Thmei village on the rainwater harvesting safety plan, focusing on safe practices in harvesting, storage, and drinking.
【Outputs】
- Project introduction meeting
- Assessment visits, identification and selection of beneficiary households
- Introduction meeting with beneficiary households
- Procurement of materials and selection of local masons for construction
- Training workshop on the rainwater harvesting safety plan
- 16 out of 20 rainwater harvesting systems constructed
- Household visits conducted by village focal points
【Challenges】
- Heavy rainfall and inclement weather：
Heavy rainfalls had occurred and were affecting the project. The RWC team advised that temporary plastic roofs be installed at the construction sites so that masons could continue to work in the rain.
５． Summary of project activities
1) Project launch meeting
Background information on the project was presented to stakeholders at Stung Thmei primary school on 22nd August.
2) Selection of beneficiary households
Door-to-door visits began in late August, according to a draft list prepared by village focal points. 20 households, comprising 254 beneficiaries were subsequently chosen. A contribution fee of 100,000 Riels (US$25, 12.5% of the total cost of US$200 per system) was collected from each beneficiary household.
３) Installation of rainwater harvesting systems and operations and maintenance training
Masons were engaged to construct the rainwater harvesting systems and received training from RWC. Construction began on 19th September. By 30th October, 16 harvesting systems had been fully installed. Monitoring, supervision and inspection of construction work were conducted between 27th September and 11th October, carried out by beneficiaries, village focal points, commune councilors, and masons.
４) Training session on Water Safety Plan (WSP) and Rainwater Safety Plan
On 12th September, Water Safety Plan (WSP) training for village focal points and school staff was held at Stung Thmei primary school. There were 10 participants, including 2 women and 3 school staff members. The training covered an introduction to the WSP, focusing on four key aspects:
- Water Source: Participants learned how to assess and identify potential risks to water sources, such as contamination and other hazards.
- Water Collection: Safe practices for collecting water were taught, emphasizing the use of clean equipment and methods to prevent contamination.
- Water Storage: The importance of proper water storage was highlighted, including the use of clean, covered containers to ensure water quality.
- Safe Drinking Water: The final step covered methods such as boiling and filtration to ensure that stored water is safe for consumption.
５) Door-to-door visits
After training on the Water Safety Plan, village focal points conducted door-to-door visits with the training materials. They visited 30 households, 20 of which were beneficiary households that had received rainwater harvesting systems. They shared the training materials and discussed the Water Safety Plan, focusing on the key points: (I) safe sources, (II) safe storage, and (III) drinking treated water. The village focal points discussed advantages of a risk-managed model of rainwater harvesting (the Jumbo Jar system being installed by the project), such as convenience, safety, and the availability of local masons for installation. School personnel participated the training workshop and shared their knowledge with the children through school lessons, focusing on the topic of the Water Safety Plan, and its benefits for health.
６．Voices of beneficiaries
１）Mr. Sous Muser
Age 73, farmer, rainwater harvest system beneficiary
His family has just recently arrived in the village. They are Muslim, and originally lived in Phnom Penh. Fishing was his main occupation at that time. Previously the family relied on collecting rainwater and buying water from a vendor, as they are located far from the main road. Mr. Muser confirmed that he had been most concerned about obtaining water before receiving this new rainwater harvesting system. Since the system was built at his house, he and his family have been happy to have a water supply and to learn about the Water Safety Plan.
２）Mr. Thach Promthor
Age 72, farmer, rainwater harvest system beneficiary
He previously relied on purchases from a tanker truck which extracted water from a small river near the village. Mr. Mao Theang, Water Safety Plan village focal point (in the red shirt), conducted a visit and shared the key principles of the Water Safety Plan. Mr. Promthor confirmed that he is happy to have received a jumbo 3000L jar for harvesting rainwater. His family will not need to spend much money on water. He is determined to undertake operations and maintenance work to ensure long-term benefits for his family, and would like to express his sincere thanks to the project and the donors who supported his family and the community of Stung Thmei.
▼2024.8.19 Darvish Yu Water Fund: 17th project, “The Power of Rainwater” supporting the poor and most marginalized families for access to safe drinking water in Stung Thmei village, Pramouy commune, Veal Veng district, Pursat province, Cambodia, is now underway!▼
https://www.waterforum.jp/en/news/22296/
【Contact info】
Japan Water Forum
TEL: +81-(0)3-5645-8040 Fax: +81-(0)3-5645-8041
E-mail: office［at］waterforum.jp *Please change［at］to @
(Reported by Takejiro Suzuki, Project Manager)
