The Koh Andaet community programme
The Koh Andaet community is located 120km south of the capital
city of Phnom Penh. The programme reaches 26 villages, supporting
3450 families. World Vision's partnership with Koh Andaet started
in 2005 and is envisaged to continue until 2019, when the community
will be fully equipped with the resources and skills to take
ownership of its own development. In the past year, significant
improvements were made in the current focus areas of water and
sanitation, and food security and nutrition.
Issues covered: Community
mobilisation, health and nutrition
Updates on World Vision's work
Water and sanitation
- Thanks to a major water and sanitation project, 80 per cent of
all primary school children now have access to at least a litre of
clean drinking water a day. As a result, school enrolment and
attendance has increased, and school dropout rates have
decreased.
- Two-thirds of households now have access to 40 litres of clean
water a day in the dry season within 200m of their homes.
Incidences of water-borne diseases, such as diarrhoea, in children
aged up to 3 years, have halved over the past three years.
Food security and nutrition
- Farmers were trained in better soil management practices, and
making and using organic fertiliser. As a result, farmers reported
increases in their rice and water melon crops.
- Seven small community groups succeeded in establishing
income-generating projects to improve their families' nutrition and
household income. By obtaining small loans, members were able to
start activities such as pig-raising, vegetable gardening and
sewing.
The Koh Andaet community is in the eighth year of its development
journey with World Vision.
Life on
the ground in Koh Andaet
A family plan comes to fruition
Chan Saren is fetching water from the renovated
common pond.
Five years ago, 32-year-old Chan and his wife Min, agreed on a
vision for their family: that "our family, especially our three
lovely children, have enough food and safe water, and are in good
health. Most importantly, we also want our children to attend
school". Now, Chan and Min have realised their vision, with the
help of World Vision and its generous supporters. In 2007, when
World Vision started working in Chan and Min's village, the couple
earned a meagre living from fishing and working in rice paddies.
Access to clean water was also a problem. Then they joined a
community group established by World Vision. Contributing their
resources and labour, the group members renovated the village pond
and built steps so they could reach the water easily and safely.
They also
provided biosand filters for the primary school so children could
have clean drinking water. Furthermore, they installed a wash basin
in each classroom to promote better hygiene in the school. Chan,
who is now a successful chicken farmer, and whose eldest child is
attending primary school, says: "We very much appreciate World
Vision's support of our plan to renovate the pond. My grateful
thanks to World Vision for its work in my community."
Cambodia at a glance
Cambodia is slowly recovering from devastation caused by the
Khmer Rouge and civil war. An estimated six million undetonated
landmines still dot the countryside, covering land that could be
used for agriculture and causing hundreds of injuries and deaths
every year.
We very appreciate World Vision's support of our plan to
renovate the pond. My grateful thanks to World Vision for its work
in my community.
- Chan Saren, Koh Andaet community member