According to the Cambodian Ministry of Rural Development, 25% of Cambodia’s population, or more than 3 million people, lacked access to toilets in 2020. This means, that a quarter of the country’s population still has to defecate in the open, which puts families and children at risk of contracting various diseases and infections.
Access to clean water and proper sanitation are key factors in keeping families healthy, especially in rural areas. Our student Voeng’s aunt’s family was one of those families, that lacked a proper toilet for their family of five. The family only had a small outhouse without a roof to keep them safe from the harsh weather conditions during raining season.
As Voeng is currently focusing on his classes at university, he doesn’t have the means to support his aunt. However, given that he is an orphan, he feels extremely close to his only remaining family members and feels partially responsible for their well-being.
Last year, we helped the family through the construction of a bathroom with a proper toilet and shower, as well as the installation of a water pump to grant a reliable water source. This way, Voeng’s aunt and cousins finally gained access to a proper sanitary facility, which not only betters their daily routines, but also their overall hygiene situation drastically.
Support Cambodian families in need by donating to CYS today!
