Physical Health Cambodia Project #30537

Improve Health with Clean Water in Rural Cambodia

by Trailblazer Foundation

Improve Health with Clean Water in Rural Cambodia

Project Report | May 11, 2022
Accomplishments Due to Donor Support

By Chris Coats | Executive Director

Perhaps it’s time to give you a brief history of Trailblazer Foundation and its Health Program accomplishments. Work that could not have been accomplished without the generous support of our donors, and we are deeply grateful.

Trailblazer has been in existence 18 years - since April 2004 - and has been working in Siem Reap province, Cambodia since January 2005, when the co-founders moved to Siem Reap to begin making a difference.

Our bio-sand water filter project began February 2006. There has been a minimum of 6,867 filters installed between 2006 and 2021. At an average family size of 5 persons, that means at least 34,335 people have clean drinking water. However, bio-sand water filters are designed to service 15 people. So, depending on how families are clustered, the number of people with clean drinking water could actually be more like 103,005.

Between 2005 and 2021 there has been 1,777 wells drilled. At an average family size of 5 persons, that means a minimum of 8,885 people have access to water for personal and irrigation purposes. Wells can service one to three families depending on how families are clustered, so the number of people with access to water could actually be 26,655.

In 2015 we began constructing latrines, and 369 have been constructed since that time. At an average family size of 5 persons, that means that a minimum of 1,845 people have a dignified, safe, sanitary place to toilet.

Over all, at a minimum, donors have provided 45,065 people with water and sanitation to improve their health and their livelihoods. If you calculate the numbers at the capacity of the products, donors [you] have helped change the life upwards of 131,505 people. That is no small feat!

We thank everyone who has contributed to making such a lasting impact over the years for tens of thousands of poor rural villagers. We encourage you to share Trailblazer to those you know, tell them why you support us, and that they too could be making an impact to last a lifetime.

Success in life is not about what you have achieved, but whether or not you have made a difference. You have been making a difference! Let’s continue making life a bit brighter and better for those in rural Cambodia who have few other options. Thank you.

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Jan 18, 2022
Access to Water Improves Lives

By Chris Coats | Executive Director

Through the years, Trailblazer has collected many stories from beneificiaries of our products and services about how their lives have been changed because of our aid. Here is one such story....

Jomreoun and her family live in a small village in the Pouk district of Cambodia. Access to water is essential to her well being and that of her husband and their child. Like Jomreoun, 12.3 million others in Cambodia do not have access to a piped water supply. This makes up 70% of Cambodia’s total population (World Bank 2015). Instead, Jomreoun’s water came from her father’s house where she would have to walk everyday to collect. She described this water as dirty, it caused her family sickness, requiring them to spend money on medical expenses. Sometimes they experienced shortages of water, which she said wasted time and energy, and increased their health problems.

Jomreoun and her family received a well and biosand water filter from the Trailblazer Foundation in 2017, and since then she reports her life has changed drastically. With a well and filter on her own property, Jomreoun has access to water she describes as clean and good tasting. Her family’s health has improved greatly and they no longer have to spend money on medicine. Her garden has improved with better access and quality of water. With no more water shortages, Jomreoun can use this access to water to drink, cook, bathe her child, and grow her garden without worry.

Reliable and safe access to drinking water is a foundational step for development and wellbeing of rural Cambodian communities. With clean water, illness decreases, enabling children to attend school, and adults to have more time to work and grow food. It allows communities to flourish and achieve higher quality of life.

We sincerely appreciate and thank our donors who give generously to help improve the lives of poor rural Cambodian families and reduce levels of poverty - one family, one community at a time. Your financial gifts truly are making an impact and changing lives.

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Sep 27, 2021
Clean water - life's most basic need

By Chris Coats | Executive Director

Mrs. Un

Having access to water and clean water is vital to life. Water that is contaminated is linked to transmission of diseases and poor sanitation, which exposes people to health risks that would otherwise be preventable. Contaminated drinking water causes hundreds of thousands of people to die each year from diarrhea. Data shows that 8 out of 10 people living in rural areas lack access to water and clean water.

Trailblazer works to reduce the spread of disease and improve health conditions for people living in rural areas by providing access to water through wells, and clean water with biosand water filters.

Below is one story of Mrs. Un and her family who were one of several families that received a biosand water filter and water pump well from Trailblazer in 2021.

Mrs. Un, 61 years old, lives in Kbal Krapeu village, Reul commune, Puok district with her son’s family. This family has four bicycles and one motorbike for transportation, and 10 chickens, which speaks to their level of poverty.

Mrs. Un reported that before they received the well and biosand filter from Trailblazer, they had difficulty getting water to drink and use for cooking. The well they had been using was about 100 meters from their home, and they did not have a filter to use. They used the water directly from the well, and without proper disinfection it made them sick and suffer from diarrhea. Because of this problem, it had an impact on their family's economic status, especially due to the loss of time to earn a living.

Mrs. Un continued saying, that after they attended the Clean Water and Hygiene Training from Trailblazer and received the water pump well and biosand water filter they recognized that their health situation improved and they were less sick with no more diarrhea. They also no longer had problems getting clean and safe water.

Lastly, they are very happy to have had Trailblazer come to their village and give them access to clean water and provide knowledge of body hygiene and sanitation training. They are healthier and happier, thanks to Trailblazer.

drilling a well

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