Clean water for hundreds of villagers in Cambodia

The following is a postcard from Charissa Murphy, GlobalGiving's In-the-Field Representative in Southeast Asia, about her recent visit to the Trailblazer Foundation in Cambodia.

The basic necessities of life: Food, water, shelter, clothing. Education isn't one of them, but why not? Because if children are hungry, ill from unclean water, or fragile and weak from the environment's forces, their ability to be present and learn is significantly diminished.

This is how the Trailblazer Foundation (TF) began its focus on providing the people in Cambodia with access to water. As surprising as it may be, considering the distances to target villages are not from the highly-touristed Angkor Wat boutique hotels, the same limitations to these basic needs still exists prevalently for people in Cambodia today. At four different villages I had the opportunity to ask some of TF's beneficiaries about their lives. I wanted to capture an idea of what life was like for them before they were provided access to water and now after they received a well and/or bio-sand water filter. After hearing some of their stories, it was clear that the transformation the filters and wells has on the villagers' lives means they (we!) need to keep reaching more and more people, families, and communities there. Many people in Cambodia are still limited to dirty, unsafe water, causing them to frequently be ill. Basic needs are still not being met everywhere, but village-by-village TF is supporting the villagers to create more sustainable practices and methods of health and income.

48, Female, mother of 2 (1 deceased during Khmer Rouge), husband left her after 2^nd son birth

Before:  I used to have to walk very far for water. I lost a limb in the Khmer Rouge, which makes it difficult.

Now: I still have to carry water, but now I have a well and filter at my house, so the distance is much shorter and easier for me. My home garden has also grown, increasing my income and giving me more of a reason to live. (It was touching, yet heartbreaking, to hear that she didn’t feel she had much to live for, and now after receiving access to water she feels happier and with purpose).

61, Male, father of 6

Before: We used to take at least one family member to the hospital every day for illnesses.

Now: If I think really clearly, in the five years since receiving the bio-sand filter, my family and I have never been to the hospital, even the commune hospital. [Never in the five years. Incredible.]

After my visit with TF and speaking with various villagers, I'm confident that the donations you all have provided to them are truly impacting the lives of so many in Cambodia. The needs unfortunately haven't changed much, which makes it clear that there are greater governmental and systemic issues. Until those are resolved, the Khmer still need support.

I was also so inspired by TF that I asked to stay a month longer to help support them as a direct volunteer. My focus was on providing capacity-building assistance on the village fund micro-financing program, helping to create a way for volunteers to stay connected with TF and other volunteers (join the Trailblazer Foundation Volunteers Facebook group if you have ever volunteered for TF!), and documenting villager stories.

Trailblazer is truly changing the lives of villagers one village at a time, and there are still more villages to reach, as well as conducting maintenance and replacements of previously delivered filters. Thank you all for your support!

Upcoming Event on GlobalGiving – TODAY, this Wednesday, July 16th, is a Bonus matching day!:

Today, July 16th (Wednesday), beginning at 9AM EDT, GlobalGiving will match 40% of any donations (of up to $1,000 from any individual donor) to Trailblazer Foundation. There are $130,000 in total funds available for matching that day for all of GlobalGiving’s partners. To ensure your donation is matched before the funds run out, please consider donating early today shortly after 9AM.