Construct water wells for Cambodian villages

In 2016, after conducting a baseline assessment of Dang Tong, Totung and Khcheay Khang Tboung communes at Dang Tong district in Kampot province, we found the area ‘drought prone’ and suffering from lack of clean, readily available, potable water.

After establishing Well committees and connections with local governance in 6 villages, we sent the drilling crew in to drill the wells.  Much to the profound disappointment of the almost 400 villagers, we were not able to establish wells due to the ground being too rocky. The contractor expressed that the hard rock would break his equipment. We decided to change the locations back to Chuuck District where we’d established many wells in the previous year and found the ground suitable for the equipment we were working with.

However, it was our intent all along to bring clean water to the wonderful community of Dang Tong. We knew the families at Dang Tong were desperate and disappointed so we approached Mujin from Douglas A. Campbell Foundation. Being one of Lotus Outreach’s most loyal donors she immediately agreed to funding those 6 wells in Dang Tong even at the extra cost required to bring in bigger machinery capable of drilling into difficult rock stratum.

In March 2017 we visited most of the well sites, some of them complete and a couple that waiting for concrete and the pumping device. Meeting the families that make up the well committees was beautiful beyond our expectations. They shared the suffering and hardship they had endured for years. Each day they struggled to gather enough water only for cooking and drinking.

In our best effort to connect you with these vibrant and valiant communities, we have brought you these stories that document the hardship and the extraordinary joy and relief in having clean, drinkable water right on your doorstep…

The villagers of Tropeang-Weng West Village were assembled when we arrived so we sat down to chat in order to get to know their situation better. Dispersed in the crowd was the water management committee.  The water management committees are set up as part of the program logic to ensure the community resource is properly cared for in terms of cleaning, maintenance and to ensure everyone in the village gets access to the water resource.

Most of the well committees are comprised of women as the men are often away working in the cities or foraging for livelihood materials in forests. On this occasion, we were provided lively responses from three women. Here is what they said...

55 years of age, Ang Reut tells us, “I’ve been carrying loads of water every day of my life since I was a girl. It is very, very hard, I cannot tell you how hard my life has been (due to lack of water).  I get up at 6am and carry loads of water till I have to make lunch (around 11am) I cover the bucket with leaves so the water doesn’t splash out. “I feel pain in my chest when I carry heavy loads."

56 years of age, Ngor Ruen confirms Ang’s testimony; “I’ve also carried water in the same way, every day since I was 16, some 40 years!!!  My shoulders are numb; I have no feeling across my shoulders any more."

A third woman, Sevran, 56 year of age, tells us with tears in her eyes, “I’ve also been carrying two and three loads of water over 5 kms, two buckets either side of a bamboo yoke, every day since I was married.”….

We joke about the menfolk not being around to do the work and which brings some hilarity and lightness back to the mood of the meeting. They are all simply amazed and cannot believe we came back to finish the job after so many stops and starts and especially after being told in the middle of the previous year, the equipment we had access to could not drill a well for them. Their joy is overwhelming.

Thank you to the donors who support these communities. As you can see, your impact is immense and life changing.