CAMBODIA WATER/HIGIENE PROJECT

Mission: Give 320 students access to clean drinking water and the opportunity to wash their hands after using the restroom.  

Thanks to some great friends we were introduced, via email, to a Cambodian man called Samnang Sok. Samnang is a Buddhist monk who became our local and key contact for this project. Through his help we were able to find a rural school to support, Thlok Tram Kang primary school. The school has about 320 students and nine teachers, whom teach grade levels one through six Monday through Saturday. It is located about 3 hours outside a large city called Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Interestingly, from a far the school is quite beautiful. It isn’t until you start looking at the details that you notice how severely deprived it is. For example, the students lacked some of the most basic needs in this world: easy access to clean drinking water; a place to wash their hands after using the restroom; and almost one third of all the students walked barefoot for most of their lives.

Our goal for this project was straightforward… to significantly improve the lives of these students, while at school! And together, thanks to donors like yourself we were able to accomplish the following: installed two new bio-sand water filters for clean drinking water access and build a rugged low maintenance washing station next to the restroom. We also donated: 110 sandals for all the 85 barefooted students and gave away; 200 plastic bowls and stainless steel spoons; various kitchens supplies like a big metal table, a large school size cooking pot, multiple storing and organizing containers, large serving spoons, etc.; 11 new trash cans—all sizes; a year’s supply of soap; specialized concrete paint and brushes for their well pad; soccer and volleyballs; and U.S. donated clothing to about 15 small children.

All in all, the total project cost was $1,250 and took about 2.5 days to complete. The project directly helped 320 students, nine teachers, and about 15 small children whom received the U.S. donated clothing.

Please click here to learn more about the purchased bio-sand water filters through the non-profit charity Trailblazer Foundation.

Donate for future projects at: Donate to Mission McNeill