This project is made possible through the partnership of WATER CHARITY and the NATIONAL PEACE CORPS ASSOCIATION. 
This project has been completed. To read about the conclusion, CLICK HERE.
Location
Hun Sen Prasat Bakong High School, Siem Reap Province, Cambodia
Community Description
Caring for Cambodia partners with the Cambodian government to provide preschool and K-12 education to over 6,600 children in Siem Reap Province. This project impacts the students, faculty, and community at one of the target high schools, Hun Sen Prasat Bakong High School, reaching more than 1,700 people, including the 930 female students from Grades 7-12 who currently attend the school. Many of these individuals and families live in homes without water and must either purchase or carry in and filter their own drinking, tooth brushing, cooking, and handwashing water supply.
Problem Addressed
There is an immediate need for water filtration and another WASH infrastructure at Bakong High School as the old filter has expired. In addition, there is a shortage of bathroom facilities, for the students, especially to serve the needs of the females.
Project Description
This project is to build a potable water system throughout the school, build 3 new toilets, repair the existing toilets, provide a water filtration system, and renovate the handwashing systems at Bakong High School.
Three new toilets will be built and designated for use by female students, ensuring that they will support menstrual health management. A few repairs will be made to existing toilets and the drainage system as they have worn down over the years.
The old water filtration system will be refurbished, and a new, more sustainable filtration system added, consisting of a bio-sand filter and a UV filter. Local expertise and supplies will be used, with the work being done by a Cambodian bio-sand-filter provider.
PVC will be laid where needed to connect the filtered water to the handwashing stations. The unfiltered water will be directed from the well to the toilets.
The handwashing stations, previously supplied by USAID, will be refurbished and connected to the campus-wide potable water drinking system. Soap will be maintained at each of the handwashing stations to aid in the prevention of diarrhea and other diseases.
The school has already made a financial commitment to this project and has spent $250 to connect its new well to the old filtration system which helps distribute the water across the campus. They will also raise another $75 to show their strong commitment to the health of their students. The filtration company will make another in-kind donation of $200 by discounting their product and the hired labor is also contributing by discounting their regular cost by $47.
Project Impact
1,700 students, in addition to their families, will benefit from the project. The potable water will be made available to the broader community, allowing families who need it to come and access potable water for their families.
Project Administration
Christin Spoolstra, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV), now Deputy Country Director, Caring for Cambodia. To read about the 4 prior projects Christin did with Water Charity, CLICK HERE.
Monitoring and Maintenance
CFC will teach school staff to conduct weekly maintenance and water filter flushing, to ensure that all water on the campuses is clean and healthy. Technicians from Water for Cambodia will test the water quarterly.
Comments
The potable water system is an affordable and sustainable solution to the water and sanitation needs of the school.
Clean, potable water on the campus has a strong and direct impact on the health of the students, directly correlating with their attendance and achievement. Access to clean water and toilets helps stop the spread of transmissible diseases which weaken students over time and can cause them to miss school, fall behind, and eventually make the choice that school is not for them.
Funding
This project has been funded through the generosity of the International Foundation.
If you like this project and wish to contribute to our next project in Cambodia, please donate.
Conclusion of Bakong High School Water Project – Cambodia
Christin reports:
Caring for Cambodia was able to work alongside Hun Sen Prasat Bakong High School and the surrounding community to complete the needed WASH infrastructure at the school.
We switched to a more sustainable filtration system, using local expertise and supplies, and refurbished existing handwashing stations and toilets. We also built a new block of three toilets, exclusively for female students.
Caring for Cambodia will continue to care for the upkeep of these projects, including paying for quarterly water testing at Water for Cambodia and providing soap at the toilets and handwashing stations to aid in the prevention of diarrhea and other diseases.
This project directly improved the lives of all 1,645 students from Grades 7-12 as well as their families and the wider community as the newly potable water is accessible to community members.
During construction, the workers revised their estimate and the new toilets cost $45 less than our projected cost. The construction worker for the new toilets also decided to discount $40 from his normal price to help with the project which was an unanticipated community contribution. As such, with Water Charity’s approval, $85 in funds from Water Charity will be applied to maintenance of the filtration system, including quarterly water testing.
We extend our thanks to Christin for completing this important project.
