Czech acting ambassador Vlastimil Tesar (second from left) said clean water and sanitation in Cambodia is a priority. Photo supplied
The Embassy of the Czech Republic in Cambodia is launching a four-year project to improve water and sanitation to help 9,662 families in two districts in Kampong Chhnang province.
Samaki Meanchey and Teuk Phos districts will gain access to clean water and toilets through the initiative.
This project started in July and is expected to be completed by September 2023. It will help 45 target villages in eight communes.
A Czech Embassy press release issued on Tuesday said the water and sanitation project is focused on 16 primary schools where students will be educated on good hygiene practices. The selected schools will receive new sources of drinking water and sanitation facilities.
The project will work with the private sector in the region and provide training to water supply staff. An initial feasibility study, including a detailed assessment of current drinking water sources and the design of technical solutions, will be conducted by a team of Czech experts.
Acting Charge d’Affaires of the Czech Republic Vlastimil Tesar said clean water and sanitation in Cambodia is a priority for the Czech Republic, and the country considers the supply of safe drinking water a crucial element of public health.
“If the water doesn’t meet appropriate quality standards, it can cause very serious health issues. Moreover, sanitation and proper hygiene are essential to avoid many kinds of communicable diseases.
“Especially now, with the pandemic, proper hygiene practises can help to keep the people safe and healthy,” Tesar said.
The $1 million project, he said, is the 17th hygiene and water project carried out by Czech non-profit Diaconia ECCB-Centre, Czech company G-servis and the Czech University of Life Sciences. The Czech team will work in close cooperation with a long-term Cambodian partner Life with Dignity (LWD).
The Kampong Chhnang Provincial Hall held a workshop on Tuesday on the implementation of the water and sanitation project 2020-2023 attended by Tesar and Kampong Chhnang provincial deputy governor Am Sophea.
Roughly 80 per cent of Cambodians have access to latrines and 65 per cent access to clean water, while the country aims to have 100 per cent access to clean water and sanitation by 2025, said the Ministry of Rural Development.
