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Water and Sanitation
The water and
sanitation program provides clean water system and latrines
to Pre Schools and
Primary Schools in the provinces of Ha
Tay, Thai Nguyen, and Bac Lieu. In addition, clean water
systems are provided in clinics, district health centers and
district hospitals in Long An Province.
In the year 2004, 55
water systems and latrines have been built for schools and
health clinics.
The program directly benefits over 580,000
people.
Focus on schools
It is estimated that over 77% of schools in Vietnam do not
have adequate toilet and water facilities.
Children are
accustomed to using the surrounding land as a public toilet
which causes environmental
pollution. CWS provides septic
toilet systems with several water taps in schools, along
with training for
use and maintenance. Students learn the
importance of using the toilet, keeping the toilet clean,
and
simple hygiene behaviors like hand washing. Toilets are
also built to be “child friendly” with smaller steps
for
younger children and bright colored pictures pained on the
facilities.
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“I
like the new latrine, because it is cleaner and it
has no bad smell.”
– Ho Phuong Hoa, 8
years old, in Tan Linh, Ba Vi.
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“I
like the way the new latrine has the mark “men”
& “women”, so that my friends and I know
which room is for boys, which one is for girls.”
– Nguyen Lang Thu
Hang – 8 years old, Thai minority, in Tan Linh, Ba
Vi.
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Focus on
Health Clinics
In Long An province, access to clean water is a challenge.
The Province is located in the Mekong
Delta and is crossed
by a dense system of rivers and canals. Many areas are
submerged by floods for about 3 months each year, and
experience a high incidence of water related diseases such
as diarrhea, cholera,
and typhoid. Despite so much water, as
few as 8% of the population have access to clean water.
Health
clinics and hospitals are facing the double burden of
treating patients with water related diseases, without
their
own access to clean water. CWS provides clean water filter
systems to commune health clinics and
district hospitals,
with training in maintenance and sustainability. Some water
filter systems have been
built with the capacity to provide
water for surrounding households, increasing the benefits of
the program.
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