Major thoughts about our health

One of DPA’s activity plans focused on health education and sanitation is the Integrated Community Development programme in Stung Treng province (ICD-ST). In 2012, this programme provided 10 latrines to 10 households who live in Kamphun village, Kamphun commune and Phluk village, Phluk commune, Sesan district, Stung Treng province.

Mr. Hong Kimly, a team leader of ICD-ST programme, said “The preparation and constructing of latrines is a crucial project designed to improve sanitation and health status and added more value to people’s lifestyles, particularly the female members of each family. Additionally, this can help reduce impact from open defecation.”

Mrs. Song Chandai said “Previously, my family did not have a latrine and we all used my parents’ latrine which made it difficult for so many people to use only one latrine.”
Mrs. Song Chandai, aged 32, lives in Kamphun village, Kamphun commune, Stung Treng province and is a village health agent in the village. In this pilot project, DPA-ICD-ST provided her with materials such as zinc, sand, gravel and wooden wall and her family contributed labour and other available materials for the construction of latrines.

“After the latrine was built, I noticed that all family members were satisfied because it responded to our needs,” she said. “It is important to have a latrine in the house, because we no longer have to go into the forest where we sometimes were bitten by insects.”

Mrs. Chandai, would like to thank DPA-ICD-ST and their funding partner, SCIAF, for their support to poor families. Since this activity contributes to poverty alleviation in her village, she committed to spread the importance of latrine use to other villagers in her village.