A future of firsts
This is a story of three-year-old Socheata and her aunt Sarey.
Socheata's mum works long hours to support the family, so the children are cared for by their Aunty Sarey who is also the community kindergarten teacher.
Sarey and Socheata live in a remote community in Kampong Speu Province, central Cambodia. During the long dry season, rainfall is scarce. Seasonal rivers and ponds often dry up, and vegetation becomes sparse.
The available water is precious. There’s no access to piped water, so they rely on an unprotected pond. The water isn’t filtered; it is cloudy and brown. Sometimes there are insects in the water, and in the rainy season, when the floods come, the pond fills with debris.
“I know there are problems by using this water. There is no other choice besides this.
“When using unclean water, the children will get sick and it will affect their health. I am worried about their health.”
Like many families around the world, Socheata’s has no choice but to drink dirty water.
$35 a month can help install water storage tanks for year-round clean water supply in communities like Socheata's.
Every family in Socheata’s community pays a local vendor to pump water from the pond and deliver it by truck. In the dry season, this water dries up, and people must venture further to find what water they can.
The water level in the community pond keeps dropping, and we are concerned about the future.
I am particularly worried about the water quality. There is a risk of contamination from chemical sprays used on mango trees and rice fields. I am very concerned that the water doesn’t meet safety standards.
Socheata loves going to kindergarten. She is quickly learning new things for the first time – like counting, recognising letters of the alphabet, and making her first friends.
Sarey dreams of a future for this little girl; one filled with education, health and opportunity.
I dream of her being a doctor because people keep getting sick in this village and we are in a very remote area. So, I dream for her to finish school and be a doctor for a better future.
She likes to play, is active, naughty but smart. And she loves all types of animals. She hugs them every day.
How you can help
With your support, we can work with communities like Socheata's to install new clean water systems, using technologies like solar-powered bore pumps that draw water from deep underground. Combined with high-capacity water tanks and new pipe networks, this can deliver a year-round supply of safe, clean water.
Help provide a child like Socheata with clean water to live a future of firsts.
One child lost every one and a half minutes.
That’s the global impact of dirty water that hides water-borne diseases and harmful bacteria.
Give a future of firsts, give clean water
Clean water can give children like Socheata the future of firsts they deserve.
Will you join 1,000 other Australians and bring clean water, sanitation and hygiene to communities like Socheata’s?
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