In February 2020, KHT conducted a water, sanitation and hygiene project in one of the most remote communities it has ever worked in, Ban Kong Sum Nua. The village, which is 84km away from the nearest town, is located deep in the forest close to the Thai-Myanmar border. Through the project, KHT constructed a gravity fed water system, installed 30 latrines and conducted hygiene education sessions in the village to help improve the community’s health and well-being.
When returning to the village in January 2021, we spoke with Mr Danai to learn how the project has impacted the community one year on. Mr Danai took part in all construction activities, helping the KHT team to lay the pipeline, construct the water tanks and build the latrines. One year after the project had been completed, Mr Danai told us:
“In the past, our life very hard. We have to collect the water at the well everyday. We use the toilet in the forest and the dogs and pigs follow us when we go to the toilet in the forest. When we receive the project, our life is getting better. We have clean drinking water, we have latrines, and the hygiene is getting better. All of the villagers their life getting better. We don’t have to collect the water from the stream or well anymore, and this means we have more times to do other things, such as farming.”
KHT will be returning to the village in April to conduct a few final hygiene education sessions and ensure that the water system and latrines are functioning as they should. It is great to hear that the project has already had such a transformative effect and we hope that the it will continue to support long-term improvements in the community!