Clean water brings life in all its fullness for children in rural Lao PDR

For generations, accessing water gave a hard time to the rural communities of Xebangfai district, Khammouane Province. Children and women walking kilometres to collect water, carrying the heavy buckets filled up with muddy, unclean water from the stream, and repeating it all over again, few times a day, was part of the families’ regular burden.

Since the Access to Water to Fight Against COVID-19 Project started in Xebangfai district, its impact on the communities’ daily life has been crucial. Aimed to provide new sustainable access to clean water, the project supported seven communities to build water supply systems and connect them directly to the households.

Communities building their own water system, with the support of the project.

This new access to clean water means better ways to protect against communicable diseases, including COVID-19. Communities and children have a new, improved source of water to practise handwashing. Kham (red/blue shirt) and Soulaphone (black and white) got it right: “we can play in the muddy soil, but now the water tap will make our hands clean” say the two children. 

Kham and Soulaphone enjoy washing their hands with the new tap providing clean water near their house.

“My house is near the stream so we could fetch shorter than other families” says 9-year-old Adai, whom family benefitted from the new water system of the village. Adai is a helpful boy who likes to water the plants and crops of the household’s garden: “now I don’t need to carry the heavy buckets of water to take care of the vegetables, and repeat it over and over again. I just need to turn on the tap and the water flows in the garden!” says the boy.

Now I can have time to play with my friends and learn. I love it. 

Like Adai, Kham and Soulaphone, an estimated 3,396 individuals have benefitted from the project funded by the EDF Foundation and implemented by World Vision in Lao PDR. For the children and their community, this new access to clean water brings new hopes for brighter futures and becomes a life-changer, saving them time, energy they can spend in enjoying life in all its fullness.