How The Project Started
Our project began back in 2009, when a group of friends decided to take concrete action to help improve the hygiene and sanitary conditions of the most vulnerable Cambodian families. Believing that health and education are fundamental factors in achieving this goal, the Clean Water and School for All project was born. Initially focused on the provinces of Pursat, Siem Reap, Kampong Thom, and Kampong Chham, the project is now active in the province of Kampong Chhnang, about a two-hour drive from the capital.
Activities Description
The project unfolds through the following activities:
- Medical check-ups:
At the beginning and at the end of the project, children undergo medical examinations and blood tests. These medical screenings allow us to highlight the significant benefits that our activities bring to the community, particularly in terms of health.
- Well construction:
In line with the agreement with the Ministry of Social Affairs, Il Nodo commits to building at least one well every year to support the communities we work with.
- Water filters distribution:
One of the main activities is the distribution of filters for water purification. These filters are an essential tool for families, helping them protect their health and improve their living conditions. To ensure their effective use, we carry out quarterly inspections for the entire duration of the project.
- Hygiene course:
To ensure that our beneficiaries fully understand the importance of living in a healthy and clean environment, we organize targeted courses aimed at improving their hygiene habits. During these sessions, families acquire new knowledge and skills, reviewing their daily practices and adopting healthier lifestyles.
With adults, we address crucial hygiene-related topics such as personal, household, food, and sexual hygiene. We also train parents on the prevention of transmissible diseases such as HIV and malaria, and we inform them about the dangers of lightning during the rainy season, offering practical advice on how to protect themselves.
Children, on the other hand, develop greater awareness through the reading and performance of The Veil of the Queen of the Fish, a fairy tale written especially for us by Marilia Albanese and illustrated by Maurizio Dotti.
- Distribution of school supplies for children:
In rural areas, it is common for families to withdraw children from school early so they can help support the household economy. The project includes targeted support activities to ensure that children can continue their studies with the assistance of their families. Every year we distribute school supplies, ensuring that each child has the resources needed to succeed in school.
- Monitoring children’s school attendance
and progress
Periodic distribution of food and hygiene kits:
The project provides each household with food and personal and household hygiene products. This distribution helps improve the children’s diet, making it more varied and nutritious, and supplies essential hygiene products that would otherwise be difficult to obtain.