Involving Cambodia’s Private Sector in Inclusive WASH

Kim Hor interviews Ms. Dun Chanthou and Mr. Phuong Than, sanitation entrepreneurs! (Thrive Networks)

Ms. Dun Chanthou and Mr. Phuong Than are a husband and wife entrepreneur duo in Pursat province, Western Cambodia, they are also forces for change in inclusive WASH programming! They are part of a growing private sector that is mobilising to bridge the sanitation gap as the business case for accessible toilets for all proves more and more solid.

For the past six and a half years, they have been running a business as a lead local supplier of hygienic latrines. Recently, they have been able to use their professional background and entrepreneurial skills to reach out to poor and vulnerable households (those with very low income earning capacity who are facing additional marginalisation barriers, such as physical disability, which are categorised as "GESI"). Ensuring we reach the most vulnerable within communities is a large focus of Water for Women partners, to ensure we leave no one behind.

In 2017, only 15% of the poorest quintile in Cambodia had access to basic sanitation compared to 92% of the richest quintile[1], highlighting the need for increased access to sanitation among poor and GESI poor households in order to close the sanitation gap.

For the first half of 2020, Ms. Dun Chanthou and Mr. Phuong Than have been teaming up with our partner, Thrive Networks and local stakeholders to help fund and build latrines for 3,049 poor households and 1,160 GESI poor households across Pursat province. However, as we know, it's not only about the toilet infrastructure, but the systems and people that surround them.

It was not enough to simply build more latrines. To ensure that the latrines would be used (and used properly), the team also educated households on latrine use, as well as regular and proper handwashing, and safe drinking water. As a result, the households were able to properly use their hygienic latrines and practice handwashing with soap right away!

A WASH response is a COVID-19 response

Even in the midst of Cambodia’s COVID-19 outbreak, their excellent work did not stop. While meetings were banned, the team were allowed to continue sanitation education by going from door to door.

It's not only about the toilet, but the people and behaviour change education that comes with them, as Ms. Dun Chanthou says,

“I go from household to household with local authorities (commune and village levels) to educate them on the importance of building hygienic latrines every day."

It's not only about the toilets, but the support systems that surround them, as Mr. Phuong Than says of his role,

“I strengthen local authorities (district, commune and village levels) to mobilise households to build hygienic latrines in an effort to reach 90% sanitation coverage in 2023.”

Further advancements were made in June, when the team received online training on the construction and use of double pit latrines for faecal sludge management (FSM) onsite treatment – a pathway to achieving safely managed sanitation (the next aim after achieving basic sanitation). Armed with this new knowledge, the team began to offer the construction of double pit latrines and upgrades to existing single pit latrines.

The collaboration between Thrive and Ms. Dun Chanthou and Mr. Phuong Than has been invaluable in moving safely managed sanitation forward in these communities. Ms. Dun and Mr. Phuong acknowledge the value of the partnership in strengthening their work.

“Our work with Thrive under WOBA was a significant change that enabled us to closely partner with local authorities to support GESI poor and poor households across Pursat province.”

And of course the tireless work of this dynamic duo is helping to close the sanitation gap in Pursat Province for the people who need it most and are even more vulnerable during this global pandemic.

[1] WHO/UNICEF: JMP report- Progress on household drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (2000-2017)