iDE in Cambodia

Strengthening and sustaining sanitation gains and beyond in climate-vulnerable Cambodian communities

From 2023 to 2024 Water for Women partnered with iDE to deliver CR-WASH-SUP — Climate-Resilient Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Scale-Up Program to reach 19,500* people living in rural areas of Cambodia’s Siem Reap Province, and to strengthen socially inclusive water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) markets and systems to ensure sustainability beyond the life of this project. This project was an extension of WASH-SUP2 (2018 to 2022). iDE's Water for Women project finished delivery in December 2024.

Partner: iDE – International Development Enterprises

Locations: Siem Reap Province, Cambodia

Focus areas: Climate-resilient sanitation for climate-vulnerable communities, powering entrepreneurs to sustain sanitation gains and government capacity building

iDE Cambodia’s WASH project successfully demonstrated that rural and low-income communities are active participants and decision-makers in the WASH market, and should not be seen solely as recipients of charity or hand-outs. From 2018 to 2024, households in rural Cambodia invested more than AUD 12.6 million in sanitation products offered by iDE-affiliated latrine business owners. The exceptionally low toilet abandonment rate of just 0.1% among toilet owners in six targeted provinces during the Water for Women (WfW) Phase 1 WASH Scale-Up 2 project supports the notion that when individuals invest their own resources, they are more invested in and inclined to sustain positive WASH behavioural changes.

During Phase 1 and the Extension Phase (2023-24), with WfW support, iDE-connected businesses delivered sanitation products to some 78,000 rural households, reaching over 360,000 individuals with improved WASH standards. iDE achieved this through powering a total 117 latrine business owners (LBOs). iDE also supported 1,936 villages to claim open defecation free (ODF) status, contributing significantly towards the Cambodian government’s goal of declaring nationwide ODF in 2025. 

Three generations of proud sky latrine owners. Ms. Chhem and her family, who live along the Tonle Sap Lake in the seasonally flooded Kampong Kleang commune, purchased their first ever toilet, an elevated Sky Latrine, which enables households to use the toilet year-round while preventing faecal sludge from contaminating the lake. Three generations proudly pose with the order form that certifies their deposit payment for the Sky Latrine product. (iDE Cambodia)

Over the seven years of Water for Women, iDE contributed towards improved access to climate-resilient and inclusive WASH for some 662,702 people. An additional 992,722 indirectly benefitted from iDE's project. During the final two-year Extension Phase, the project reached 19,500* people directly.

Demand-driven pro-poor product innovations

Innovation was a hallmark of iDE’s WASH program implementation in Cambodia. Adapting and growing with the rural sanitation market, iDE and iDE-connected businesses went from selling one basic latrine product (the Easy Latrine) and several simple shelter models in 2018, to in 2024 having developed and scaled faecal sludge management (FSM) through the Alternating Dual Pit (ADP), sanitation for the most climate-vulnerable areas through the Sky Latrine and All Seasons Upgrade products, and disability-accommodating latrine shelters through the Interlock Shelter.

At the conclusion of the Extension Phase CR-WASH-SUP project, iDE had laid the foundation for scaling a new FSM service through a successful trial of an on-site latrine pit emptying service. Throughout both WfW phases, iDE delivered a total of:

• 68,965 Easy Latrines
• 8,511 Alternating Dual Pits
• 3,004 improved latrines, including 372 All Season Upgrades in high groundwater and dense soil areas, and 155 Sky Latrines
• 22 On-Site Pit Emptying Services
• 9,408 latrine shelters, including 248 fully disability-accessible latrine shelters
• 23 rainwater harvesting water storage tanks installed to increase water resource management of rural farmers.

“I thought that by partnering with iDE, I could diversify my products and improve my business. Before, I only produced a few items. Partnering with iDE for my latrine business allowed me to contribute to com- munity development by reducing open defecation and improving hygiene. Additionally, I can create jobs for several families in my village.”

Mr. Khut Khon, Latrine Business Owner from Siem Reap

iDE also provided nearly 39,000 targeted partial subsidies to low-income and climate-vulnerable households and developed methods for targeting partial subsidies specifically for climate-vulnerable populations. iDE’s “pro-poor” approach ensured that low-income communities are able to meaningfully and sustainably participate in local WASH markets.

← iDE in Cambodia

Sanitation coverage radically increased in Cambodia

During Phase 1, iDE sold 45,228 Easy Latrines to IDPoor customers, equating to 43% of all sales. During the Extension Phase, iDE sold 897 Easy Latrines to IDPoor customers, equating to 24% of all sales. As a comparison, the Cambodian government estimated that the IDPoor population in iDE operating areas during both phases was around 13% of the total population. The over-representation of IDPoor households supported through iDE’s WfW projects highlights the effectiveness of iDE’s pro-poor targeting, despite implementation being market-driven.

“This [Sky Latrine] is my first toilet. Before, I used to ask my neighbors to use their toilet, but it became more difficult over time. So, I talked with my grandchild about getting our own toilet. I heard from a neighbor in another village that, as an IDPoor household, we could get a subsidized toilet for $100. So, I told my grandchild, "Let's do it." Finally, we got our own toilet, and they [Latrine Business] installed it for us in April 2024. Now, it’s really easy. Now that we have our own toilet for just the two of us, it’s extremely convenient. We can use it anytime, even during the night.”

Ms. Am Roeun, Sky Latrine Client from Kampong Plouk, Siem Reap

A woman explains the importance of proper menstrual health management and disposal to her niece, aided by iDE’s MHM sticker (iDE / Arunima Shrestha)

Having benefited from knowledge sharing, guidance, and partnerships within WfW Since 2018, iDE broadened and deepened its foundation and commitment to gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI). Through WfW, iDE first engaged with SHE Investments to host a gender-focused entrepreneurship incubator with female iDE-connected latrine businesses owners (LBOs).  This extended to the regular coaching of 17 women entrepreneurs to operate their businesses, and  eventually, to the organisational integration of the iDE and SHE teams, which has had an impact far beyond iDE’s WfW WASH program. This partnership supports female and gender-sensitive entrepreneurship programs across iDE’s global portfolio. iDE learnt from WfW about ways to sharpen its focus on disability, having now integrated rigorous disability assessments its monitoring frameworks and product design processiDE also completed two GEDSI-focused trainings with all local iDE staff, which focused on the importance of integrating GEDSI principles into WASH programming and the workplace. Specific topics discussed during the training included effective communication with people with disabilities, GEDSI within the context of climate change, and menstrual health and hygiene.

iDE strengthened it’s Do No Harm policy by expanding its deposit restitution criteria beyond low- income families to include people with disabilities and single-caretakers. This enabled eligible households to cancel their order for any reason at any time without forfeiting their deposit. Some 720 climate-resilient sanitation products were through targeted subsidies and supported LBOs to offer payment installment plans to 387 cash-constrained households (4% default rate). The Interlock toilet shelter design was also updated to become more gender-sensitive by including a disposal bin for period products and a drying rack. The door-to-door sales presentation was also updated to include MHH behaviour messaging.

 

Strengthened systems for lasting impact

iDE supported 69 villages to claim ODF status and coached 115 sub-national local authorities to become sanitation champions (62% women). Twenty latrine business owners, including 18 women entrepreneurs,  engaged in capacity development, and climate resilience mapping and training was conducted in 76 villages.

In flood-prone communes, behaviour change workshops were held with a focus on disaster risk reduction to minimise unsafe practices such as piercing or “flooding out” pits. Participants included 99 local authorities and teachers (39% women). Behaviour change messaging was shared with 24,085 community members through door-to-door presentations by iDE-connected sales agents. Some 30,597staff members were further supported through capacity-building activities.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the flexibility of WfW and iDE’s program structure allowed for quick, effective re-tooling of iDE’s field teams to serve as agents of behaviour change for pro-health practices including social distancing, handwashing, and vaccination. Additionally, iDE’s engagement and transparency at the national level supported the government to more effectively allocate scarce public resources to increase awareness of hygiene practices in rural areas. These efforts were recognised by the Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) to have aided in their fight against the pandemic.

iDE continuously leveraged its experience, research findings, and operational data to inform Cambodian national sanitation policy and guidelines, including two, five-year WASH national action plans and a range of national guidelines on sanitation technology, the national standard operating procedure for FSM, targeted sanitation subsidy guidelines for rural households, national post-ODF strategy, and operating in challenging, climate-vulnerable sanitation environments, among other topics.

Leveraging knowledge and learning to sustain sanitation gains

Through a WfW-facilitated partnership with the University of Technology Sydney – Institute for Sustainable Futures (UTS-ISF), iDE co-developed the WASH Gender Equality Measurement (WASH-GEM) and used data generated from this tool to identify and address unmet gender needs within its team and programming, including on themes like menstrual health.

iDE authored or co-authored 10 published, peer-reviewed journal articles on a wide range of topics including WASH and gender equality, linkages between climate vulnerability and sanitation behaviour, climate-targeted subsidies, FSM behaviours and practices, and technical performance of the ADP product as a rural FSM solution.

Explore:

• PLOS Water - Investigating impacts of gender-transformative interventions in water, sanitation, and hygiene: Structural validity, internal reliability and measurement invariance of the water, sanitation, and hygiene–Gender equality measure (WASH-GEM)  
• Learning brief co-authored with WfW - Menstrual Health: A Critical Cornerstone of Community and Climate Resilience
• Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development - Impact of targeted subsidies on access to resilient sanitation for climate-vulnerable households in rural Cambodia
• Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development - Microbial hazards in real-world alternating dual-pit latrines treated with storage and lime in rural Cambodia
• Journal of Environment, Development and Sustainability article - Effects of climate vulnerability on household sanitation access, functionality, and practices in rural Cambodia
• PLOS Water - Investigating impacts of gender-transformative interventions in water, sanitation, and hygiene: Structural validity, internal reliability and measurement invariance of the water, sanitation, and hygiene–Gender equality measure (WASH-GEM)

“Thus far, I’ve worked on spreading knowledge and awareness to people about hygiene and sanitation, clean drinking water, and solid waste management. In connection with iDE’s sanitation efforts, I have shared the message with villagers of my Ta Chro Nieng village, encouraging them to install and use proper sanitary latrines to prevent open defecation.”

Mr. Mao Tra, Village Chief of Ta Chro Nieng, Kampong Khleang Commune, Siem Reap Province

Reay Sean, a sanitation sales agent with iDE's climate-resilient program in Siem Reap, Cambodia, educates communities on essential sanitation and menstrual health. (iDE Cambodia/ Tet Chan)

Lessons learnt

Collaborative partnerships build trust and strengthen capacities for sustainable outcomes

Establishing strong collaboration, engagement, and ownership from the government, especially at the sub-national level, is key to resilient WASH markets. This coordination ensures alignment with local WASH goals, supports targeting of marginalised households, ensures appropriate product promotion, and builds trust within communities.

The enthusiasm shown by government representatives and teachers who attended iDE’s WASH-climate training of trainers (ToT) sessions reflects the success of capacity-building interventions and sustainability of public-private partnerships to achieve resilient WASH markets. The ToT curriculum utilised visual tools, interactive sessions, and role-playing to effectively teach WASH topics such as safely managed sanitation, child faeces management, and menstrual hygiene management. This empowered Commune Committees for Women and Children (CCWCs) and schools to engage village representatives and students. By focusing on female local government representatives, the program promoted gender-sensitive messaging on menstrual hygiene and handwashing for women and girls in rural areas.

Without safe, climate-resilient sanitation, there is no safe, climate-resilient water

Climate change significantly impacts sanitation systems, with extreme weather events such as floods and droughts damaging sanitation infrastructure and motivating unsafe household sanitation practices. Without addressing the vulnerabilities in sanitation systems, efforts to secure safe water will be undermined, leading to broader health and environmental impacts.

Climate change heightens WASH inequalities for low-income households, women, girls, and people with disabilities

Those most affected by climate change are among the most intersectionality vulnerable and in need of appropriate sanitation solutions. Supporting low-income and climate-vulnerable households through targeted partial subsidies, as well as offering alternative payment instalment plans, can drive market-based sanitation uptake among even the most systemically marginalised communities.

Looking ahead

While basic sanitation coverage in rural Cambodia is now approximately 90%, those not yet reached are among the most socioeconomically and climate-vulnerable in the country. iDE intends to continue working with communities in flood-prone and otherwise climate-challenging environments, including high groundwater and dense soil areas where heavy rain can lead to sanitation system failure. To this end, iDE will continue to work with local businesses to produce and deliver the Sky Latrine and ASU products while continuously iterating on and improving these products.

In rural areas, safe latrine pit emptying services are still virtually absent. As latrine pits fill – many for the first time in the households of millions of new toilet owners – this lack of available emptying services threatens to undo the last decade’s sanitation-related gains in public and environmental health. These risks are exacerbated by climate events, including floods, that can lead to sanitation system failure and overflow of full systems into the environment. iDE will continue to promote the ADP product for on-site faecal sludge management. However, drawing from research and experience gained during Water for Women, iDE is aware that the rural market demands additional FSM services beyond the ADP. Building on a successful trial in the Extension Phase for a new, on-site latrine pit emptying service, iDE will prioritise scaling this service going forward.

Across Cambodia, only 37% of children always use the toilet, increasing malnutrition risks due to inadequate child-friendly sanitation solutions and caretakers' challenges in balancing childcare and work. iDE is exploring options to promote child-safe sanitation products to facilitate earlier access and use of toilets by children

Mr. Mao Tra, Village Chief of Ta Chro Nieng in Siem Reap Province, supports iDE to spread behaviour change messages to his community on sanitation, hygiene, hand- washing and the importance of using latrines to prevent open defecation. (iDE / Kimlong Meng)

*Phase 1 beneficiaries were calculated from those who achieved WASH access. Extension Phase beneficiaries were calculated from those who achieved WASH access as well as climate change outcomes. Totals were determined based on outcomes reported by individual projects. See Our Impact. 

Ms. Ream Savi proudly stands near her newly-in- stalled Sky Latrine, which now allows her family and household members to safely go to a toilet within their household and use their toilet year-round. Credit: iDE / Kimlong Meng