Providing Water and Sanitation in Lai Chau Province, Vietnam
A child washing his feet under a water tap provided by Church World Service. Photo: CWS |
In the ethnic minority areas of northern Vietnam -- long an area of focus for Church World Service -- most communities lack adequate water supplies and hygienic latrines. The CWS Water and Sanitation Program is helping to alleviate this problem.
Lai Chau Province is the poorest province in Vietnam. Two of the province's communities, Bum Nua and Bum To communes, are home to 7,400 people (1,271 families) from five ethnic minority groups. CWS is helping to improve the quality of life for these families by providing clean drinking water, expanding health services, and increasing their access to primary and secondary education.
Members of the two communities are working with CWS to install water tanks and filters, drill and dig wells, and build hygienic latrine facilities -- all of which is aimed at decreasing the incidence of waterborne disease.
Along with providing clean water, the program is emphasizing information campaigns and specific training on good health practices for the communities' students.
CWS's local partner in this work is the Muong Te District People's Committee, which is working with CWS to improve its capacity for implementing and managing development projects.
Your support for CWS helps to make this and other efforts to provide clean water and sanitation possible.
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Updated 3/16/2007
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