In the riverside village of Ek Phnom District in Battambang Province, Cambodia, 11-year-old Linda is a Grade 4 student at Peam Seima Primary School. Her community lies in a floating area near the Sangkae River, where floods often disrupt daily life. Many families depend on river water for drinking, cooking, and washing, but without proper treatment, this often leads to illness.
For years, Linda and her family suffered from diarrhea, vomiting, and skin problems. Clean water was hard to find, and there were no proper places to wash hands.
“We didn’t have a good way to wash our hands, and my family got sick a lot,” Linda said.
Things change when Good Neighbors Cambodia, through the Ek Phnom Community Development Program (CDP), partnered with the school to install a new handwashing facility and teach hygiene education. Teachers and staff worked together to help students understand the importance of washing their hands before meals and after using the toilet.
The results were transformative. Today, 243 students (including 110 girls) and their teachers have access to clean water for handwashing. According to school reports, 95 percent of students now wash their hands with soap before meals, and nearly all consistently wash after using the toilet. Teachers have also integrated hygiene lessons into their daily curriculum, ensuring that good habits are practiced and maintained.
“The handwashing station helps us stay healthy and is very good for our future,” Linda shared with a smile.
Linda’s health and confidence have greatly improved. She now practices handwashing every day and has become a role model at home and in her community.
“I can teach my brothers, sisters, and even other children in my community to wash their hands,” she said.
For families in flood-prone areas like Ek Phnom, these changes have been life-changing. Fewer illnesses mean more children can attend school, parents can focus on work, and communities can thrive in healthier, cleaner environments.
“The new handwashing facility makes me happy and makes me healthy,” Linda said proudly.
While handwashing habits among children in Peam Seima Primary School have improved, more support is still needed. Hygiene materials and a clean water system remain top priorities to protect children’s health and strengthen the community’s resilience. By continuing to invest in programs like these, we can help more children like Linda grow up healthy, confident, and full of hope.
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Good Neighbors is a global NGO dedicated to improving the lives of children and communities in over 50 countries.
Good Neighbors has held a General Consultative Status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) since 1996.
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