In a quiet pocket of rural Cambodia, daily life now moves with a sense of calm. Birds sing above cassava leaves. Children laugh as they walk to school. The dust still rises underfoot, but the worry in one family’s home has begun to settle.
That calm came slowly—one small change at a time.
Sarn, a mother of five, remembers how it used to be. Despite her best efforts to boil water and keep her home clean, her children were constantly sick with waterborne diseases like cholera and typhoid. Some days they were too weak to go to school. She spent hours walking to collect water they desperately needed, only to wonder if it was making her family worse.
“In the past, our children did not go to school regularly due to sickness from drinking unclean water,” she said. “Now we no longer have stomach issues, and other sicknesses have been reduced as we drink from our water filter.”
Her husband, Run, lives with a speech disability, but expresses his devotion in action—working the rice and cassava fields with quiet consistency. Together, they support a full household, including a daughter and grandson who still live at home. But without knowledge of safe hygiene practices, they couldn’t protect what mattered most: their health.
Learning Healthy Habits That Last
That changed when Water for Good brought more than just clean water into their lives.
Along with a nearby hand pump, the family received hygiene and sanitation training from a local WASH facilitator. Sarn learned how to filter water properly, wash hands at critical moments, build and maintain a latrine, and keep her compound clean. These weren’t just suggestions—they were practical, sustainable habits that helped her regain control of her family’s health.
Today, their home looks and feels different. The compound is tidy and organized. The latrine is well maintained. Tools are stored off the ground. Even the chickens have their own small coop. Handwashing is part of daily life now—not because anyone checks, but because Sarn knows it matters.
“I usually keep all the tools and compound clean so that we stay healthy and don’t have to spend unnecessary expenses on medical treatment,” she said.
Sarn in front of her improved latrine
A Future Built on Health and Hope
The results of their new habits speak for themselves. The children are healthier and have fewer clinic visits. The family spends less money on medicine and more time working in the fields. They’re no longer stuck in survival mode—they’re moving forward.
This is what transformation looks like. Safe, clean water opened the door, but learning how to protect that water—and how to care for their environment—gave Sarn and Run the power to rewrite their future.
Thanks to the generosity of donors to Water for Good’s work, Sarn no longer fears the water she gives her children. She no longer faces the impossible choice between food and medicine. Her family’s well-being is no longer out of reach. “Now we live healthy lives,” she says
It’s a simple sentence, but it reflects deep change—change that came through tools, training, and a chance to build something lasting. Your support helps bring knowledge, dignity, and opportunity to families just like Sarn and Run’s. Together, we’re not just delivering water—we’re investing in the kind of change that lasts for generations.
By Misgana Godito
Global Development Manager
