| Relief and Development Assistance (RDA) |
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We can help individual children as needs arise, but to effect lasting change we often have to assist the entire community in order to improve the living environment for children. There is almost a direct correlation to poverty and child neglect/abuse in Cambodian communities, so it remains impossible to address one concern without addressing the other. To this end, we created our RDA program specifically to answer the question, “How can we help this community with their immediate needs?” So far we’ve tried to target specific families with vulnerable children. Kone Kmeng provides them with clean water access, health care, clothes, etc. But in an effort to bring permanent development we’ve also implemented family development plans so that families can feed themselves and their communities for years to come. Check back often for updates and pictures from our relief work projects. RDA operates within 4 projects, Shelter, New Hope , Emergency and Clean Water and Sanitation. 1. Shelter In January 2009, we built a house for a widower who is also a grandmother with 3 grandchildren and her daughter who is living with HIV/AIDS. She exclaimed that "we always moved to our neighbor's house for shelter when it rained or the storm came but now we are so happy and feel very safe. In May 2009, we helped build a house for another widow family whose house was destroyed by a rainy windstorm. "After the storm blew the house away, my four grandchildren, my daughter and I had no money to rebuild a new house. We prayed and prayed. Later, the pastor told us that he had a supporter for the house. That's a big hope" said the grandma.
2. New Hope The New Hope project in cooperation with CBN and the National Pediatric Hospital provided free cleft palate and cleft palate operations to 3 children. The project is bringing the new smile and new hope for children is born with cleft lip and cleft palate, so they could have new hope for their better future.
In Nov 2009, there was a drought in Svay Rieng province. In a discussion with pastors, villagers and local authorities, there was a recommendation to drill wells to get water for the rice fields. Kone Kmeng helped to drill 49 wells. It saved 123 hectares of rice fields from drying up. This meant that there were 148 families who could harvest their rice crop in early January 2010. The new wells provided 514 people with food security for 2010.
4. Clean Water and Sanitation
In Svay Rieng, clean water for drinking is one of the most important needs for the poor communities. Kone Kmeng worked with the local churches and local authorities to drill 120 wells (each well was tested for Arsenic, Manganese, Fluoride, Nitrate and E.coli), 120 latrines, and 1000 water filters for people in 5 districts, Svay Chrum, Svay Teab, Romdourl and Svay Rieng district in Svay Rieng province and 1 district in Prey Veng Province. There are 388 families and 2444 people being served by these wells. Among the total number of people, 1289 are children and 23 churches. In 2010 we opened the concrete pipe workshop in order to reduce the expense and strengthen the quality of material that we for latrine building. Community Training on sanitation and hygiene Before we provide those wells, water filters, and latrine, we conduct training for people in community about sanitation and let them share about their community issues and raise the problem of their villages in order to help develop their daily lives. So, after we got information and the main need of their communities and their churches we will be start provide them well, water filter, and latrine.
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