It is about 75 km far from the center of Hue city, Quang Nham is a mountainous commune of A Luoi district, with the population of 4.525 people in 1.225 households. The main ethnic are TaOi, and Paco, made up 97% of the population.
Poor sanitation is one of the challenges for local people and local authorities in Quang Nham commune. According the latest survey run by Hearts for Hue and Quang Nham’s People Committee, there are 64 % of households of this commune still forced to use homemade latrines, made from temporary materials or defecate directly into waterways. The problem is exacerbated during the rainy season when human excrement is drawn out of the homemade latrines. This has affected the environment and the health of local people, with the incidence of mange, conjunctivitis and diarrhoea higher in these communities than elsewhere in Viet Nam.
Therefore, under the sponsorship of PiCCA, Hearts for Hue in collaboration with Quang Nham People’s Committee implemented the project “Promoting hygiene and sanitation in Quang Nham commune” to improve the health and living conditions of the families who are directed beneficiaries, and to end the practice of open defecation in the community.
Over the past 12 months, the project has achieved remarkable outcomes which demonstrate that the project achieved its objectives.
To find out whether project activities resulted in the residents having a quality latrine system, after the construction finished, we conducted visit trips of all project participants. From these trips, 100% of residents reported that the project had resulted in increased residents’ access to quality latrine system. In detail, 15 latrine system having shower and bathing area were constructed for 15 households benefited 75 inhabitants especially women and children. These constructions were successfully completed thanks to the financially support of constructional material from PiCCA, the establishment of a local professional team to assist the construction technique together with contribution from 30 manpower provided a training course on latrine construction and maintaining by project.
For a community level: The project not only improves the environmental issues but also assists Quang Nham Commune increase the rate of households having appropriate latrines, which partly meet the new national building standards for rural areas. An appropriate latrine is taken as a great example for the others neighborhood to create a duplicate.
Additionally, it was reported that 03 WASH training courses had enhanced awareness about water, sanitation and hygiene of 50 local officers, village headers and teachers as well as over 100 children who directly attended these trainings. As they have accessed clean water and quality latrine system, they have applied what they learned from the training to their daily life. Some examples we received from residents while we were completing the survey, is that now the children noticed to wash their hands after using toilet. They have created a personal hygiene routine for them including toilet hygiene, shower hygiene, nail hygiene, teeth hygiene, sickness hygiene and hand hygiene.
For a community level: The project provided capacity building and technical assistance for not only 15 beneficiaries but also the local authority staff. Through the group meetings, they encourage the other residents to change behavior, attitudes and practices on handwashing, personal hygiene and food preparation.
On behalf of local authority and the residents, Hearts For Hue would like to express our deep gratitude to the PiCCA and its members for your tremendous contribution to the ethnic minority community in Hue, Vietnam
Hearts For Hue.