World Vision Responds to Flooding in Cambodia Focusing on Hygiene, Food Security, and Child Protection

Cambodia, October 09, 2013: Heavy rains since the 3rd week of September have resulted in floods in at least 16 provinces throughout the north-west and along the Mekong River in central and southern Cambodia. The flooding has seriously affected 6 provinces where World Vision is working; Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Siem Reap, Kampong Thom, Preah Vihear and Takeo.

In response, World Vision is providing relief based on the greatest needs of those most affected. In Banteay Meanchey and Battambang province, where heavy flooding is threatening the livelihood of thousands of people, World Vision is helping evacuate people to non-flooded areas such as pagodas and schools. At evacuation points, World Vision is providing shelter and child-friendly spaces for children - centers where children learn about hygiene, child protection, prevention from drowning through playing games and other fun activities that help them deal with the trauma caused by the flooding.

“We are distributing food items, water filters and water purification sachets, installing latrines and rubbish bins in the non-flooded areas where people move to,” says Jason Evans, World Vision Cambodia’s National Director, adding that this support is preventing people, especially children, from malnutrition and diarrhoea.

During the period of severe flooding, safety for children is paramount. Because of the disaster preparedness training conducted in World Vision staff and youth clubs throughout the country, World Vision staffs and youth are now providing lessons to children and parents on how to prevent children from drowning.

“An important area of our intervention is the work we do with young children”, adds Jason Evans, “in our child-friendly spaces they learn about the dangers of flood waters and how to avoid drowning and snake bites”.

Evacuated with his wife and 3 children, 33 year old Chhom Saray is one of 750 families who were evacuated to Kiri Chum pagoda in Sakream Commune, Bannan district, Battambang province. Saray said his family and other evacuees faced a lot of difficulties before the presence of World Vision in the area.“We had no clean water to drink, and there was no latrines for the hundreds of families here, “ says Chhom, adding that his children got sick living in the area. “However, things changed after the presence of World Vision”, he said, “We now have clean water to drink, to bathe in, and to wash our clothes with”. Chhom says that he is also happy to see World Vision building latrines and leaving rubbish bins for them to use.

So Socheath, World Vision’s Manager for Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs says, “right now, we are in the immediate response phase. We are cooperating with local authorities and NGOs to provide much needed support to those who were evacuated to higher ground, focusing our emergency relief on the most affected households. We continue to monitor the situation and expect it will be another two weeks until the water recedes enough for people to return home.”

“We haven’t received the final data specifying the cost and damage to community cash crops, rice fields and infrastructure yet as the water is still too high. Following this we will work with Provincial Department of Agriculture and Provincial Development Rural Department to help those most affected farmers restore their livelihoods in align with our national strategy for the continued development of Cambodia,” So Socheath explains.

Statistics: (As of October 09, 2013)

• 104 fatalities
• 16 provinces and 1.5 million people affected, 60,000 people evacuated
• 1,220 schools, 50 health centres, 760 pagodas flooded
• World Vision distributed 700 x 20-Litre water bottles, 209,440 water purification packs, 100 rubbish collections points, 50 latrines, 4 x 3,000-Litre water containers, 10 child-friendly spaces

For media inquiries, contact:

Mr. Hong Channpheaktra, Media Officer, World Vision Cambodia Tel: 012 672 732, Email: channpheaktra_hong@wvi.org