In addition to the other community development programs, Sustainable Cambodia’s Healthcare Programs plays an important role in the sustainability of a community. The Healthcare Programs focus on facilitating community health education and training. We provide sustainable community health education and training, work on monitoring community health, and assist in linking community members with medical professionals outside the community. As the health of a community is dependent upon the health of its members, the Healthcare Programs are essential in improving the quality of life in the communities. The current Healthcare Programs include:
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Hygiene Training: Educating community members on basic health and hygiene matters
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Latrines: Reducing the contamination of human fecal matter in local water supplies
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Community Preschool Supplements: Providing food to the typically malnourished community children.
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Days for Girls
Hygiene Training
The Hygiene Training Program follows the notion that information is power. The unhygienic practices of some community members tend to arise from a lack of knowledge. When informed of the health risks involved of certain activities, community members have, for the most part, changed their habits. It is for this reason that the Hygiene Training Program strives to educate community members on basic sanitation and hygiene practices.
Latrines
The Latrine Program works in conjunction with the Wells and BioSand Filters Programs to ensure clean water by reducing or eliminating the contamination of human fecal matter in local water supplies. While the latrines are built for individual households, it is often the community that works together to build each latrine in a cooperative effort. A majority of the costs and materials are provided by SC. Roofs, walls and doors however, are expected to be provided by the participating community members. This fosters a sense of ownership and accomplishment in the community members. It also follows SC’s tenant of empowering, instead of creating dependence, in the communities in which it is involved.
Community Preschool Supplements
This program came into existence after SC staff noticed that a majority of the children participating in the Community Preschool Program were malnourished. The Community Preschool Food Supplement Program, therefore, seeks to overcome the general lack of income and nutritional education of the communities to fulfill the dietary needs of the preschool children. Implemented by the Community Development Committee and supported by SC staff, the Community Preschool Food Supplement Program has proven to be an effective way to reduce malnourishment among the communities’ children.
Days for Girls
Days for Girls are another important project of SC’s Healthcare Program. Many young girls miss school due to their monthly cycles of period, and with this project, many young girls are provided menstrual kits and education. The kits and education help with lowering the absence of school attendance as well as leading to higher education and good student’s future.
