Ha Lam Commune is one of the poorest rural communes of Ha Trung District, Thanh Chemistry province with a population of about 4,300 people. Due to geographical and economic conditions, the villagers of Ha Lam for decades ago have faced serious water and health issues: there is no safe water for everyday use. The daily source of water used by people is rainwater, water well drilling, however these water sources are contaminated by air, dirt and feces from birds, animals and insects, due to sewage, agricultural waste and flooding during the rainy season, and groundwater contaminated with metals and salinity. As the quality of water does not guarantee the students and teachers of the four points in Ha Lam have to buy bottled water for daily use for the purpose of living and dining.
The project “Local Vietnamese activities for environmental health” was implemented and deployed by the Institute of Population, Health and development (PHAD), under the funding of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). During the 6 month period, from March 3 to Sep 2019, the project worked with the people of the Ha Lam, local government and other local private units to build 04 drinking water supply systems for 04 School locations: 02 Pre-school, 01 Elementary School and 01 Middle School of Ha Lam commune. The project also supports construction of 01 small-scale water supply system with capacity of 40m3/day, sufficient water supply for 110 residential households 5, Thon Chu Bridge, ha Lam commune. Education and awareness activities such as the “Journey of Water ambassador” media programs, mobile communications, “Day of clean water and health” health check-up programs and periodic loudspeaker broadcasts have been implemented to help people understand the importance of clean water and environmental hygiene to prevent infectious diseases through water.
Through the project, 654 students and teachers, officials of the 04 school of Ha Lam Square and 61 residential cluster 5 households have been using clean water. Previously, Ha Lam villagers did not know that rainwater and well drilling water were not safe for use for daily living. But now, the use of clean water has improved everyone’s life.
With the clean water supply model in Ha Lam commune, ha Trung district, Thanh Chemistry Province, the project “Local Vietnamese activities for environmental health” continues to expand in other provinces with the aim of supporting about 20,000 people in remote areas of Vietnam’s rural and deep regions, through an effective expansion of partnerships and mobilizing resources To improve environmental access and sanitation.