PHNOM PENH “Our ancestor could build Angkor Wat, why can’t we build a toilet?” This was a remark from His Excellency Chan Dara, Kompong Speu Deputy Governor during an advisory meeting, aiming at reflecting the progress of civic leadership champion in sanitation, which was held on June 13th 2014 at WaterSHED Phnom Penh.
Civic leadership champion, a project aims at empowering local leaders to take more action in sanitation, especially in creating “open defecation free” environment, versioned the sustainability of the program by highlighting the importance of cooperation between the public society, local authority and the government as a whole.
H.E Chan Dara, Kompong Speu Deputy Governor, fifth from right, in the advisory meeting at WaterSHED
Aun Hengly, Executive Director of the WaterSHED claimed “we have a long vision on sustainability of the program. First WaterSHED is working commune councilors to help them build their leadership skills. At the same time we tried our best to involve government institutions such as Ministry of Rural Development and Ministry of Interior, who have been working closely to development and capacity building of the sub-national authority, to get familiar with the approach. ”
Through a series of leadership training WaterSHEd believe that commune councilors will use the skill to make mark in improving sanitation for the community. Also, the same model can be applied to other sectors in development such as infrastructure, education, and health care development.
The sustainability relies on government and people who will work together to achieve goal that in 2025 every household in Cambodia have access to clean water and sanitation.