LAOS
Support for rural communities on access to water and sanitation
WASH context
LAOSSupport for rural communities on access to water and sanitation
Laos has abundant water resources. The climate is shaped by the monsoon, with rainfall of 1,800 mm a year. Most of the country lies in the Mekong basin. Groundwater is also plentiful.
Urbanisation, economic development and farming, particularly in the mountains, threaten the water resource.
Read more about the context
In Laos, access to drinking water and sanitation has improved over recent decades, but wide gaps remain between urban and rural areas.
In the towns, most of the population has relatively reliable access to treated water and improved sanitation facilities.
In rural Laos, by contrast, access to drinking water and sanitation remains a significant challenge.
Many villages, particularly in mountainous and remote regions, still depend on rivers, natural springs or wells whose water quality is not always assured.
During the dry season, some communities can also face water shortages.
On sanitation, although the situation has improved, some families still have no adequate toilet and open defecation rates remain high.
These conditions increase the risk of waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea, and affect children in particular.
These inequalities are a major challenge for the country's development and public health.
Our work
ACTING FOR WATER
IN LAOS
In Vientiane province, HAMAP is launching a water and sanitation access programme covering 3 villages.
The approach rests on involving communities directly in building and managing the water infrastructure.
Village water management committees are set up and residents take an active part in the construction work.
Visits to similar successful projects demonstrate the effectiveness of the community model.
SUPPORT ACCESS
TO WATER IN LAOS
Every gift directly funds our work on access to water, sanitation and hygiene.
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