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Water, sanitation and hygiene

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24 September 2024

Devastation and Hope in Laos: Rebuilding After the Floods

As I left Luang Namtha back to Vientiane, my thoughts lingered on the scenes of destruction I had just witnessed. The province, hit hard by catastrophic floods, is grappling with widespread damage. What I saw was both heartbreaking and humbling: entire schools and dormitories destroyed, homes flooded and communiti...

15 September 2024

Government of Lao PDR and UNICEF Deliver Urgent WASH Supplies to Flood-Affected Communities

Vientiane Capital, 15 September 2024 – In response to the widespread flooding that has devastated over 486 villages across eight provinces, the Government of Lao PDR and UNICEF have mobilized essential water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) supplies to provide immediate relief. Nearly 1.1 million chlorine tablets, ...

12 September 2024

How to Stay Safe During and After Floods

When faced with severe flooding, it’s crucial to follow safety advice to protect yourself and your family. Floods can lead to serious health risks, including waterborne diseases, food contamination, injuries, and hazardous conditions. Flood preparation infographic UNICEF Lao PDR/2024 During floods infographic UNIC...

10 November 2023

A Brighter Chapter of Nadee Village

Meet Khambang, a resilient 60-year-old woman from Nadee Village, Xiengkhouang province. Life hasn't been easy for her, especially when it comes to water. Back in the day, she had to hike 1 kilometre from her home to the nearest stream to collect water for her family. To add to her hardships, she had to wake up at ...

20 October 2023

Heading to new heights

A dual celebration is taking place with 50 years of sustained partnership between the Government of Lao PDR and UNICEF, and the declaration of Vientiane Province as Open Defecation Free (ODF).In the early 1970s, clean water was accessible to only 290,000 people across 1,000 villages. The challenges of waterborne d...

15 October 2023

Ensuring Clean Hands Are Within Reach for All on Global Handwashing Day 2023

Vientiane, 15 October 2023 – Marking 50 years of partnership, the Government of Lao PDR and UNICEF have renewed their commitment to universal hygiene access on Global Handwashing Day. Celebrated annually on 15 October, Global Handwashing Day aims to highlight the crucial role of hand hygiene in preventing illness ...

Making Handwashing a Habit for Children with the Aid of Music

In a certain school field in Atsaphone district of Savannakhet province, Lao PDR, around 30 children gathered. Seated on the school benches, they held in their hands a bunch of curious-looking blue booklets that they were curiously scanning. Among these children is 12-year-old Tonhorm and in her hands are brand-ne...

26 January 2023

Clean water reaches Phangsane village in Phongsaly

22-year old Somxay lives with his wife, Bouaseng, and two children in Phangsane village, which is a small, rural village with 52 households of ethnic Yao community in northern Lao PDR. The village is located along the road leading to the Lao-China border. Somxay and Bouaseng grow vegetables and sells their produce...

No More Open Defecation in Vientiane Capital

Vientiane Capital, July 14 2022 - Lao PDR made a significant breakthrough in its total sanitation drive as the country's capital, Vientiane, achieved Open Defecation Free (ODF) status. Vientiane capital the first capital city in ASEAN region receive the Open Defecation Free status. It is also the second province o...

Better education, improved hygiene practices for equal futures

When Ms. Khambay Soulavong was young, she always dreamt of working with little children and helping them become active and self-confident individuals. She became the pre-primary teacher she always wanted to be however she faced a challenging reality – one of inequality, poverty and educational disadvantage when sh...

The Miracle of Water: How Providing Access to Clean Water Has Improved the Lives of Families

36-year-old Phonsai, a mother of three, is a resident of Sanamxai District in Lao PDR’s southernmost province, Attapeu. In her village of Khanmaknao, water has always been scarce and many villagers always relied on water from the nearby Sekong River for basic chores, such as cooking and bathing, as well as for dri...

29 January 2021

Ending open defecation for cleaner and healthier villages

Ms. Nola Naduangchanh, 41, is a resident of Nam Khip village in Vilabouly District of Savannakhet province, where she lives with her husband and three teenage daughters. Sitting atop a sunny and breezy hill, the village is home for 100 households. Walking through the village, it is now very common to see an outhouse located within the vicinity of…