Pond clean-up helps community feel safe
Clean water for every child
- English
- မြန်မာ
Ma Ohnmar Shwe never imagined that her life would take such a drastic turn. But when intensified conflict erupted in her village in early 2022, she was forced to make a difficult decision. Along with her family, she fled to Win Ka village, a remote community in Kawkareik township, Kayin State, seeking safety and refuge.
Her family joined 50 households residing in Win Ka village. When she first arrived, finding safe drinking water was a huge challenge.
The pond – which supplied all of their drinking water - was contaminated due to pollution from villagers' chickens, causing skin problems and diarrhoea among residents. As the hot months of March, April, and May arrived, the water supply dwindled to a trickle, leaving approximately 239 people with water shortages.
Hearing about the challenges, UNICEF stepped in to help renovate the pond, provide training for local staff, village WASH committee members and volunteers on maintaining the pond and promoting hygiene awareness.
Ma Ohnmar Shwe, who has five school-age children, was one of the beneficiaries of this WASH programme in Kayin State. Her family used to work in the paddy fields, earning just enough to cover living costs and education fees for her children. They often had to cut back on basic hygiene items.
However, thanks to the UNICEF-supported training sessions and cash assistance, Ma Ohnmar Shwe was able to learn how to improve her family’s hygiene awareness and buy necessary items for her family, including soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes and a water bucket.
For Ma Ohnmar Shwe, the changes were nothing short of a miracle. “Renovating the pond was excellent for the community’s health,” she said. The water is now clearer and not turbid as before. This project has helped a lot in improving the living conditions of my family - we feel safe using the water.”
Thanks to generous contributions from donors, UNICEF worked with local non-governmental organisations to deliver essential support to nearly 13,000 displaced individuals in Kayin State, including Ma Ohnmar Swe’s family. This included the provision of reliable access to water, gender-segregated latrines, sanitation and hygiene supplies, as well as cash for WASH and hygiene promotion.
