Provide Health Support to Communities in Cambodia

Dear Supporters,

Young people across Kampong Cham struggle to afford basic hygiene equipment such as toothbrushes, toothpaste and soap. Moreover, awareness as to the importance of maintaining basic hygiene is limited. In order to combat this, we have used the funds raised over the past few months to provide every student at our classes with a toothbrush and soap.

In May 2019 we launched our hygiene kits at various schools and drop-in centres around Kampong Cham. To begin, we provided students with workshops on how to effectively brush their teeth and wash their hands and face. These workshops were facilitated in English and Khmer so that students and staff could be sure that everyone fully understood why personal and dental hygiene were important. At these workshops we then provided all students with a laminated poster that explained through graphics and Khmer, the steps needed in handwashing and toothbrushing. 

For now, all students keep their hygiene kits at school. This is because we would like to initially monitor student’s hygiene routines and ensure that they know how to use them and become used to using them on a daily basis. Moving forward, we will continue to monitor students and as they begin to use their kits more independently, we will begin to allow them to take their kits home before bringing them back to class. If students show value and care in the kits and personal hygiene then the ultimate goal is for students to keep their kits at home so that they may use them twice daily. Then when they require more toothpaste, soap or their toothbrush becomes worn, they will be able to restock at their schools. 

Over the past year we have run several fundraisers to enable us initiate this project and sustain it into the future. We thank everyone who has contributed and are excited to see our student’s hygiene improve over the coming months and years.

With Gratitude,

GVI Cambodia Healthcare