Flagging the Way to Better Hygiene
October 2013 Nongxong Village, Bolikhamxay, Lao PDR
At the blast of a whistle, a large assembly of schoolchildren disperses and groups of teenagers begin running in different directions, many of them giggling and all of them holding sticks topped with homemade white flags. The children know where they are going but don’t want to be followed – their purpose is to publicise a normally very private activity.
The assembly and flags are part of a Community-Led Total Sanitation drive organised in Ban Nongxong, a village in Bolikhamxay Province in central Laos. Many of the children belong to families that moved to Nongxong in 2009, resettled as part of the Theun-Hinboun Hydropower Expansion Project. As well as providing new houses, land and livelihoods programs, the Theun-Hinboun Power Company (THPC) has installed a clean water supply in the village plus toilets for each house. It also built a school and health centre to contribute towards better health conditions for the residents.
However, monitoring of communities by the THPC Public Health Team reveals that two years after moving to their new villages and amenities, many people in Nongxong still suffer from the health problems traditionally common in the Lao countryside: diarrhoea, respiratory diseases and under-nutrition due to both poor diet and parasitical infections.
Dialogue with communities shows that despite the new facilities, the villagers’ everyday behaviour often continues to be as it was in the old settlements. Specifically, many people do not use their new toilets, and nor do they use their new water supplies or food production options in a way that will improve their health. In response THPC has begun pilot programs in Nongxong to help people benefit from the facilities. Cooking classes for mothers have been introduced along with food-growing advice to improve nutrition, while the Community-Led Total Sanitation Initiative launched in partnership with Lao government and non-governmental agencies is helping people adapt to their new surroundings.
In May 2013 a team comprising staff from THPC, the Participatory Development Training Centre (PADETC) and the National Centre of Environmental Health and Water Supply (Nam Saat) began working with small groups of villagers to explain the consequences of not using the latrines. In October, the approach was expanded to include the village school, which is why the children of Nongxong are planting flags around the borders of their playing field.
About ten minutes after leaving with their flags the children return to the assembly point. They are still laughing, but are now without the flags, which have been planted in the bushes surrounding the school. Other flags have been posted around the school toilet block, but there is some confusion about the significance of this: while the toilets appear modern and even pleasantly decorated from the outside, their doors are barred with padlocks and it seems unlikely that the students have used them recently.
Locked school latrines are a common problem in Laos. Teachers despair at the poor condition that pupils leave toilets in, and lock them in protest. Children are then forced to defecate and urinate in bushes around the school, a situation that can affect the health of everyone concerned. A teacher at the school, Mr Phatphouthone Manivong, says the children want to use the toilets but do not leave them clean. The teachers organised a cleaning roster, with each class responsible for looking after the toilets for a week at a time, but despite this the condition of the latrines is generally so poor that it is “better to keep them locked”.
After the flag activity the children and teachers separate into groups and play connecting games, which graphically show the consequences of poor sanitation habits. It becomes clear to everyone that flies transmit bacteria from human waste to human food, leading to the health problems that are so common in the village.
“It’s good that these experts have come here to talk to us today,” says Miss Mee, a thirteen-year old girl at the school. “They have been explaining the connection between food hygiene and going to the toilet in the proper place. This is very important in our village. If we can improve hygiene then we will all be more healthy and able to enjoy better lives”.
Mee’s friend, a 14-year-old boy named Saysamone, agrees, but thinks a solution requires better organisation at the school. “Right now there aren’t enough toilets and those we have are not clean enough. Sometimes the teachers forget to open the toilets because they don’t want the kids to make them dirty, so you have to ask for the key. It’s quicker and easier to go into the bush.”
According to Vongtavanh Muangchanh, Youth Development Officer for PADETC and the team leader for activities at Nongxong, the situation at the school is typical for rural Laos. He says there are three main issues governing the behaviour of the children and the teachers. Firstly, awareness of the importance of using toilets is not high. Secondly, knowledge of how to manage assets such as toilets is low. Finally, there is a lack of institutional instruction on the whole issue.
After playing the connect game the children and their teachers return to their classrooms, where question and answer sessions reinforce the messages behind the exercise. Vongtavanh and the team will stay in Nongxong for a whole week, conducting activities with other groups in the village but also following up on the school as a vital institution in the community.
After today the teachers understand the importance of the situation and the children’s behaviour a little better, he says. “We will work with the teachers and some student volunteers to create a plan to better manage the toilets. We collect ideas from the pupils about what they think would be a perfect system, and some of these will be practical. In addition we will recommend to parents and the village authorities that they build extra toilets at the school”.
Vongchanh explains that this work helps create demand for better access to toilets and that this demand can ensure the supply of a solution. “If you build a facility but the users don’t understand the need for it, it will not work” he says. “The people of Nongxong are now starting to understand the need for community sanitation”.
For the THPC team the expertise provided by PADETC and Nam Saat is valuable. “We can link this to community-led sanitation efforts in the village and to our nutrition and livelihoods programs,” says Ms Thepphasone Chanthavong, WASH and Nutrition Senior Officer for THPC. “By improving hygiene and eating habits, we can help people get more advantage from the facilities that the company has provided, and so ensure that their health really improves”.
Update: Nongxong declared "Open Defecation Free Village" - June 2014
THPC Backs Books to Schools Project
ສອງຂາຮຸ້ນຂອງ THPC ໄດ້ຮັບການຍ້ອງຍໍຈາກລັດຖະບານລາວ
ຕົວແທນຂາຮຸ້ນຕ່າງປະເທດຂອງບໍລິສັດເທີນ-ຫີນບູນ ສອງທ່ານໄດ້ຮັບການປະດັບຫຼຽນໄຊພັດທະນາຊັ້ນII ຈາກລັດຖະບານ ເພື່ອເປັນການຍ້ອງຍໍສັນລະເສີນໃນການປະກອບສ່ວນຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອສ້າງສາພັດທະນາສປປລາວ.
ຕາງໜ້າໃຫ້ລັດຖະບານໂດຍທ່ານຄຳໃບດຳລັດເລຂາພັກແຂວງເຈົ້າແຂວງແຂວງຄຳມ່ວນໄດ້ຈັດພິທີປະດັບຫຼຽນໄຊພັດທະນາຊັ້ນສອງໃຫ້ແກ່ທ່ານໂຣເບີດເຄຈາກບໍລິສັດຈີເອັມເອສ ພາວເວີ ແລະ ທ່ານ ຢານ ຊີເດີວອລ ຈາກບໍລິສັດ ສະຕັສກຮາຟ. ທັງສອງບໍລິສັດດັ່ງກ່າວໄດ້ຖືຮຸ້ນຜູ້ລະ 20% ຂອງບໍລິສັດເທີນ-ຫີນບູນພາວເວີ ຈຳກັດ.
ການປະດັບຫຼຽນໄຊດັ່ງກ່າວນີ້ກໍເພື່ອເປັນສະແດງຄວາມຮູ້ບຸນຄຸນຕໍ່ກັບທັງສອງບໍລິສັດໃນວຽກງານການພັດທະນາຢູ່ຂົງເຂດສຳປະທານເຂື່ອນໄຟຟ້າເທີນ-ຫີນບູນ. ນອກຈາກເງີນລົງທືນຈຳນວນ 70ລ້ານໂດລາສະຫະລັດທີ່ໄດ້ສຸມໃສ່ວຽກງານໂຄງການດ້ານສັງຄົມ ແລະ ສິ່ງແວດລ້ອມໃນຂົງເຂດສຳປະທານດັ່ງກ່າວແລ້ວ ທັງສອງບໍລິສັດຍັງໄດ້ບໍລິຈາກທຶນຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອລ້າອິກຕື່ມ ບໍລິສັດລະ 1.5 ລ້ານໂດລາສະຫະລັດ ເພື່ອສຸມໃສ່ວຽກງານດ້ານຄອງຊົນລະປະທານສຳລັບ 5ບ້ານໃນແຂວງຄໍາມ່ວນ.
ທ່ານ ຄຳໃບ ໄດ້ກ່າວວ່າ "ເງີນຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອລ້າຈຳນວນ 3ລ້ານໂດລາສະຫະລັດຈາກຂາຮຸ້ນຕ່າງປະເທດຂອງບໍລິສັດເທີນ-ຫີນບູນແມ່ນເປັນເງີນຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອເພີ່ມຕື່ມເຂົ້າໃສ່ວຽກງານພັດທະນາທີ່ສຳຄັນທີ່ທາງບໍລິສັດໄດ້ເລັງເຫັນ ແລະ ກໍເພື່ອສະແດງໃຫ້ເຫັນເຖີງຄຳໝັ້ນສັນຍາທີ່ວ່າທຸການລົງທືນຂອງບໍລິສັດແມ່ນເພື່ອ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ."
ບໍລິສັດເທີນ-ຫີນບູນ ພາວເວີ ນຳພາປະຊາຊົນບ້ານ ພູຊາດ ຮ່ວມປູກຕົ້ນໄມ້ 1 ມິຖຸນາ.
ເພື່ອສ້າງຂະບວນການຕ້ອນຮັບວັນສຳຄັນຂອງຊາດ ຄືວັນເດັກນ້ອຍສາກົນ ແລະ ວັນປູກຕົ້ນໄມ້ແຫ່ງຊາດ 1 ມິຖຸນາ ບໍລິສັດ ເທີນ-ຫີນບູນ ພາວເວີ້ ຈຳກັດ ຮ່ວມກັບປະຊາຊົນບ້ານພູຊາດ ເມືອງ ຄູູນຄຳ ແຂວງຄຳມ່ວນ ໄດ້ຈັດກິດຈະກຳປູກຕົ້ນໄມ້ປະມານ 2000 ກວ່າຕົ້ນ ຢູູ່ພາຍໃນໜູ່ບ້ານຂອງປະຊາຊົນ ເພື່ອໃຫ້ເຫັນເຖິງຄວາມສຳຄັນຂອງວັນປູກຕົ້ນໄມ້ແຫ່ງຊາດ.
ສຳລັບຕົ້ນໄມ້ທີ່ປູກໃນວັນດັ່ງກ່າວແມ່ນມອບໂດຍ ບໍລິສັດ ເທີນ-ຫີນບູນ ພາວເວີ ຈຳກັດ ຫຼື ມີຊື່ຫຍໍ້ວ່າ THPC. ຕົ້ນໄມ້ທີ່ປູກຢູ່ພາຍໃນໝູ່ບ້ານຂອງປະຊາຊົນນັ້ນ ນອກຈາກເຮັດໃຫ້ພາຍໃນບ້ານມີຄວາມສວຍງາມແລ້ວ ບັນດາຕົ້ນໄມ້ດັງກ່າວເຫຼົ່ານັ້ັ້ນ ຍັງເປັນຕົ້ນໄມ້ທີ່ໃຫ້ໝາກສຳລັບປະຊາຊົນພາຍໃນທ້ອງຖິ່ນ ພ້ອມກັນນັ້ນ ຕົ້ນໄມ້ດັ່ງກ່າວ ຍັງຊ່ວຍເພີ່ມຄວາມຮັບຮູ້ໃຫ້ກັບປະຊາຊົນໃຫ້ເຫັນເຖີງຄວາມສຳຄັນຂອງຕົ້ນໄມ້ຕໍ່ສິ່ງແວດລ້ອມ.
ບ້ານພູຊາດເປັນບ້ານທີ່ຕັ້ງຂຶ້ນໃໝ່, ເຊິ່ງໄດ້ຮັບການສ້າງຕັ້ງຂຶ້ນໃນປີ 2011 ແລະ ເປັນສ່ວນໜຶ່ງຂອງໂຄງການສັງຄົມ ແລະ ສິ່ງສິ່ງແວດລ້ອມຂອງບໍລິສັດ. ມີປະຊາຊົນຈຳນວນ ຫ້າໝູ່ບ້ານໄດ້ຍ້າຍໄປຕັ້ງຖິ່ນຖານຢູ່ສະຖານທີ່ໃໝ່ ຊຶ່ງທາງບໍລິສັດກໍໄດ້ມອບເຮືອນທີ່ດີກວ່າເກົ່າໃຫ້ແກ່ພວກເຂົາ, ສ້າງຖະນົນຫົນທາງ, ໄຟຟ້າ ແລະ ນ້ຳປະປາ ພ້ອມທັງສິ່ງທີ່ອຳນວຍຄວາມສະດວກຕ່າງໆໃຫ້ແກ່ຊຸມຊົນເຊັ່ນວ່າ: ສຸກສາລາ, ໂຮງຮຽນ ແລະ ວັດ. ສະຫຼຸບແລ້ວ 23 ໝູ່ບ້ານທີ່ຢູ່ເຂດນ້ຳຕອນລຸ່ມຂອງໂຄງການເຂື່ອນເທີນ-ຫີນບູນ ແມ່ນຍົກຍ້າຍໄປຍັງຂົງເຂດພື້ນທີ່ຈັດສັນທີ່ປອດໄພຈາກນ້ຳຖວ້ມ.
ສະຖານທີ່ກໍ່ສ້າງໃໝ່ໆທັງໝົດນີ້, ແມ່ນຈະໃຊ້ເວລາພໍສົມຄວນເພື່ອໃຫ້ເບິ່ງເປັນທຳມະຊາດ. ຢູ່ທີ່ບ້ານພູຊາດ ພະນັກງານເມືອງຄູນຄຳ ຮ່ວມກັບຊາວບ້ານ ແລະ ພະນັກງານຂອງບໍລິສັດ ເທີນ-ຫີນບູນ ຮ່ວມກັນປູກຕົ້ນໄມ້ກິນໝາກ ແລະ ຕົ້ນໄມ້ປະດັບ ເຊິ່ງບັນດາຕົ້ນໄມ້ດັ່ງກ່າວແມ່ນຈະເຮັດໃຫ້ບ້ານພູຊາດມີຄວາມຂຽວງາມ ແລະ ໃຫ້ຕົ້ນໄມ້ກິນໝາກປະເພດດັ່ງນີ້ຄື: ໝາກໝີ້, ໝາກມ່ວງ ແລະ ໝາກຕ້ອງ ຊຶ່ງຕົ້ນໄມ້ດັ່ງກ່າວແມ່ນເພື່ອສືບຕໍ່ໃຫ້ລຸ້ນຕໍ່ໆໄປ ນອກນັ້ນຍັງເປັນໝາກໄມ້ເພື່ອສຸຂະພາບ.
ໃນເດືອນມັງກອນ ປີ 2013 ບໍລິສັດເທີນ-ຫີນບູນ ໄດ້ເປີດເຂື່ອນພາກຂະຫຍາຍ ເຊິ່ງສາມາດຜະລິດໄຟຟ້າໄດ້ 500 MW ແລະ ເຮັດໃຫ້ບໍລິສັດ ເທີນ-ຫີນບູນ ເປັນບໍລິສັດ ທີ່ຜະລິດໄຟຟ້າລາຍໃຫຍ່ອັນດັບທີ ສາມ ຢູ່ພາຍໃນສປປ ລາວ. ທ່ານ ສຸລິເດດ ເບົ້າມະນີໂຄດ ຮອງຜູ້ອຳນວຍການບໍລິສັດ ເທີນ-ຫີນບູນ ໄດ້ເວົ້າວ່າ: ໂຄງການພາກຂະຫຍາຍຂອງບໍລິສັດ ເທີນ-ຫີນບູນນີ້ ບໍ່ພຽງແຕ່ເປັນການສ້າງເສດຖະກິດໃຫ້ກັບຊາດ ແລະ ພ້ອມດຽວກັນນັ້ນ ຍັງນຳຜົນປະໂຫຍດມາສູ່ປະຊາຊົນພາຍໃນທ້ອງຖິ່ນ ແລະ ຍັງເປັນການປົກປັກຮັກສາ ສິ່ງແວດລ້ອມອີກດ້ວຍ.
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- Namsanam Road Hand over, December 2024
- Ceremony to mark the Social Obligation Fulfillment, November 2024
- THPC Handover Education Equipment to Rural School, November 2024
- THPC Ink Pact on Feasibility Study August 2024
- THPC Improve the Infrastructure of a School in Oudomxay Province August 2024
- THPC Completed its Obligations on Social and Environment, Khammuan and Bolikhamxay Provinces August 2024
- Theun-Hinboun Keeps Environmental Friendly July 2024
- THPC Support Lao Government on ASEAN SUMMIT 2024
- THPC signed a contract with Voith Hydro AB on buying new Stator
- THPC pays its obligation to government June 2024
- Annual Health Check up for Employee
- THPC 25 years book lunch March 2024
- THPC Celebrate its 25 years achievement March 2023
- THPC give assistance to villagers in Khounkham district
- THPC hands over its 2021 profits to government June 2022
- Donation to Khammuan Sport
- Fund raised to improve Namkhui School March 2022
- THPC received a Development Medal February 2022
- THPC was awarded on its outstanding implementation April 2021
- THPC support to Khounkham Infrustructure March 2021
- MEM awarded THPC January 2021
- Chairty Golf 2021 for Rural School January 2021
- Charity Golf Raises 87 million kip for schools (February 2020)
- Rice Support for Flooded Farmers (December 2019)
- Irrigation Upgrade Boosts Hinboun Farmers (December 2019)
- Khounkham Radio On Air (November 2019)
- Khamkeuth Products Make World Food Day Market (October 2019)
- THPC Supports Blood Donation (August 2019)
- Burned House on the Mend with THPC Help (June 2019)
- Khounphet Villagers Celebrate Tree-Planting Day (June 2019)
- THPC Aids Flood Recovery in Hinboun and Khounkham (May 2019)
- New Bridge to Help Secure Khounkham Development (May 2019)
- THPC Golf Tournament Raises 100m Kip for Flood Victims (January 2019)
- Govt Acknowledges Theun-Hinboun Expansion’s Contribution (November 2018)
- Maid for a Brighter Future (August 2018)
- Trades Union Medal Awarded to THPC (June 2018)
- Phaxang Villagers Increase Green Area (June 2018)
- Agriculture Centres Offer Chance for Development (May 2018)
- Villagers at Theun-Hinboun Gain Land Security (May 2018)
- Hydro companies power up technical student awareness (April 2018)
- 20th Anniversary of Operations (March 2018)
- THPC and Golfers Help Blind School and Chess Players (January 2018)
- Farmers Get Help Reaching Fields (December 2017)
- School is about more than classes (November 2017)
- Govt cites THPC "good performance" (August 2017)
- Villagers Take Ownership of New Homes and Services (July 2017)