The Stringham family visits the site of one of the new wells they're helping to build in Cambodia. From left are Melissa Stringham (in hat), Jack Stringham, Sophet (a local villager, with back to camera), Paul Stringham and Thom Stringham. (Photo: Stringham Family)
Cambodian children pause during a ballgame. (Photo: Stringham Family)
A Cambodian girl enjoys the water at a well in the province of Pursat. Pursat is one of the areas in greatest need. (Photo: Stringham Family)Friday, March 30, 2007
Family helps build wells for impoverished families
By Tammy Walquist
Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City, Utah, USA)
After serving a mission for the LDS Church in Long Beach, Calif., speaking Khmer, the official Cambodian language, Jack Stringham had a strong desire to visit Cambodia.
In the summer of 2005, the Holladay resident had an opportunity to volunteer at a medical clinic in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, for three months. While there he also ventured out to visit other areas. What he saw saddened him and increased his desire to help the Cambodian people.
"The people live in little huts. They have no toilets and no water other than dirty ponds they're drinking from," he said. "I did more research and found that one in five children die before the age of 5 due to waterborne diseases."
While he was in Cambodia, Stringham's family visited him, and they caught on to his vision. The Stringhams formed the Care for Cambodia Foundation in February 2006. The nonprofit organization is designed to bring aid to Cambodians living in the most destitute of circumstances. Their main focus at this point is building wells to provide residents with a sanitary water supply. To date they have raised $18,000 toward their goal.
Their efforts are concentrated on the Cambodian province of Pursat. In December several members of the Stringham family — including Jack; his wife, Melissa; his father, Paul; and his brother, Thom — traveled to Cambodia on a research trip. While there, they met with governmental leaders to find the areas in greatest need.
"They took us out there, and it was the worst situation imaginable," Melissa Stringham said. "They don't even have enough to eat most of the time, so they're malnourished. There's no medical care, not even a clinic."
In addition to the poor water supply, the Stringhams also discovered that the area still has land mines from the Khmer Rouge regime of the 1970s when the country was ravaged by war. Cambodia is still trying to rebuild from the devastating war. Most people live in poverty and struggle to make a dollar a day, but they still have hope for change.
"There's an element of happiness about these people," Paul Stringham said. "They're very happy and united to support one another. The families are quite large with (six to nine children), but they're all there to help one another."
Building wells so the residents have an adequate water supply seemed to be an appropriate first step. Currently, five wells are being built, and the Stringhams would like to build 75 more within the next year. At a cost of around $900 per well, Jack Stringham said they will need to raise an additional $25,000 to $50,000 to reach their goal.
It's important for the Cambodians to be involved in the project, Jack Stringham said.
"We have contracted with different local people on a deal to help teach and educate these people on how to maintain these wells," Paul Stringham said. "We're trying to empower these people so they can help sustain themselves and live where they want to live and feel like they can make a better life for themselves."
Melissa Stringham said it's difficult for children, especially girls, to go to school because most drop out at a young age to help care for their families. The girls also walk a distance of up to 12 miles to get water every day. Having a good water source close by would save them a half day's walk.
Between Cambodia's wet and dry seasons, only a limited amount of time is available for building the wells each year.
"We can't drill in the wet season because the water table's too high," Jack Strigham said. "In the dry season the water won't reach the well. Our drilling period is from January to June."
The Cambodians will be required to dig the first 30 feet of the 60-foot well, and a drill will be brought in to finish the job. Once the hole is finished, cement is put around the sides, and it's capped to prevent anything from contaminating the water.
Wells are built for a group of 10 families willing to work together. They initially put $1.25 per family into a fund and, after that, 12 cents per month, so if any problems arise, the money can be used for repairs. The Cambodians are trained on simple fixes for the well.
Jack Stringham said the wells are only the first step in the empowerment process.
"If we can get clean water for their children, so the children don't get sick, this frees up the time for the people to go to school. They can get an education," he said, noting that their long-term goals are to provide better education and health care.
Traveling to the country gave Melissa Stringham a greater appreciation for the people.
"We were able to meet the people and interact one on one," she said. "We still think about them and talk about them, just knowing they are still living there. It was great to be able to get to know them one on one. It becomes personal to us."
Jack Stringham said working on Care for Cambodia has helped him appreciate everything he has.
"I just look at them and think how blessed we are in America. We have access to clean water," he said. "Those kids are drinking scum water, and it's just terrible. As we see these wells come to pass, I think it will be very rewarding."
During their trip in December, the Stringhams provided school supplies and backpacks for 200 children. A nonprofit group from Norway had built a school structure, but the youths had no supplies. As the first project officially completed by Care for Cambodia, Jack Stringham said it was a rewarding experience.
For more information about the Care for Cambodia Foundation or to donate, visit www.careforcambodia.org or send a check to Care for Cambodia, P.O. Box 17038, Holladay, UT 84117.
Paul said the foundation is all about helping the Cambodians.
"They're clean, wonderful people, but there's just a lot of needs," Paul said. "There's children with sores on their feet from cuts and another boy who couldn't walk so he scuffles around on his knees in the dirt. We just want to try to help create sanitary conditions and help these people."
E-mail: twalquist@desnews.com
In the summer of 2005, the Holladay resident had an opportunity to volunteer at a medical clinic in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, for three months. While there he also ventured out to visit other areas. What he saw saddened him and increased his desire to help the Cambodian people.
"The people live in little huts. They have no toilets and no water other than dirty ponds they're drinking from," he said. "I did more research and found that one in five children die before the age of 5 due to waterborne diseases."
While he was in Cambodia, Stringham's family visited him, and they caught on to his vision. The Stringhams formed the Care for Cambodia Foundation in February 2006. The nonprofit organization is designed to bring aid to Cambodians living in the most destitute of circumstances. Their main focus at this point is building wells to provide residents with a sanitary water supply. To date they have raised $18,000 toward their goal.
Their efforts are concentrated on the Cambodian province of Pursat. In December several members of the Stringham family — including Jack; his wife, Melissa; his father, Paul; and his brother, Thom — traveled to Cambodia on a research trip. While there, they met with governmental leaders to find the areas in greatest need.
"They took us out there, and it was the worst situation imaginable," Melissa Stringham said. "They don't even have enough to eat most of the time, so they're malnourished. There's no medical care, not even a clinic."
In addition to the poor water supply, the Stringhams also discovered that the area still has land mines from the Khmer Rouge regime of the 1970s when the country was ravaged by war. Cambodia is still trying to rebuild from the devastating war. Most people live in poverty and struggle to make a dollar a day, but they still have hope for change.
"There's an element of happiness about these people," Paul Stringham said. "They're very happy and united to support one another. The families are quite large with (six to nine children), but they're all there to help one another."
Building wells so the residents have an adequate water supply seemed to be an appropriate first step. Currently, five wells are being built, and the Stringhams would like to build 75 more within the next year. At a cost of around $900 per well, Jack Stringham said they will need to raise an additional $25,000 to $50,000 to reach their goal.
It's important for the Cambodians to be involved in the project, Jack Stringham said.
"We have contracted with different local people on a deal to help teach and educate these people on how to maintain these wells," Paul Stringham said. "We're trying to empower these people so they can help sustain themselves and live where they want to live and feel like they can make a better life for themselves."
Melissa Stringham said it's difficult for children, especially girls, to go to school because most drop out at a young age to help care for their families. The girls also walk a distance of up to 12 miles to get water every day. Having a good water source close by would save them a half day's walk.
Between Cambodia's wet and dry seasons, only a limited amount of time is available for building the wells each year.
"We can't drill in the wet season because the water table's too high," Jack Strigham said. "In the dry season the water won't reach the well. Our drilling period is from January to June."
The Cambodians will be required to dig the first 30 feet of the 60-foot well, and a drill will be brought in to finish the job. Once the hole is finished, cement is put around the sides, and it's capped to prevent anything from contaminating the water.
Wells are built for a group of 10 families willing to work together. They initially put $1.25 per family into a fund and, after that, 12 cents per month, so if any problems arise, the money can be used for repairs. The Cambodians are trained on simple fixes for the well.
Jack Stringham said the wells are only the first step in the empowerment process.
"If we can get clean water for their children, so the children don't get sick, this frees up the time for the people to go to school. They can get an education," he said, noting that their long-term goals are to provide better education and health care.
Traveling to the country gave Melissa Stringham a greater appreciation for the people.
"We were able to meet the people and interact one on one," she said. "We still think about them and talk about them, just knowing they are still living there. It was great to be able to get to know them one on one. It becomes personal to us."
Jack Stringham said working on Care for Cambodia has helped him appreciate everything he has.
"I just look at them and think how blessed we are in America. We have access to clean water," he said. "Those kids are drinking scum water, and it's just terrible. As we see these wells come to pass, I think it will be very rewarding."
During their trip in December, the Stringhams provided school supplies and backpacks for 200 children. A nonprofit group from Norway had built a school structure, but the youths had no supplies. As the first project officially completed by Care for Cambodia, Jack Stringham said it was a rewarding experience.
For more information about the Care for Cambodia Foundation or to donate, visit www.careforcambodia.org or send a check to Care for Cambodia, P.O. Box 17038, Holladay, UT 84117.
Paul said the foundation is all about helping the Cambodians.
"They're clean, wonderful people, but there's just a lot of needs," Paul said. "There's children with sores on their feet from cuts and another boy who couldn't walk so he scuffles around on his knees in the dirt. We just want to try to help create sanitary conditions and help these people."
E-mail: twalquist@desnews.com
2 comments:
HI,
GRINGOS AND INDIANS PHNONG UNCLE SAM RAIN SHIT!
FOLLOW YOUR MASTER TO HELP BUID WELLS AND ROADS RATHER THAN IDIOT COMMENTS!
MAYBE YOU ARE NOT BETTER THAN PHNONG LEU....
WE DO NOT NEED GRINGOS IN CAMBODIA!
YOU FUCKING IDIOT ABOVE, KHMER FROM OVERSEA ALREADY HEL BUILD A LOT.YOU FUCKIN NOT SEE NOTHING. YOU NOT HAVE DONE ANYTHING BECAUSE TOO BUSY SUCKING YUON SLAVE CUNT
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