Dry season has hit Cambodia. Withered rice fields, dusty roads and heat over 90 degrees every day make work out at the reservoir difficult for staff and locals alike. This is the time of year to do work around the house, garden, weave mats and prepare sweets to sell at the local market. This dry season, however, will be the last that the people of 3 villages in Ballangk will have without direct access to water. Construction began this month on over 4 kilometers of canals which will carry our reservoir’s water to the villages of Popel, Kropeau and Prum Kod. The natural stream that leads out of the reservoir’s spill way already brings water to Trach, Ko Russy and Thlok Kambot villages to the west, but this new canal will bring water to the homes and rice fields in the south.

Human Translation has paired with the World Food Program (A branch of the UN) to help with construction of the canal through their “Food for Work” (FFW) initiative. The creation of this canal will allow villagers to grow that all important second crop of rice in the dry season after natural sources of water have evaporated. This second harvest will not only feed families but will also create additional disposable income for some of the poorest community members to be able to send their children to school or to afford proper medical care.

As a part of the Food for Work program, local villagers contribute physical labor towards the construction of the canals are reimbursed with sacks of rice. Additionally, certain families are also eligible for our newly launched fish pond program. Following our tenet of facilitating locally driven, sustainable community programs, Human Translation assists with construction and provides the basic materials for these small household ponds while monetary contribution to stock each pond with hundreds of fingerling catfish. These fish, specially bred for captivity, will provide much need protein for families in a country where 33% of the population is classified as malnourished and 45% of children under 5 are underweight. HT has already dug fifty of these ponds at homes in four villages and, depending on funding, plan to dig one hundred more across the commune.

Throughout Asia Cambodia is known as “the land of rice and fish”. With our two latest projects, we hope that this community will never be without these two all important staples.

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