Over the last four years I have become acquainted with all of these gentlemen. Surely they had given up hope that we would return and actually give them the assistance they desperately need. It was a great homecoming….lots of valuable discussion and laughter.

They embraced the self help concept wholeheartedly In simple terms we supply the materials and some technical supervision  and the villagers supply the labor.

A final point.  The big cities in Cambodia are experiencing an economic boom and some of that does flow out to these remote regions. There are a few cars in the county, more tractors, motor scooters and a few huts have been replaced by bricks and mortar. However, 40% of the population are officially classified as the poorest of the poor. Remember no water, no sewer, no electricity. In our initial three target villages there is no clean water source.

We decided, as we drove around, that we would devote our efforts to the very poor and work our way up. Luigi and Vantha from Water for Cambodia were 100% on board. It is not the easy solution but the right one!