Latrines

Clean water alone is only part of the solution — proper sanitation is equally essential to protecting the health of rural communities. Despite progress in recent years, stark disparities remain — with 1/3 of the poorest rural Cambodians still lacking access to proper sanitation, forcing families to share facilities with neighbours or rely on unsafe alternatives. Without a clean, private latrine at home or at school, the risk of waterborne disease stays high, children miss school, and dignity remains out of reach for the most vulnerable families.

Water For Cambodia addresses this directly. By the end of 2025, we had built and renovated over 2,500 latrines across households and schools in rural Cambodia. Every facility is constructed or upgraded to meet the Cambodian Ministry of Education's standard — 2 latrines and 3 urinals per 100 boys, and 3 latrines per 100 girls — ensuring every child has safe, private, and adequate access every day. Each latrine is also fitted with proper locks, bins, and handwashing facilities, and school communities are trained to maintain them to a high standard for years to come.

Combined with our clean water and hygiene education programs, every latrine we build is one more step toward protecting children's health, keeping girls in school, and giving rural families the dignity and safety they deserve.