Champassak villagers set to benefit from community health project 

World Concern Lao (WCL) and the Ministry of Health are partnering in the launch of Phase 3 of the Integrated Development Project for Community Health Promotion in Phonthong district, Champassak province.
The project will take place from 2020 to 2022 and will benefit more than 3,000 villagers in eight communities.

The total funding for the project is more than 5 billion kip (US$568,400), pooled from the World Concern Development Organisation, Entrust Foundation, Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), and TEAR Australia.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the project was signed on November 12 by the Head the Champassak provincial health office, Dr Somkiat Voralatha, and WCL Country Representative Mr Bob Jacob, in Pakxe city, Champassak province.
The signing was witnessed by the Deputy Director General of the Department of Communicable Disease Control of the Ministry of Health, Dr Sisavath Southanilaxay, and representatives of different partner agencies at district, provincial and ministry offices.     
WCL Project Manager Mr Khamsone Keosacksith said the most significant activities of Phase 3 of the project were village committee strengthening, community water system and household latrine installation, mother and child health, nutrition, water, sanitation, hygiene, HIV/AIDS prevention, improving livelihoods, and food security. Before the MOU was signed, the successes of Phase 2 of the project were outlined by WCL Child Protection Specialist Ms Lattika Phapiboun.
During this phase, project staff formed savings and farmers groups, installed water facilities and latrines, provided vocational training for young people, and ran awareness-raising campaigns on migration, child protection, and HIV/AIDS. 
World Concern is a global relief and development agency that extends opportunities and hope to people facing extreme poverty in 19 countries worldwide.
In Laos, World Concern started its work in 1983 with a focus on disaster relief in Luang Namtha province, in response to local flooding.
Since then, WCL has expanded its interventions from disaster response to holistic community development in Xekong, Saravan and Champassak provinces. The vision of World Concern is a world transformed from poverty to an abundance of life.

ByTimes Reporters
(Latest Update November 15, 2019)