Background
We have been involved with Kompheim Village for over 2 years.  We work closely with the village chief and community elders.  Over the coming months (August - Dec) we are working with this village helping to repair the homes of Type 1 and some Type 2 families.   These repairs can actually be complete rebuilds, or as simple as re paneling walls or the roof.

The core funding for these projects is provided by the community fund through Beyond Unique Escapes Day in a Life Tour.  For every tour run money is set aside for village projects.  To date most of the funding has been allocated to water projects including filters and wells.

Additional and very much appreciated funding is provided through the sponsorship and donations generated through our new Barangs Without Borders program operating on a monthly basis. 

Consultation with the community is extremely important.  Our team is regularly visiting this village and able to communicate directly with the families in Kompheim.  We actively seek out their ideas and feedback and use this to help us identify, manage and over time check back on projects.

Local Materials
All the houses are being rebuilt or repaired according to local standard and using local materials in keeping with the village.  We are not replacing palm leaf homes with brick homes.  We have worked with the village and created a simple house design based on a typical Cambodian village house. Where possible we try to purchase materials from within the village.

We use local materials including wood, bamboo and plam leaves as well as tin for the roof if the family wants this.  Many of the villagers beliefs are based on Animisim and so these cutoms and beliefs are taken into account with the building.

Local Labour
Local workers are essential to the success of our programs.  We employ people from the village to help on each major project.  This helps provide people within the village with an income and a connection to the work undertaken. On our last BWB day we also had villagers volunteer to help which was amazing and much appreciated.

Program of Work
Four homes have been identified within the first program of work as requiring a complete re build.  A further 10 homes require repairs to the roof or walls.  On Aug 15th our first house re build was completed and our local team will commence work on the second house on the 22nd of August.

Vie's House
Vie and Toouch live in this house with Vie's mother and two of their three children.  The house often gets flooded when it rains. The have no sheltered outdoor area to cook (as is the Cambodian custom) and simply place their pot atop three rocks within the house.  The family survives on piece work - earning enough each day just to survive.  The currently grow green lofah, basil and bitter melon in their garden to eat.  Our program of work will involve building a simple house raised from the ground for their family.  The house will enable them to keep dry at night and kep them warm.  Mango and Sapadillo trees will be added to their garden to help supplement their food source.  Currently the family has no access to water and must cart water from other villagers wells.  We will add a pull pump and a water filter to their home providing easy access to safe drinking water.

We are pleased to advise work is well underway.  Please visit our 'News' section for an update on this work.