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What?

6 indoor toilets will be constructed for families in dire need in Khue Dong. Each toilet will have a concrete floor, a septic tank, a ceramic bowl with a water trap, brick walls covered with cement plaster, a door, and a corrugated galvanized steel roof on wood framing.

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Why?

The lack of sanitation facilities in Khue Dong has created a critical health risk for the entire community and especially its poorest families. Without indoor lavatories, Khue Dong's villagers must resort to publicly relieving themselves outside in fields and streams. The absence of proper sanitation measures has increased the spread of disease in Khue Dong and has in turn, had a major impact on the village's level of health, education, and economic stability. Children are prevented from attending school and parents cannot direct their energies towards work when they are constantly struggling with illnesses. Unsanitary conditions are continuing to prevent Khue Dong's households from improving their quality of life and overcoming poverty.

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How?

6 high-need families will be identified by Children of Vietnam on the basis of their income level. Those families with children and/or disabled individuals will be considered the highest priority for the project. Once a family is selected, a Children of Vietnam staff engineer will oversee the project and working with the community leaders and the selected families to ensure its completion. The staff member will contract an experienced builder, and ensure that the construction schedule is kept, quality materials are used, and good workmanship is maintained.

Whenever possible, this project will provide employment for local residents and will purchase materials from local providers. Furthermore, if benefiting family members are physically able, they will be invited to assist with the construction of their indoor toilets, thereby encouraging their sense of ownership of the project.

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History of Khue Dong Village

Khue Dong is a rural village in the Hoa Quy Ward of Ngu Hanh Son District in Danang City. Ngu Hanh Son is the location of Marble Mountain, which is now a tourist attraction. From the mountain you can see miles around and still hear the chinking of the marble carvers below. At the top of the mountain are a cave and a Buddhist temple.

During the Vietnam War, the Viet Cong used the mountain as an outpost and hospital as its very deep caves were good protection. Khue Dong experienced the ravages of the Vietnam War, as did the whole region. A remaining impact of the war is still occurring due to the long legacy of Agent Orange/dioxin leaching into the environment and causing birth defects. The residents of Khue Dong are forward looking people, however, and they do not dwell on the past but work toward a better future for their children.

Danang City is trying to promote the beaches in Ngu Hanh Son to tourists. These beaches are very beautiful as the water is a bright blue and you can see mountains and an island across the waters that turn dark blue in the evening. Unfortunately Khue Dong, indeed all of Hoa Quy, has not fully benefited from this effort. Adding to the villagers’ challenges, Khue Dong sits in a low depression and is particularly vulnerable to flooding of homes and crops caused by yearly typhoons; this seasonal problem further entraps Khue Dong's residents in poverty.

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Average household income

35

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Community Population: 1,140

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Climate

Khue Dong is located in a semi-tropical monsoon zone. Typically, the village experiences high temperatures and significant levels of humidity; its average annual temperature is 25.9˚ Celsius. There are two seasons in Khue Dong — a rainy season lasting from August to December and a dry season from January to July. Khue Dong experiences its highest temperatures (28-30˚C) in June, July, and August and it’s lowest (18-23˚C) between December and February. Its temperate climate largely prevents cold spells in the region; when they occasionally occur, they are generally moderate and short. The rainy months, however, pose a significant danger to Khue Dong and its residents. The village’s location in a low elevation leaves it particularly vulnerable to seasonal flooding caused by severe typhoons.

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Challenges facing Khue Dong Village

Poverty, lack of infrastructure, typhoon flooding

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Main Occupations

Rice farming and hired labor mostly serving tourist industry during the non-growing season

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Families living below poverty line

380

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