Press Release: Chao Foundation Grants $50,000 to Provide Clean Water for Students in Cambodia

​Children at 74 Schools Get Convenient Access to Safe Drinking Water

​​Contact: Nancy Nguyen, Executive Director                                      
Chao Foundation
[email protected]

LOS ALTOS, Calif.—Chao Foundation is pleased to announce a new grant of $50,000 to 1001Fontaines for their Water in School project, which will directly benefit 24,375 children in Cambodia during the 2016-2017 academic year.

​Safe Water Saves Lives

​According to a recent estimate shared by UNICEF, 40% of the primary schools in Cambodia still don’t have access to safe water and sanitation facilities. Diarrhea, generally caused by the consumption of feces-contaminated water, is the second leading cause of death for children under five in Cambodia.

“Attention to rural water supply, sanitation and hygiene will unquestionably deliver results— less child deaths, better learning at school, less disease, less health costs for the people and the system. These services are central to Cambodia’s future as a middle income country,” said Rana Flowers, of UNICEF Cambodia.

Providing safe drinking water at school will significantly reduce waterborne diseases and child mortality. Other benefits include combating dehydration, improving cognition and energy levels, and directly impacting the children’s wellbeing and learning experience. Students will have a more favorable environment in which to thrive and unlock their full potential.

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​The 1001Fontaines Model

​Water kiosks are set up in remote villages and entrusted to local entrepreneurs trained to produce and distribute safe drinking water. The water is delivered directly to the homes of the beneficiaries, guaranteeing the quality of the water up to the point of consumption.

The price of the water is set in agreement with the community and provides the right balance between affordability for the villagers and the necessity for each entrepreneur to cover costs and generate revenue for sustainability.

​Typical Day of a 1001Fontaines Entrepreneur

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Safe Water for Free at School

​1001Fountaines wanted to guarantee clean water access for children at school, regardless of their family’s decision to benefit from the water service at home. Through the Water in School philanthropic program, 1001Fountaines provides funds for local entrepreneurs to deliver one 20L bottle of safe drinking water per classroom. The Chao Foundation grant will sponsor 24 established water kiosks to provide water for 74 schools.

​Currently 130,000 children benefit from the service across Cambodia, including students in remote schools. (View the map.) In addition to delivering the water, local teams teach children the benefits of drinking safe water.

Kiosk network in Cambodia

​The program improves the health of rural children, as well as their educational opportunities, which in turn increases their likelihood of successfully lifting their families out of poverty.

Theory of Change

About Chao Foundation
Chao Foundation was founded in California’s Silicon Valley in 2005 by Ping and Amy Chao. The foundation was established to fund nonprofit and public welfare initiatives that (1) improve children’s health in developing countries; and (2) nurture a spirit of philanthropy among the younger generation in China and of the greater Chinese Diaspora. While the Chao Foundation is based in the Bay Area and has local projects, many of its programs focus on developing countries in East Asia.
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About 1001Fontaines
Since its creation in 2004, 1001Fontaines has been dedicated to providing communities in remote areas the opportunity to produce safe drinking water locally for their own consumption via the creation of local social enterprises. The three pillars of the 1001Fontaines model are water quality, accessibility (including affordability for beneficiaries), and sustainability.

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