Beung Krum

Though it is not really newer than our current area of operation, it is a new place of work for us.  Separated from the greater Phnom Penh area by the Mekong River, and with no bridges to cross it, the poor who live here are isolated from the world and help for their plight.  RDI is very excited about working in this new area, sharing the technology we developed in other places.  We aren't learning in Beung Krum; we're applying what we have already learned. And it's working for them too.  Things are more primitive across the river but RDI solutions are beginning to make a dramatic difference there - just as they were designed to do.
Hand washing stations, treadle pumps (designed so even small children can operate it), and rainwater harvesting tanks are all parts of the comprehensive project in Beung Krum which also includes, health and hygiene education, water filters, farming techniques, and all the other aspects of the RDI "fusion" approach to improving the quality of life for all Cambodians. This section provides an overview of the village, focusing on the activities linked to water.

Beung Krum is a village built on each side of a very long road, which goes through many villages in Livea Im. The village is located along the Mekong River. On the other side of the village, rice is grown is large fields.

Beung Krum is divided into two parts: Beung Krum Up and Beung Krum Down, with two different chiefs. The information provided here concerns only Beung Krum Up.

Water Purification Systems in Cambodia

Which sources of water are used in Beung Krum? How is it brought to households? Everything about surface and groundwater, about pumps and wells...  Read On...
Access to Water

Arsenic Testing In Cambodia

How much water is used everyday and how is it handled? An assessment of the villagers’ behaviors and hygiene practices...  Read on...
Domestic Use

Rain Water Harvesting in Cambodia

Growing rice requires a lot of water. Cattle need water, too. How do villagers proceed?  Read on... 
Agricultural Use

NGO Science Partnerships in Cambodia

Water use at the ice factory and for noodles fabrication.  Read on... 
 
Industrial Use
 

Infrastructures

  • One school: Hun Sen Primary School. Children willing to study more need to go to Phnom Penh. This rarely occurs, because it costs a lot of money.

     



  • One Health Center: The staff is only present on Fridays. In case of emergencies, people go to Tuk Kleang Health Center, located 2 km from Beung Krum.

     


 

Statistics

  • Population: 497 families are living in Beung Krum Up. One family counts around five people. Amongst them, 54 % are women, 46 % are men. There are 65 widows.
     

  • Standard of living: Villagers in Beung Krum spend around 2 US dollars everyday to sustain their basic needs, although there are some differences between households. Some people are quite rich and can build big houses, but most of them are poor or very poor, and some live from begging in Phnom Penh. Yet, Beung Krum has developed rapidly over the last few years. Before, no one had TV or motorcycle, but today everybody has them.
     

  • Economic activities: Most people in Beung Krum live from growing rice, corn and beans, which enables them to eat sufficiently all through the year. Some raise cows, chickens and pigs. Some sell fruits like mangos or other types of food.  
     

  • Electricity: For electricity, villagers use batteries that can be recharged in several shops in the area.
 

Administrative Organization

  • Beung Krum is led by the village chief, helped by an executive chief and a secretary. This tripartite power is very common in Cambodia. Their role is to control everything in the village. For this reason, a census is conducted every year. The village is divided into 36 groups of 14 families, each group having its own leader to help the chief.
     

  • Administrative authorities in Cambodia:

    10 villages form a commune. 10 communes form a district. 5 to 6 districts form a province. There
    are 22 provinces in Cambodia.