This summer, we told you about a study carried out in 4 districts in the suburbs of Phnom Penh to understand the uses of residents and identify infrastructure needs. What are the main lessons learned from this study and what micro-projects will it lead to in these neighborhoods?
The 3 main findings of the study
From the point of view of family housing, this study confirmed our initial analysis of the fact that there is a large number of precarious individual dwellings in need of renovation, particularly in the Andong 3 and 5 districts.
In terms of neighborhood life, waste management is a major issue. The lack of awareness is glaring and the waste collection mechanism needs to be defined. This is a subject on which we are beginning to work with GAEA (Global Action for Environmental Awareness), the company that manages the garbage collection service in the largest cities in Cambodia.
Finally, it was noted that there are real resources in these neighborhoods but that they are not sufficiently valued: green spaces and lakes, a market, a small health center, a neighborhood house.... There is a real neighborhood life, with streets animated by small businesses: in a very close proximity, the inhabitants know each other well, especially since they almost all arrived at the same time, in 2006, after being evicted and relocated.
What are the 3 micro-projects that will be carried out following the study?
The PASSA groups (groups of volunteer residents who represent the residents of the neighborhoods) selected 3 micro-projects from a list of 17 proposals made by the residents during the urban diagnosis.
1/ The Andong Community Center 1The building, where children play, where teenagers come to study, where the official information of the local authorities is disseminated and where associations carry out activities for the inhabitants, is today degraded. The roof leaks, the toilets are condemned, the children's games are in very bad condition... We will therefore work on the renovation of this center.
2/ A sewage canal in Andong 3This is the source of many illnesses and pollution. We will create a wastewater drainage system.
3/ We will finally redo a road in very bad conditionwhich regularly floods and serves about forty houses in Andong 5.
These 3 micro-projects have just been validated by the local authorities this week. After the public restitution, the works will be able to start in the first quarter of 2023.
> Learn more about the HaLI project to improve the living conditions of families in Cambodia.
