Pi Yanat is a mother of 3 that lives in the village of Ban Hua Nam Mae Sa Kud. She one of two assistants to the Headman in the village and her role is to ensure the villager’s needs are being listened to and the village is a harmonious and safe place to live.
Pi Yanat has lived in the village for 15 years and she has seen many changed to life in Mae Sa Kud. Many people have moved to the village from more remote locations as it is closer to the city and the roads are better now. She said there used to be tension between the different ethnic groups with many ignoring the needs of the Karen and not thinking they could be good at leading or managing the affairs of the village. However, things have improved and she feels she is well respected and is able to do a good job. The job has helped her support her family and has also allowed her to contribute to the betterment of her people and her home.
Water access has always been a key issue of stress and contention in the village. The water source in use by the village before KHT’s WASH project was prone to easy damage and issues, requiring constant maintenance and this also meant the villagers had to pay for materials and do the work to manage it. Some villagers were able to access water more easily as they lived lower down in the village whilst those on the hillside would have to wait for water to replenish. There was also not enough water in dry season and the water was obviously unclean many times.
The village paid for water via a water truck or they had to buy bottled water, which meant many families were struggling with monthly expenses.
KHT’s support means that the village now has access to clean water all year and families do not need to pay for bottled water. The Water Committee will maintain the system and the villagers are more than happy to contribute to any costs as they know this source is more reliable and the system will not need constant fixes.
Pi Yanat also said that the steady access to water means less work for the women and children who had to go to another town to do their washing or collect water. She was extremely grateful for the support of KHT and that her village also had a group of volunteers to help.
“The experience has been so good for us. We are excited to have water, the villagers loved having the volunteers and we hope that this will bring us ease and allow us to focus on other things in our households.”
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