2023 EWB Challenge Brief - Cambodia - LR

2023 EWB Challenge
Design Brief
Pu Ngaol village in
Mondulkiri province,
Cambodia
Introduction
The 2023 EWB Challenge is delivered in collaboration with Advice to get started
EWB Australia’s Engineering team in Cambodia with a focus
on Pu Ngaol village (pronounced ‘pu now’) in Mondulkiri As you develop your design concept, You are encouraged
province, Cambodia. Projects and supporting resources to dive deep into Pu Ngaol village and the surrounding
were developed by EWB Australia with support from our Cambodian context. Utilise all the resources available on
team in Cambodia. Student design ideas will support the EWB Challenge website to immerse yourself in the
EWB’s Engineering team and their work on the ground in local environment and culture, including the interactive
Mondulkiri province that aims to improve the lives of rural resources, and to start to uncover the opportunities and
Cambodian people. challenges that will influence your proposal. By taking
the time to understand your project context, you will
develop an idea that is not only technically feasible, but
How was the brief developed? appropriate and exciting for your stakeholders!
Project briefs were developed using EWB’s Technology
The EWB Challenge is an open-ended learning
Development Approach, which involved community
experience, and thus the breadth and depth of design is
workshops and interviews with Pu Ngaol village members.
left to individual universities and design teams to scope
Community workshops and interviews were conducted
within the context of the submission requirements.
with the support of the Pu Ngaol community and Memang
Design ideas which consider links between the individual
commune, EWB Australia’s Cambodia team, WWF Cambodia
project areas listed in the design brief are welcome.
and Development and Partnership in Action (DPA). Twenty-
five people from the Bunong ethnic group participated in the All reports submitted to the EWB Challenge team will
workshops (12 women and 13 men of varying ages). be shared with the EWB Australia team in Cambodia to
support their work on the ground in Cambodia.
Workshops explored community aspirations and current
challenges. Group discussion topics focused on priority
issues for the community including water supply, agriculture,
education and sanitation. Individual interviews and
photovoice activities focusing on the day-to-day lives of
people in the community explored hopes and challenges.The
2023 EWB Challenge Design Brief is the distillation of these
conversations - priorities and opportunities as identified by
the people of Pu Ngaol village..
The 2023 EWB Challenge is delivered in

partnership with EWB’s engineering team in
Cambodia and proudly sponsored by RS Group
2 2023 EWB Challenge Design Brief

Contents
About EWB Australia in Cambodia 4

Introduction to Cambodia context 6
Mondulkiri Province 7
Pu Ngaol village 8
Design considerations 12
Design area one: Sanitation & hygiene 15
Design area two: Water supply 18
Design area three: Agriculture & livelihoods 21
Design area four: Energy 25
Design area five: ICT 27
Design area six: Structures 30
Design area seven: Waste & reuse 33

Discussion forum 35
Resources 36

About EWB Australia
in Cambodia
EWB Australia works to improve the quality of life of
people living and working in disadvantaged communities Technology
in the Asia-Pacific region, with a strategic focus on Timor
Leste, Vanuatu, Cambodia and First Nations communities
Development
in Australia. Approach
Since 2005, EWB Australia in Cambodia has been
Using EWB's signature Technology Development Approach
facilitating education, research and training programs for
(TDA), the Cambodia team collaborates with the local
students and professionals and developing community
government authorities to explore project opportunities,
programs with a strong presence in the water, sanitation
starting by finding alignment with the Ministry of Rural
& hygiene (WASH) and assistive technology development
Development's (MRD) strategy and action plan. When
space, enabling the rural communities to have affordable
the priority locations for rural development projects
and inclusive access to natural resources and technology.
and programs are identified, the team liaises with each
The key to the success of our programs is our volunteer province's Provincial Department Rural Development
Field Professionals and our in-country team composed (PDRD) to commence the project scoping and beneficiary
of technical specialists, project managers and technology selection process. Using human-centred design, a critical
development coordinators with a diverse engineering component of our TDA, the team meets with the Village
background and extensive stakeholder engagement Chief and the community to conduct participatory design
experience who work directly with the communities. workshops to further understand their needs and priorities.
Once we are able to explore the community-identified
challenges, we lead the co-design process to create solutions
to these issues from concept development, to user-testing
and implementation at scale.

EWB Challenge For example, in the 2009 EWB Challenge, a student design
project on urine-diverting dry toilets for the floating
and Cambodia community was adopted by Live and Learn. With support
from our team and further community consultation, the
The Cambodia team works alongside vision-aligned local project progressed into a series of design prototypes and
non-government organisations (NGOs) to support similar iterations before implementation. The innovation continued
engineering projects and other education programs. further as the project evolved to a floating bio-digester
Through the years, we have built a great relationship and (again from student ideas) that allowed the community
created mutual value with our partner organisation by members to turn waste into methane gas for cooking.
engaging them in the EWB Challenge.
As a result of our partnership with CRDT in 2018, the
EWB Solutions for Sustainable Development Intensives’
2008 Resource
(Intensives) was developed in 2019, a part of EWB
Australia’s emerging Professional Skills Development
Development Program. In addition, the Cambodia team was engaged

2021 by CRDT to provide technical consultation in
International - their Rehabilitation of Rural Water Supply project in

Kratie province.
focus on rural You can read more about our work in Cambodia here.
communities
2009 Live and Learn

Environmental
Education - focus
on the floating
communities of the
Ton Le Sap Lake
2018 Cambodian
Rural Development
Team (CRDT) -
focus on rural
communities along
the Mekong River in
Kratie Province

Introduction to
Cambodia context
The project context centres on Pu Ngaol
village situated in Memang commune in
Mondulkiri province in Cambodia.
Background
Village Pu Ngaol: 547 people,
mostly Bunong indigenous
(130 families are Bunong,
9 families Khmer)
Commune Memang: 716 families, 2871 people
District Kaev Seima: 3,138.71 km2
Province Mondulkiri: 14,288 km2
Country Cambodia: 16.9 million people

in 2021

Mondulkiri
Province
Mondulkiri Province lies in the east of Cambodia bordering
Vietnam, and is known for its lush forested hills within
national parks, waterfalls, wild animals, and rich soils
Additional Information:
enabling a strong industry in various fruits and tea and Read: Mekong Adaptation and Resilience
coffee in the mountains. to Climate Change (ARCC)
It is also home for one of the indigenous ethnic minority Read about Srepok Wildlife Sanctuary:
groups, the Bunong people, who primarily live in
Mondulkiri province and make up most of the population. - Saving Cambodia’s Dry Forests (WWF)
The remainder are mostly Khmer, Chinese or Muslim Cham.
- Performance evaluations of the Keo
Fruits and vegetables include avocado, passionfruit, water Seima conservation project (KSCP)
spinach, carrots. Tourists come to see the waterfalls, as and the Wildlife sanctuary support
well as wild animals they can find - including deer, tigers, program (WSSP)
elephants, pigs, as well as the national animal the ‘Kouprey’
Read: History and challenges of
which means forest ox (Kou = cow or ox, prey = forest or
protected areas, natural resource use and
wild), now believed to be extinct.
population of Cambodia
To the south of Pu Ngaol lies the Keo Seima Wildlife
Explore: Stats on Cambodia’s rates of
Sanctuary, and to the north is the Pu Cha village and Srepok
deforestation
Wildlife Sanctuary (formerly Mondulkiri Protected Forest).
Wildlife sanctuaries seek to protect these animals from Read: Stories from rangers patrolling the
illegal hunting, many of which are endangered. The forest Srepok Wildlife Sanctuary in Mondulkiri
itself is protected from illegal logging. Sustainable-use zones from WWF Cambodia
are set up - corridors between community zones and fully
- 2020 From wildlife poacher to forest
protected areas - so local residents may collect mushrooms,
protector – a Ranger’s story
wild honey, tree resin, rubber and more. Rangers are
employed by the government to patrol the national parks - 2020 From city boy to protector of
day and night, with Community Petrol Members (CPMs) Cambodia’s largest dry forest
expected to conduct patrols as volunteers. There are around
15 CPMs from Pu Ngaol village working in collaboration - 2007 Preventing human elephant
with other villages of the Memang commune and Chong conflict in Cambodia
Phlah commune with support from the Rangers and Local
Read: Land cover and forest classification
and International NGOs.
system in Cambodia by REDD
Read: The Bunong: The Caretakers of

Cambodia’s Sacred Forests
Explore: Technical report on Mondulkiri

Province

Pu Ngaol
village
547
Pu Ngoal village is in Memang commune, Kaev Seima district,
Mondulkiri province. Pu Ngoal (pronounced ‘pu now’) literally
people means uncle-bald. It lies 1hr drive from the capital town in
Mondulkiri Province, Saen Monourom.
14 Geographically the village is divided by the Ou Te river (in

local Bunong language, the river has a different name and is
w/disabilities pronounced ‘ta truuh’ by rolling the ‘r’) and for much of the
year they are only connected by a narrow suspension bridge
139
that people and motorbikes traverse over. The village areas are
fairly flat, surrounded by rolling forest hills within patrolled
Khmer
Bunong
families national parks where illegal hunting of wild animals and illegal
logging is monitored. The monsoon (wet summer) season in Pu
Ngaol village runs from May to October and the dry (winter)
45 poor season runs from November to March, and has a tropical
IDPoor 1
IDPoor 2
families climate with relatively warm temperatures throughout the year.
People used to be stationed at the village during the Khmer
108 Rouge regime in the 1970’s as it was close to the Vietnam

border.
households Pu Ngaol is home primarily to Bunong indigenous people
- Mondulkiri biggest indigenous group. Many families in
20 Pu Ngaol village are classified by the government’s poverty
w/toilets
ratings as being ‘Poor Level 1’ or ‘Poor Level 2’ with the first
being the highest classification level of poverty.
1 Most people in Pu Ngaol village are subsistence farmers that

either own or work as labourers on rice farms scattered across
public toilet the village, as well as growing vegetables and fruit trees for
their families to eat and some to sell. Some people will also
supplement their meals with fish from the nearby Ou Te river,
7 ground- caught on hand-held fishing line.
water wells A few kilometres from Pu Ngaol is Toul village, also within
Memang commune, where people are able to access essential
1 primary services such as a local market strip, high school, medical

centre, mechanic, and pagoda (a central place of most villages
school in Cambodia, home to Buddhist monks and providing a refuge

for homeless or otherwise vulnerable people).
1 community Toul village is home to more Khmer people than Bunong with
meeting hall
many people moving there from other parts of Cambodia with
the prospect of mining for gold

Culture Transport
The indigenous Bunong people speak a completely different The road into the village from Saen Monourom was
language to Khmer people who are the majority ethnic upgraded not long ago to a relatively good quality red
group in Cambodia. From the community workshops gravel road that is maintained and graded by an Australian
hosted by EWB, all of the 25 participants speak varying mining company, who’s gold mine is a further 20 km away
amounts of and understand Khmer in addition to their from Saen Monourom along the main road from Pu Ngaol
mother tongue. Bunong language is an oral language, so village. Within the village the roads are of much poorer
there is no script like there is for Khmer. Traditionally condition however, especially in the wet season as roads
men and women from the indigenous community lived in become damaged by flooding and are extremely muddy
separate houses, however nowadays families live together which makes transport very difficult. Every family has at
in their homes. They use a kuntheo - a curved blade/axe least a motorbike, and only some families own a car.
for cutting the grass or rice, and often smoke local strong
tobacco made by rolling in a leaf. A key transport point for the village is the suspension
bridge across the river. Explore the bridge and more
The Bunong are spiritual people, visible by small raised information about connecting roads in the interactives.
offering huts outside their homes where they honour their
ancestors called “Prah Phum” which means “God or angel
who guards the village” They believe that when people die,
their ghost or spirit goes inside the huts. In addition there
Gender
is usually one larger offering hut called loh ta which means Both women and men share a lot of the same farm work
grandfather in Khmer, where people gather to celebrate and and labour responsibilities, including rice farming in the
give offerings, and pray especially for their rice to grow well. fields especially in the rain season, and collecting resin.
During resin expeditions women may also help with the
Each house in Pu Ngaol village makes their own rice cooking during the approximately 1 week long camp trips
wine, kept in ceramic containers. Rice wine is common into the forest. Volunteer community forest rangers are
across Cambodia, and poisonings can be an issue if not mostly men but there are also some women, and only men
made correctly. are involved in legal logging.
Women however are still mainly responsible for domestic

cooking and taking care of children at home on top of any
other work, so they can’t work far from home. However
men will also cook if women are busy at lunch time. Women
generally earn less than men, about $25 USD per month.
Women are also mostly responsible for collecting solid
waste and burning it in piles outside their home.
Domestic violence is fairly common, apparently committed

by both men to women and visa versa. However generally
public safety isn’t a problem, and during the community
workshops held by EWB women said they felt safe around
the village.

Education Language
Literacy rates within the Bunong people of Pu Ngaol village Khmer is the official language and national language of
is low - only 3 younger women could read Khmer out of the Cambodia. It is part of the Austroasiatic language family
12 women who attended the community workshops held by in Mainland Southeast Asia and South Asia. It is also
EWB. the earliest recorded and earliest written language of the
There is 1 primary school (grade 1-6) in Pu Ngaol village Mon–Khmer family, predating Mon and Vietnamese,
and 1 secondary school (grade 7-9) nearby 2km from Pu due to Old Khmer being the language of the historical
Ngaol in the neighbouring Toul village. However drop off empires of Chenla, Angkor and, presumably, their earlier
rates as the years progress through schooling is extremely predecessor state, Funan. Bunong language also belongs
high, with an estimated 96% drop out rate through primary to the Austroasiatic language family but sits within the
school from grade 1 to grade 7, as students leave school to Bahnaric branch. It is distinctly related to Khmer and other
help their family on their farm or in their local business like languages spoken in Cambodian highlands. Listed below
a restaurant, or work as labourers or sellers. are some of the common English words and their Khmer +
If they can afford it, families will rent a house or a dorm Bunong counterparts.
room in Saen Monourom town for their children to go to
high school for years 10-12. Common Khmer words
Explore the primary school and secondary school for more
English Khmer Bunong
information about education in the interactives.
Hello chom reab suor Tornmameas leah hveal
ទាាន់់មឞាាសលាាសអ្វែ�ែស
Labour Engineer visvakar vi chhva k
វិិឆ្វាៈ��ៈក
Almost everyone in Pu Ngaol village participates in rice
farming - some of them own their rice field land and will Agriculture kaksekam kakchikam
often employ other village members as labourers. People កាៈ�ៈឆិិកាាម់់
also work as labourers in other ways especially in the dry Water tuk teak
season when rice farming ceases, to earn income during this ទាាក
time. They also collect resin from the surrounding forest
Energy thampol norter teang
and sell it for income. Whether rice farming or labourers,
នទើ�ើទាាង់់
people work hard 8hr days.
Waste kaksaamn nortereaneis
A few people are shop owners, selling packet snacks, water នទើ�ើរាាមែ�ស
and other goods. There are no local teachers however, with
Climate akasatheat troak neara
qualified teachers moving to the village from other areas to
ត្រោ��ោកនាារ
take up their employment.
Rice angkor pie
The village chief and deputy chief spend most of their time ផែ�
in this role with various responsibilities including attending
River tonle Teak roleay
commune meetings, and are voted in every 4 years.
ទាករាលាយ
Community members will also serve their time on volunteer Forest prei mri
duty as a forest ranger, patrolling the surrounding forest for ឞ្រី�ី
illegal activity such as logging and hunting of wild animals.
They will go in groups of about 10 and there might be 3
watches per month. They get a daily allowance to cover
their costs such as fuel and food, but are given no wage.
Unemployment is particularly high in the dry season when

rice farming ceases.

Other development
organisations in the area
Non-profit organisations that have worked in Pu Ngaol DPA with WWF Cambodia began working with Pu Ngaol
village include Cambodian Rural Development Team in December 2021, by diversifying income streams
(CRDT), WWF Cambodia, Development and Partnership in and improving food generation for village members by
Action, and Pu Nagol is also a part of Wildlife Conservation providing chickens, pigs and vegetable seeds. This also in
Society’s Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary REDD+ program. turns help protect the forest, as people aren’t as reliant on
While this may sound like a lot, not all work with the entering the forest for other sources of foods or hunting
community regularly and they still receive far less support animals. DPA also conducts workshops with participants
than many other villages in Cambodia. to improve relations between men and women to address
domestic violence.
CRDT used to conduct livestock training including
with chickens, frogs and fish but no longer work with WWF Cambodia has been working in this part of
Pu Ngaol village. Mondulkiri province for 20 years, mostly spent successfully
transitioning people from forest hunting and logging
and land clearing to vegetable and rice farming where
they now can gain a sustainable income and forests are
preserved, leading to significant biodiversity protection and
contributing to carbon emission reductions in the face of
climate change.
Read: about the rebuilding of Memang
Primary School and Health Centre
through grant assistance from Japan
Read: Social Impact Monitoring and

Vulnerability Assessment
Read: Cambodia Agriculture, Natural

Resources, and Rural Development
Sector Assessment, Strategy, and
Road Map

Design
considerations
Below are listed some design considerations
that we recommend you factor into your
EWB Challenge design idea to ensure it
is appropriate to the context. You might
ask yourself these questions a few times
throughout the design process – it’s okay if
you don’t have all the answers in week one!
You are encouraged to include a response

to each of the below considerations in the
design proposal submitted for the EWB
Challenge. You’ll also find ‘context-specific’
design considerations which provide more
detail on what a particular community
partner and community representatives
consider most important when designing and
delivering projects with them.
Check out our FAQ guide if you have questions

that you can’t find the answers to: Some Big Tricky
Questions: Explained.

General considerations: Delivery and ongoing management –
Who might construct and/or implement
Sustainability – Consider the long-term the project? Is the design response one
sustainability of your project proposal. What that considers local capacity for ongoing
measures could be put in place to ensure the management, repair, and maintenance?
successful continuation into the future? As much as possible, does your design or
system proposal align with locally available
Impacts on community – What impact
expertise?
will your design have on members of the
community? Who are your key stakeholders? Effective technical design – Is the technical
Is there anyone you haven’t included? design the most appropriate and effective
for this context? Take the time to show
Impacts on environment - What impact,
what alternatives were considered and why
both positive and negative, will your design
you are proposing your design as the most
have on the local environment? What
appropriate. Previous EWB Challenges show
measures can you put in place to mitigate any
that the most successful designs are often
negative impacts?
ones that are simple in design and can be
Community engagement – How would implemented / prototyped (tested) rapidly.
you propose EWB could potentially engage
Inclusion of all – Is your proposed
and consult the community throughout the
engagement approach, final product, and
project? Think about the initial design right
user experience inclusive of and accessible
through to implementation. What avenues
to all people? It's helpful to challenge
are there for community members to become
yourself to think beyond a 'typical' user and
involved? What form(s) of community
consider a variety of diverse individuals who
engagement might be required for your
will have differing abilities and needs (and
particular design response?
might be time-bound, for example, while
Cost and economic benefits – What is the pregnant or while recovering from an injury).
estimated cost of the project? Think about the Designing for inclusivity not only opens tools,
‘Capital Expenditure’ (initial cost to start) and products, and services to more people, it also
Operational Expenditure (ongoing costs over authentically reflects who people really are
time), which might include material costs, and tends to create an improved experience
implementation, operation/program delivery for everyone.
costs, and maintenance costs. Take into
consideration local currency and costs. Also,
consider if there are any potential economic
benefits to the community which could result
from the project.
Materials and Access – Have you

considered the use of locally available
materials that are culturally acceptable
and environmentally friendly wherever
possible? Transportation of project materials
and availability of materials which might
be required for future maintenance are a
significant consideration for projects in
remote locations. Where might your proposed
materials be sourced from? Also factor the
poor quality transport and it’s implication for
importing materials and human access

Context specific
considerations for Mondulkiri
province in Cambodia:
Seasonality and Climate change –
Designs should be resilient to changes
in environmental conditions pertaining
to the region. Things to consider
include varying water supply, changing
landscapes, increasingly hot land
temperatures in summer, amongst others
Cultural and Social factor – Is

your design appropriate and aligned
with cultural and social practices of
people within the communities of the
indigenous Bunong people?
Forest preservation – Since Mondulkiri

Province possess lush forested hills
within national parks, waterfalls, wild
animals, and rich soils designs should
where possible take into consideration
supporting people to earn income or use
materials in ways that are sustainable
and preserves the forest

Design area one
Sanitation & hygiene
Background
In Cambodia most people have access to soap and water in city areas where there is piped water supply the water is
these days, but they may not use it all the time for e.g. hand provided by a bidet sprayer (water pressurised hand-held
washing, washing dishes, when cooking, after defecating, hose). Toilet paper is not usually used because it’s expensive
or bathing. It’s very common for people to only wash their and considered dirtier than using water alone, since water
hands with water and no soap, especially in rural areas, but pressure means you don’t need to use your hands.
it depends on each family’s habits. This can be due to lack
Behaviour change is an important element to consider in
of hygiene education, or to avoid the cost of soap if they
any new piece of technology but is especially of interest in
are poor. Rural areas usually use a bar of soap rather than
projects relating to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).
liquid, as this is more widely available and cheaper. There
People are habitual in nature and it takes time, energy and
are stark disparities between urban and rural areas, and
mindset shifts to change their behaviour. Even if there is
richer and poorer households. 40% of rural Cambodians
education around the health benefits of handwashing and
do not have basic hand washing facilities with soap and
if there is access to handwashing facilities, people may still
water to wash their hands, compared with 12% of urban
not regularly practise hand-washing. An example to help
Cambodians; 81% of the poorest rural Cambodians practice
understand this is to reflect on how long it took to reduce
open defecation, compared with 11% of the wealthiest rural
the levels of smoking in Australia and other countries.
Cambodians. Despite improvements, many people still
The health risks were well understood and communicated
do not know about safe WASH risk prevention practices,
for decades before levels started to significantly reduce.
especially in rural areas. A common health risk of poor
If technology requires changes to someone’s routine and
hygiene includes worms (bowel parasites) which can
habits, the solution should factor in how people will also
infect people via ingesting worm eggs such as touching
change their behaviour to ensure the technology is a
your mouth from faeces (such as unwashed hands or
success - this is often around incentives (non-monetary) or
contaminated soil, water or food) or eating undercooked
motivations and/or community education. The challenge is
meat that contain worms.
to ensure that hygiene practices are adopted in the long-
The most common style of toilet in Cambodia is a squat term in communities. Once an entire generation integrates
latrine, that uses water for flushing and washing their those changes into their way of life, the plan is that they will
bottom. In rural or poorer areas the water is provided in a pass that onto their children and so on.
nearby bucket or a water storage tank (image) and often

Situation in Pu Ngaol village When asked what they would like for a toilet, people said
they prefer a toilet with shelter but they aren’t interested
Hygiene in Pu Ngaol village is poor and many people don’t in a ‘dry’ toilet as it looks dirty and smells bad. The main
wash their hands with soap. Some people said they’re aware reasons why people don’t have a toilet is because they
of the importance of using soap, and it is available at local don’t have enough money, and having a toilet is not a
shops, but we don’t know their actual practices and we first priority for them as they will spend their income on
didn’t see any soap or detergent around the toilets. Some things like food and other essentials. There is also a lack of
participants had very visibly dirty clothes, and one women materials (cement, concrete rings, sand etc.) in the area and
said she doesn’t use soap as she can’t afford it and instead it is a cultural norm to open defecate instead. Furthermore,
washes her clothes by hitting them on rocks at the Ou Te they wish to save water that would be required for pouring/
river, and likely chooses to spend any money she has on flushing the toilet and defecating in the forest is easier since
other items instead. there is no need to bury their waste or use water. They
would be happy to have shared community toilets (such as
Only 18% of households have a toilet and the rest practice
between 5-6 households per toilet) and offer their labour to
open defecation. A big barrier to having a toilet is the price
dig and construct the pit. They would like a toilet that can
- it costs around $500-600 US dollars for each of the other
be used as the bathroom where they can shower in it, that
toilets in the village, which is about ½ their annual salary.
can store rainwater inside, has lighting at night time, and
A simple toilet could be installed for $150 USD but people
feels safe for women to use.
don’t consider this a priority given their needs and relative
income. The materials to construct a toilet are available Open defecation poses a health risk such as increasing the
in Pu Ngaol and Toul village but are costly, and there are risk of faecal-oral diseases, mostly due to contaminated
about 4-5 people in the villages who know how to build a water, hands and food. Providing children with clean
toilet. Where there are toilets installed in the community, drinking water and adequate toilets, and instilling in them
they have a septic system which is not sealed, meaning the the need to wash their hands with soap and water, are the
contents can leech into the deeper groundwater. Some of most effective ways of saving their lives and ensuring they
the toilets were built as recently as 2022, so were in good develop into healthy adults. Diarrhoea, which often results
condition. People walk into the forest to open defecate, from poor sanitation and hygiene, is a major cause of
usually about 200m or in some cases as close as 20m from children’s illnesses, including stunting and impaired brain
their home and usually early in the morning, and will development
walk past the cleared land for rice paddy fields nearby to
avoid contamination. Women in particular from Pu Ngaol
Soil Properties
village said they face issues with insect bites (including
mosquitos), feeling embarrassed, and feeling unsafe when Like most South-East Asian nations, Cambodia has a
practising open defecation. distinct wet season and dry season. This seasonal variability
can impact soil and groundwater properties during each
season. Soil strength is generally harder in the dry season
and softer in the wet season. This impacts the structural
design aspects of developing a sanitation technology, in that
the ‘worst-case’ soil properties must be used in the design
calculations to ensure the infrastructure is structurally
sound throughout the year.

Opportunities
1.1 Low cost/Affordable toilet 1.3 Hygienic sludge
management and disposal
The primary design considerations for the latrines in
use are affordability and simplicity of construction and This project proposes a process and supporting
maintenance. This project challenges students to design infrastructure for the safe management and disposal
a low-cost, simple but effective squat toilet for either of faecal sludge from toilet facilities in rural areas. This
individual homes or shared by several households; that solution should take into consideration community health,
further decreases cost, is suitable for families who divide the environment, flood prone climate, cross contamination
their time between village houses and farms, and/or is with the agricultural fields, and the potential positive
inclusive for all types of users (especially older people and uses for this by-product. It is up to the students to make
people with disability). Students could explore options assumptions about types of toilet this relates to.You can
for low or no water to reduce pressure on the water choose to combine it with 1.1 Low cost/ Affordable toilet.
supply in dry season and labour of collecting water or
develop an effective water supply solution. Projects might
address improvements to the existing systems or propose
a new appropriate design idea. Risks of contamination
(e.g. leaching into groundwater and soil including to
surrounding agricultural fields and plantations) are to be
considered while working on this project.
arrow-right See also: water supply for toilet project
1.2 Improving hand washing use

It is estimated that approximately a million deaths would
be prevented each year by routinely washing hands with
diarrhoea-related deaths reduced by up to 50% and
respiratory diseases reduced by 16%. In Cambodia, only
61% of people have access to handwashing facilities with
both soap and water, and 29% of the population has no
access to any type of handwashing facilities and hence it
isn’t widely practised. It is important to note that access Additional Information:
to soap doesn’t mean that it will be used, as people may
See also: ‘Health’ section in
choose to prioritise other purchases over buying soap.
Design Area 5 - ICT
Whilst some people are aware of the importance of
handwashing, it can be difficult to trigger behaviour change Read: behaviour change in WASH by
to form a habit which can be inculcated into day-to-day WHO
life. There is an opportunity here to design a handwashing
facility or initiative that motivates or incentivises people Explore: more about behaviour change
to wash their hands, either at the household level or by taking this e-learning challenge by
school level. CAWAST
Read: Water sanitation and Hygiene -

UNICEF country program
Explore: Sanitation solutions for hard

ground environments in Cambodia - blog
post by EWB Australia
Read: Human centred approach to

sanitation - blog post by EWB Australia

Design area two
Water supply
Background
The biggest challenges around water in Pu Ngaol village The river is dirtier with high turbidity in the rain season
relate to quality and accessibility. Workshops with (May to October) stirred up from fast flowing water, and
community members revealed that they lack enough in the dry season (November to March) the water level
clean water for home consumption and other water for drops, flows slower, is clearer and has low turbidity. It is
agriculture (like vegetable gardens) and they lack water polluted from littering and animal faeces (buffalo, cow,
storage. However people were happy to have access to 20L chicken, duck). In the wet season the river is an estimated
filtered water containers purchased to drink, as well as 3 m deep and 50m wide, During the rainy season floods
being able to boil water from other sources to drink safely. water level can rise up to 10 - 20 cm in 1 ot 2 days in August
and September Flash flooding can occur - for example
Water sources and uses Pu Ngaol village experienced 1m flash flood on 13 August
2022 which caused difficulty in travelling, damaged crops,
River water - this is called ‘Ou Te’ river in Khmer language, killed animals, and damaged everyday tools. Crocodiles
but called ‘ta truuh’ (roll the r) by local indigenous Bunong are said to be present down stream but thankfully not near
people. The river connects up to the Mekong River around Pu Ngaol village!
Kratie (pronounced ‘kra-chay’). The river is used for
bathing and washing clothes, and sometimes drinking Rainwater - Many villagers collect rainwater during the wet
water (but boiled first). Some people carry the water to their season, often via makeshift water runoff channels off their
house, and others do their water activities at the stream. corrugated iron roofs into large plastic 200-300 L drums
People who live near the river can use the river water freely or similarly large rounded cement storage jars. These are
for agricultural purposes especially during the wet season. open to the elements, including to dirt, sun, insects and
Women can carry 30L water each, or people use motorbikes potential bacteria. Rainwater is often used for cooking and
to carry water by holding plastic containers. River water some other low-water-intensive uses like washing dishes
can also be purchased via a big delivery tank on a truck, and dirty hands. Many people will boil rainwater before
which pumps river water into the tank and is driven around drinking it.
to sell water direct to people’s homes, pumping water out
into large plastic blue storage drums. Poor quality water
is available year-round, and is used for clearing dishes,
clothes, and bathing.

Groundwater - groundwater is available via 8 publicly Climate change and seasonal effects
available hand dug bores that are operated via a hand pump, to water supply
located scattered across the village. The bore is 37m deep,
Seasonal changes due to climate change is a significant factor to
with the static water level only about 5m underground to
consider for any project, which are expected to have increasing
the water table. The hand pump can function at a maximum
effects into the future on both the natural and human
capacity of 4 cubic metres per hour. The water is slightly
environment which are inextricably linked.
muddy, is hard (high mineral content of calcium carbonate)
and contains iron, so it has a strong smell and bitter taste. Already, people are affected by seasonal changes which are
Pumps like these are currently only suitable for small- expected to become more stark in future. For example, in the
scale agriculture (like vegetable gardens and livestock) rain season people use groundwater bore pumps, but not in the
and washing, and isn’t used for drinking. The groundwater dry season as less water comes out and it’s harder and more
is especially used when people run out of other water at tiring. Current levels of rainwater storage and rice production
their homes such as rainwater, since they don’t have much already cannot support families throughout the whole dry
water storage. season.
Purchased drinking water - 20 L clear blue containers Rice and fruit farming is significantly relied upon for livelihood
of drinking water can be purchased at most local stores. It and income in Pu Ngaol village. These rely entirely on natural
is usually a swap system, where people purchase up-front watering through rainwater in the wet season, which makes
the cost of a bottle (about $4-5 USD) then they swap it out them extremely vulnerable to climate effects (e.g. longer dry
for a full bottle of clean water each time for a lower price seasons, shifting of beginning and end of seasons, changes in
(2,500 riel locally each time, about $0.60 USD) if they can rainfall, leading to changes in crop productivity, etc). During
afford to do this on an ongoing basis. Private small-scale flood season, the households along the stream are affected by
drinking water processing plants are fairly common across stream flood with the heights from 0.5m-2m with the duration
rural Cambodia. around 24 hours.
Students should consider the effects of climate change now and

Some villagers said they want a piped water supply, like the
into the future on any projects, aiming to counteract or mitigate
private piped water system available at nearby Toul village,
these effects on people’s lives where possible.
and one man said he was willing to pay the equivalent of
$0.375 – $0.5 USD per 1m3. The current private water supply arrow-right Read: Climate Risk Country Profile by World Bank
system only available in Toul village pumps river water up Group and Asian Development Bank
to processing head tanks where water is stored and only
treated with aluminium sulphate to clump and remove the
silt. Across both Toul and Pu Ngaol village, there is no waste
Opportunities
water treatment or recycling.
2.1 Quality drinking water
arrow-right See interactives for more information on each of these
water sources as well as the private water supply system While some households in the community boil water from
the river before drinking, there is no common form of water
treatment. Via this design opportunity, students can investigate
Water storage
ways to improve quality of drinking water procured by means of
There is limited water storage in Pu Ngaol village. Some natural sources such as river water, groundwater or rainwater
households have cement storage jar or plastic water drums, to ensure it meets safe drinking water standards. Since this is
that can be filled up with river water or collect water runoff a wider project scope, students can explore opportunities at
from roofs. Cement storage jars cost 150,000 riel (about both household level or community level while also combining
$40 USD) to buy and deliver to a house, which is expensive it with other projects such as rainwater collection, storage etc.
compared to other areas across Cambodia. Most people only Aluminium sulphate is currently used as a flocculant to prevent
have 2-3 jars but it is not enough in the rain season. Other coagulation, and is unlikely to pose any health risk. High values
storage containers include large blue plastic 200-300 L of aluminium however, can increase the turbidity and adversely
drums. Women mostly collect the water using 30 L containers influence the flavour of water and therefore will impact on the
by walking or driving on a motorbike to the groundwater consumer. Alternatives to aluminium sulphate can be explored.
wells and the river. Approximately every 3 days, households arrow-right This project could also be combined with others e.g.
spend at least 4 hours transferring water from the river to jars rainwater collection and storage, affordable piped water
at their homes. supply

2.2 Rainwater catchment 2.4 Improved accessibility and
and storage system affordability to natural water supply
Climate change has brought about significant drought and Collecting water is a strenuous process for people in
rain-scarcity, creating serious challenges in Cambodia. This the village, given the sources are minimal and often
project focuses on water storage of rainwater, optimising inaccessible. This is especially difficult for people with
rainwater collection and stretching out supply into the disabilities as well as older people who have poor mobility.
dry season. Rainwater is commonly collected in jars via Keeping in mind the expensive and arduous nature of
roof guttering, for use at a household level. There are setting up a piped distribution system, students are
opportunities to improve the consistency and affordability encouraged to explore ways to develop affordable tools or
of a quality water supply through innovations around the systems that would enable access to natural water supplies
in the region including but not limited to groundwells,
current method of household rainwater collection. Students
hand-pumps, rivers etc. Design proposals might choose
are challenged to generate design ideas that might stretch
to focus on designs that serve one household, a few
the availability of rainwater to provide supply through a
households, or an entire community area.
portion of the dry season, or when rainfall is inconsistent
which can contribute towards climate resilience. Household
water use would include washing dishes, bathing, water for 2.5 Resilient agricultural
squat toilets and water for animals to drink. This project river water pump
can be combined with both design areas 1 and 2.
Since Pu-Ngaol village is prone to flooding, students are
encouraged to design pumping systems used for agricultural
2.3 Safe, accessible river purposes that are climate resilient and compatible for
water collection varying river heights with changing water levels, as well as
withstanding rapid changes during floods in wet season.
River water collection involves making the journey to Ou
Their current gasoline fuelled agricultural water pump
Te river on foot or on motorbike with a large container was submerged in the river during the wet season and is
(like a plastic fuel jerry can) and submerging it under the no longer functional. Alternatives to gasoline could also
water’s surface from the river’s edge to collect water. This be explored. The water usually feeds rice fields (Common
could be potentially dangerous as the edge of the rivers rice field property: 1.5 hectares - 3 hectares per family),
can be extremely slippery and when combined with fast vegetables (pumpkin, watermelon, ridged gourd, eggplant)
movement of the rivers in wet season could be hazardous and fruits (corn, banana, cashew, cassava, papaya).
to human life, especially for people with mobility issues.
arrow-right See also ‘Design Area 3 - Agriculture & Livelihoods’
While a piped water supply might in theory be ideal for
efficient water retrieval to households, this would be a
costly solution and may not happen for some time, if it all.
This project focuses on generating affordable solutions
which will allow people of varying abilities to collect water Additional Information:
from the river safely during both wet and dry seasons, to
meet their household drinking water needs. Varying heights Read: Mekong Low Flow and Drought
of the river at different times of the year could be a key Conditions in 2019–2021
consideration to this project. Read: Meet the Cambodian entrepreneur -
UNICEF
Explore: Water harvesting device in

Mondulkiri
Explore: EWB - Underground rainwater

pilot
Read: Impact of Climate Change

Programs in Cambodia: Vulnerability,
Poverty, and Gender
Explore the website: The National Council

for Sustainable Development

Design area three
Agriculture
& livelihoods
Background
Everyone’s livelihoods in Pu Ngaol village in some way or Since logging and hunting became illegal and was cracked
another depends on agriculture, especially rice farming as down on in the national forest, it has been a priority for
well as vegetable and fruit gardens and farms. Most people local non-government organisations to support alternative
in Pu Ngaol work as labourers for income on other people’s livelihoods of people who relied on the logging and
rice farms, and may also have a field of their own to harvest hunting industry for income. WWF Cambodia is one of
rice for their families to eat. They also have household these organisations, working with a few select farmers
vegetable gardens, and often have fruit trees too. The food in Pu Ngaol to support them to have enough food to feed
that families produce in Pu Ngaol is not enough for them to themselves and in future to earn more income, and then
eat all-year round, so it is supplemented if they can afford as a benefit they will also be in a better position to help
it by buying more with the little cash income they have. conserve the forest. Part of their support (including via local
Many people also collect resin from the nearby forest for organisation DPA) includes supporting rice and vegetable
supplementary income. As the main local economy and farming with better seeds, and growing chickens - however
income stream in the village, agriculture has close links they can’t afford to help everyone, but they hope to inspire
with and dictates the flow-on effects to each households’ others to follow the practices they are teaching.
access to education, health, nutrition, gender equality
and more.

Food production and markets Rice is farmed mostly for personal consumption in Pu
Ngaol village with some selling locally within the village for
Food is expensive in this province, especially fruit. This is income, and most people grow their own vegetables and
partly because the supply does not meet demand. Produce catch fish to supplement rice with their meals. Land sizes
like cashews and cassava are sold for income. One or range from: 20m2 (smallest), 0.5ha (medium and most
two households buy the produce from all others in the common), and 1ha (largest and less common). Generally,
village who then sell to larger market buyers (e.g. for Saen rice grown over one season of 25-30 bags on average per
Monourom market) who then potentially export to even family is not enough, and they still need to buy more. There
Vietnam. As an example, cassava is a root vegetable and is only one harvest a year and one rice season (during the
planted in the wet season around May-June, and harvested wet season) which puts significant pressure and risk on
in Jan-Feb. each harvest to be successful and be able to provide for
the following year’s household food. Having too much rain
Locally grown and made products in villages are available
can submerge rice plants for too long in a given period
but they are small scale and don’t have branding to
and cause it to be spoiled, while having too little rain can
demonstrate quality for audiences like capital cities. Market
also affect the crop. The area surrounding Pu Ngaol village
sellers buy from farmers for a low price but sell for a high
conducts organic farming, so there is no use of pesticides
price, with local farmers usually missing out on profits.
or fertilisers. Families generally grow rice together on the
There is desire to increase the supply of fruit and vegetables
same area of land whether they own it or not, each with
to markets from smallholder farmers, but challenges
their own plot, but they help each other.
around this include produce not lasting well across the
journey, and the lack of connection and understanding from As for tools in rice farming, some families have a sickle to
smallholder farmers in the region to bigger town markets. harvest (cut) the rice, others don’t. Indigenous Bunong
people often use their hands instead to pull out the rice
Markets nearby to Pu Ngaol village include the local
plants. Some people hire rice ploughs which are still
Toul village markets (about a 5-20 min motorbike ride,
expensive. During community workshops people said they
depending on where people live) and then the main Saen
not only don’t have enough crop seeds including rice, but
Monourom town market (about 1hr drive away), which
they lack agricultural techniques and good tools to improve
is the capital of Mondulkiri province. Much raw produce
the productivity and efficiency of farming.
locally is sold to Vietnam over the nearby border, but
farmers still don’t make much money. There has been Only the farmers who have land nearby the river can
less travel from the COVID-19 pandemic, and not enough sometimes grow vegetables in both wet (watered by rain)
product for market, so people only buy what they need. and dry seasons (watered by collecting river water in
bucket). Most farmers who have land far away from the
Food security and climate resilience water source solely rely on rainwater so they can only grow
vegetables in the wet season. One family only used a water
The effects of climate change are already being experienced
pump that was fuelled by gasoline to water their vegetables
in Cambodia, including more severe weather patterns.
in the dry season (pumped from a nearby stream) provided
Changing rainfall patterns affect smallholder farmers the
by DPA to be used only for growing vegetables. Then, they
most, and the effects can be devastating when they struggle
used the water from a groundwater pump in the wet season
to secure diversified income and food streams. These
to supplement rainfall if need be. However the pump was
effects should be factored into design solutions, with rice
submerged under water in the wet season by the stream and
and vegetables being particularly hit hardest by changing
is no longer functional.
rainfall patterns.
arrow-right See the interactives for more info on farm animals
as well as tree resin which is collected to supplement
income.

Opportunities
3.1 Improving year-round vegetable 3.3 Low-cost adaptations
production and resilience to motorbikes for people
with disabilities
Since household vegetable gardens are very common in
Pu Ngaol village, there has been significant interest in Motorbikes are the most commonly used mode of
improving year-round produce production and resilience. transportation, accounting for around 87% of the total
This project aims to increase the household supply of number of vehicles in the country. In order for planning to
vegetables throughout the year, including the dry season. occur in the design and development of these vehicles to
Latest advancements in horticulture combined with support equitable access, consideration must be given to
traditional practices could be explored to maximise yield a wide range of issues that impact on the ability of people
while also taking into consideration constraints regarding to effectively use the motor vehicles. The vehicle is to be
water supply, soil fertility, availability of local materials. used around the farm, as well as to get to local markets and
Students are encouraged to consider crop resilience to nearby villages to sell or buy produce/goods. Conditions
climate change effects as well as lack of water supply in the of the roads, and dirt roads in both wet and dry season
dry season. This project can be done collaboratively with should be taken into account. The aim of the project is to
design area 2: Water Supply develop low cost accessibility friendly motorbikes that are
affordable for individual purchase or with a government
3.2 Storage and transport of subsidy and built using local materials and complementary
vegetables to local markets with motorbike servicing skills in the village.
There is a current practice of collecting and transporting arrow-right Assume: lower limb impairment, such as one
missing leg including knee like Nheng Heng (See,
vegetables from the Pu Ngaol village to sell at a further
visual interactives)
away town in the Saen Monouron markets via a ‘middle-
man’. This project explores opportunities to develop
affordable procedural elements such as cleaning, storage 3.4 Low-cost alternatives to
and cooling. Assume the amount of vegetables transported motorised rice ploughs
in one batch would be too large for a motorbike, but smaller
Currently, many farmers either plough their fields manually
than a truck’s cargo. The aim is to develop an affordable
or have to hire/ get a loan to be able to afford a tractor,
solution(s), wherein farmers contributing vegetables help
which has significant cost contributions. With this design
to cover the cost of any vehicles, fittings or equipment
opportunity, students are encouraged to look into low
involved over time from their profits. Students are
cost alternatives to motorised rice ploughs, or low power
encouraged to consider developing sustainable financial
soil preparation equipment. Key design considerations
practices that are used locally. This project can be done
to keep in mind include affordability, accessibility (users
collaboratively with design area 4 - Energy
can be people with disabilities), and local maintenance
arrow-right See also: 5.1 Tools to connect producers to markets capabilities. This can be combined with the Design Area 4:
Energy.
3.5 Methods to remove or

reduce overgrown grasses
Traditionally, Bunong people use a kuntheo - a curved
blade/axe for cutting the grass or rice, or they might just
pull the grass out by hand. Lack of good tools for removing
grass which is a daily activity for farmers ends up being
time consuming and labour intensive. While some villagers
use chemicals for removing grass, this area uses organic
practices (i.e. organic fertilisers if any). There arises an
opportunity for better and more efficient agricultural tools.

Explore: interactives for more info on
fruits and vegetables, local village and
town markets, rice farming, agriculture
tools, cooking methods, current storage
and transport of vegetables and more.
Read: about resin tree tapping in

Kampong Thom, another province, written
by the REDD+ program
Read: about the process of tapping resin

trees in Cambodia
See also: Ngeng Heng’s story who has a

lower limb disability in the interactives
See also: inspiration from EWB

Australia’s Wheelchair Water cart as one
of our technology development projects
in Cambodia for people with disabilities

Design area four
Energy
Background The situation in Pu Ngaol village
Pu Ngaol village has recently been given the option of
Energy is mostly imported into Cambodia in the form
connecting to the electricity main grid, with powerlines
of electricity, petrol or coal to power factories, and
travelling from a substation outside Saen Monourom
hydropower from Thailand and Lao who are upstream.
town. Only about 50% of the village is connected to the
There is concern that once China finishes its five megadams
grid, despite it having capacity to supply the whole village,
which it was due to in 2022 that the water downstream
as the connection fee is too much for some people. Some
into Cambodia will be significantly reduced, dramatically
people manually tap onto the power lines of houses that are
affecting wildlife habitats and livelihoods, such as the
connected to the grid to avoid these fees, and others who
Cambodian dolphins in the Mekong River and the millions
can afford the grid connection lend rechargeable batteries
of people who depend on rivers for their livelihoods. Some
to other village members to charge their phones for the day
energy needs are generated in-country through renewable
for fee. Commonly available 12v lead acid car batteries are
means, including some solar and hydro, and the Cambodian
used for lamps and other power needs, and can be refilled
government has expressed its support for more renewable
when it runs out, or else single-use A-size batteries are also
energy. However there is not enough wind for large-scale
used. Village members are interested in solar.
wind farming
A few combined chest freezer / fridges are used in the
village, one being for frozen icy poles and other sweets
for school children to purchase which is kept at a primary
school teacher’s house overlooking the grassed play areas
and is powered 24/7. The teacher has no funds from the
government for this connection, and 3 other houses share
the connection and pay.
As for cooking energy, people use mostly firewood for

cooking and boiling water, and sometimes they will use a
small gas stove with a single-use gas canister the size of a
spray can.

Opportunities
4.1 Affordable alternative
energy sources to main
grid power connection
Currently only 50% of the population in the village are
connected to the main grid as it is expensive to do so. While
electricity is cheaper, installation is expensive - at least
$100usd - $250usd. It costs 2000 riel to charge your phone
once. While the others jump the grid via other houses that
are connected, this is dangerous and discouraged. This
opportunity tasks students to explore alternative energy
sources that are reliable, affordable and accessible. Small-
scale energy generation technologies could be studied and
utilised while striving for lowering the cost of electricity
relative to the main supply.
4.2 Low cost, low energy

refrigeration
Most of the off-grid communities have no access to
refrigeration, including Pu-Ngaol village. Without
refrigeration necessities such as food, medicines and other
perishables cannot be safely accessed. This opportunity is
centred around affordability and suitability for use in the
community. Design opportunities could consist of designing
large refrigerators, which may be suitable for a shop, or
ice-makers, which could provide refrigeration for many
households or commercial purposes, utilising sustainable
energy to power these appliances etc.
4.3 Transportable radio

charging system
Since there is no cellphone reception in the forest, radio
communication is currently the only reliable source of
communication. These radio devices are essential as
they provide for the safety of the rangers and also enable
effective coordination and deployment of services.There are Additional Information:
3 antennas in the area that provide for 70% of coverage via
Explore: power lines in the interactives
radio waves. People use either small solar panel powered
including current pricing of the main grid
charging systems or motorbike powered systems to charge
supply
their devices but this is unreliable as the battery dies much
earlier. Through this design opportunity students could Read: Cambodia Energy Sector
explore energy alternatives to provide for safe and reliable Assessment, Strategy, and Road Map
charging of the radios, that could be adapted to other
Read: Energy profile Cambodia
devices in the future if need be.
Read: Solar is powering clean water
supply for an island on the Mekong -
EWB Blog

Design area five
ICT
Background
Mobile connectivity Floods and disasters
Many people have access to phones in Pu Ngaol village, Floods occur each year in the wet season, sometimes
either a basic phone or a smartphone, especially the with flash flooding where water levels rise fast with little
younger generations. However there aren’t laptops or warning. Floods and extreme weather events will occur
tablets, and Commune meetings by leaders are all paper- more frequently and severely as global warming has mostly
based. Local School doesn’t have any electrical or electronic irreversibly led to climate change. In the last few years,
devices. During COVID the government of Cambodia people said the largest flood events had water across the
moved teaching to online mode and students had to learn village only rise to people’s ankles, however more extreme
online from their phones, but it was difficult as not all flood events which are rarer are known to occur and have
families have phones. brought water up to people’s chests in the past. Floods
generally go away quickly, with water dissipating after 1-2
Mobile connectivity is generally good in the village using
days. Even during the more minor flood events, animals
Metfone which provides good rural coverage. There is a
sometimes die and crops can be damaged - especially rice
local shop in the nearby Toul village that sells credit for $1
fields since the rice plant will die if it is fully submerged in
USD (about 4,000 riel) which lasts about 1 week. There is
water for too long. People who are most affected are those
also a Wing service at the same store, which is a banking
who live closest to the river.
institution popularly used across the country to transfer
money and pay for goods. It is widely used in rural areas
because it is low cost and easy to use, suitable for small
amounts of money to be transferred via text messaging.

Forest monitoring Health
Nearby national parks are monitored by rangers employed Health of people in Pu Ngaol village was a concern for
by the government to protect the forests, as well as some, with some people experiencing illnesses and
volunteer community rangers. Much of Cambodia’s conditions but they could not afford to go to even the local
forests have shrunk over time due to logging of trees, medical centre in neighbouring Toul village. Many common
and now national parks have been established that ban health issues are treated with traditional knowledge of
logging as well as unauthorised land clearing (often for medicinal plants collected and prepared locally, including
farms) and hunting of certain animals. WWF Cambodia tree roots. One particular type collected and sold locally
provides additional support to a number of ranger groups by Nheng Heng (featured in the interactives) is sliced up,
across the country including wildlife sanctuaries in dried, and sold to drink in tea which provides pain relief for
Mondulkiri province, nearby Pu Ngaol village. Logging women who’ve just had a baby and to help with expressing
has been easier to monitor, however hunting of animals breast milk, but men also drink for other purposes.
is far more inconspicuous and difficult to detect across
The local Memang commune health centre is about 1km
parks, sometimes up to hundreds of thousands of square
from Pu Ngaol. There is a nurse there who can help with
kilometres. Technology has a key role to play in forest
more readily treatable conditions, such as diarrhoea and
monitoring, and some drones are used for heat sensing
fever or intestinal fever (from contaminated food). During
especially for monitoring animal numbers. Technology also
the community workshops ran by EWB, participants said
has great potential for carbon emission calculations, when
diarrhoea is rare, sometimes likely caused by drinking
carbon reduction is a strong incentive for protecting forests.
water without boiling, but others who boil their water said
they don’t get sick. Some also mentioned that their skin
is very tough, dry and itchy which is likely from the hard
(calcium carbonate) groundwater, but they said the river
water doesn’t irritate them. If a condition is more urgent
or complex, people must access the Mondulkiri Referral
Hospital in Saen Monourom 1hr drive away which is the
main provincial hospital in Mondulkiri, which has doctors
as well as an emergency department. 100% of eligible
people in the village are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
As for nutrition, people mostly eat rice and salt for a meal
for breakfast, lunch or dinner, sometimes with a little
fermented fish (fermented by bacteria with salt, which
can last for years in an airtight container). However their
diet is not nutritious enough, with low protein and lacking
enough vegetables.

Opportunities
5.1 Tools to connect 5.3 Tools to support
producers to markets forest monitoring
Modern retail markets have grown in Cambodia, but Forest monitoring systems could include measurement,
vegetable growers are unlikely to gain benefits from reporting and verification (MRV) functions and aim to
these high value markets. This project looks at ways in produce high-quality, reliable data on forests, used by
which community farmers might access markets, and rangers amongst others, to monitor deforestation and
vice versa, for the benefit of all groups. Projects should animal hunting in the local forests. Some of the key
consider insights from current examples of businesses and design considerations in this area includes lack of cellular
communication channels already in operation. Key design reception in the area, monitoring of illegal animal hunting,
consideration to note is that most of the people in the enabling behavioural changes to reduce animal hunting via
village do not own a smartphone. additional monitoring, sharing of information both within
the community and between stakeholders securely and
arrow-right See also: Design Area 3 - Agriculture & Livelihoods
effectively.
arrow-right See also: 3.2 Storage and transport of vegetables to
local markets 5.4 Applications to support
rural Telehealth
5.2 Tools to improve
The spread of coronavirus has been rampant worldwide.
disaster response
In this context, telemedicine is particularly vital because it
Cambodia is one of the more disaster-prone countries can provide medical services with minimised transmission
in Southeast Asia, affected by floods and droughts on a risk for the medically or socially vulnerable and those
seasonal basis. The rising waters don’t just drown livestock lacking ready access to providers. The number of doctors
and ruin crops; they sweep away savings and bring is estimated to be 8 nurses and 2.4 doctors per 10 000
mosquitoes and diseases. If aid agencies were able to better people in Cambodia, which is the lowest in Southeast Asia.
identify, understand and visualise flood risks to vulnerable Telemedicine among residents has not spread widely in
communities, relief could arrive sooner and the impact of Cambodia. There is a specific gap when it comes to the
the flood could be reduced. This opportunity focuses on availability of digital skills. Student’s can potentially explore
developing necessary tools to aid in disaster management various telehealth tools while taking into account the digital
and response. Improved response times during floods, real- skills requirement and availability in the region.
time ground water level monitoring, and weather alerts are
potential considerations students could explore.
Read: Introduction of telemedicine in
Cambodia
Explore: Cambodia ICT Dashboard -

USAID
Understand: Digital communications in

Cambodia (ppt - Telecommunications
Regulator of Cambodia)

Design area six
Structures
Background
Tourism opportunities
Tourism is relatively popular in Mondulkiri, with forests,
waterfalls and wildlife attracting both local tourists as
well as international tourists. It is one of the four targeted
provinces by the Cambodian government for economic
development (Phnom Penh, Kampong Cham, Siem Reap
and Mondulkiri). There is great potential for Pu Ngaol
village to support ecotourism as an income stream. A
tourist site of interest nearby is a local waterfall called O
Taing Laing Waterfall at Srae I (pronounced “srae ea”)
village that can be accessed by car in the dry season.
There have been some other potential tourist sites in the
local area identified by authorities but many are deep in
the forest in wildlife sanctuaries so there is a need for
more infrastructure and human resource capacity to host
tourists nearby. In addition to infrastructure, it would also
require building the capacity of the village to host tourists,
including the general tourist experience as well as safety
and practicalities like developing the cooking and language
skills of hosts.
arrow-right Read: Technical report on Mondulkiri Spatial Plan

(tourism: Pg 58)

Building construction
Wood is the main material used in construction of Concrete is more common in big cities like Phnom Penh,
buildings, especially houses, in rural Cambodia. Traditional where the Mekong and other rivers are dredged for their
houses in Cambodia are built raised from the ground on river bed sand to mix into concrete, and is sometimes used
stilts to protect them, especially from flooding in the wet in rural areas for more expensive houses for a modern look
season. This also allows a natural cooling effect of breeze in combination with wood.
that can pass freely underneath, similar to the iconic
Carpenters and builders in rural areas like Pu Ngaol village
Australian ‘Queenslander’ design, which provides respite
are usually not formally trained, but have learnt skills from
in the warm, humid tropical environment. Traditional
an older man who has the skills in the village. When a
Bunong houses are uniquely narrow and tall, however
house is built, the construction process will be coordinated
houses in Pu Ngaol village even owned by Bunong people
by those most qualified and community members, usually
are more similar to a common traditional rural Khmer
men, will volunteer their time to build the house even if
Cambodian house - built almost entirely of wood, square or
it is not theirs. Wood that is sometimes used in Pu Ngaol
slightly rectangular, raised by varying amounts with access
is from a hard rubber tree, and a plank might be split into
via stairs or ladders, with a gable roof of corrugated tin,
more narrower planks using hand-held rotating blades with
sometimes with a balcony platform or otherwise an area
sometimes no mill available, leaving circular patterns on
underneath to sit outside. They usually consist of one large
the wood.
room inside where sleeping and sometimes cooking takes
place in the one area. Termites occur in Pu Ngaol village, eating especially any
softer woods, however older houses built with harder wood
While commercial logging is now illegal in the surrounding
are in good condition. Termites like bamboo so people
national forests, small-scale logging can be approved for
in Cambodia generally avoid cutting bamboo during a
community use such as building a house, constructing
certain 15 days a month during the moon cycle when the
fences for livestock and some handicrafts. Some relic
sugar content is highest, and instead will cut it when the
chainsaws are seen lying around unused from times where
sugar content is at its lowest, so the remaining parts of the
logging was prominent and many of the farmers worked
ever-growing tree will not attract termites and the quality
as loggers for income. People were very skilled at using
of the newly cut pole is best. Some houses in the village
chainsaws to cut wood by hand, and in the past there used
have concrete bases beneath each wooden stilt raising the
to be a saw mill but it was closed due to the crackdown on
house to reduce the presence of termites and perhaps also
illegal logging.
provides added strength in the foundations.

Opportunities
6.1 Homestay ecotourism facilities 6.3 Infrastructure to enable
safe river access
There is a growing interest in participating in ecotourism
activities including homestays and wildlife tours from the Rising and falling water levels are often unpredictable
community. Income from homestays could potentially and dangerous. Keeping this in mind a multi-functional
be used to build smaller facilities and increase tourism platform could be developed to enable safe access to
opportunities both locally and internationally. This the river. Students are encouraged to take into account
opportunity tasks students with generating facility ideas varying heights of the river across the year, child safety
for small scale homestays in existing homes or builds on considerations, accessibility of the structure from river
existing property, which would support both community edge. Key functionalities of the infrastructure might include
members and tourists who are interested in participating in safe access to the river, and monitoring of the water pump
sustainable ecotourism. Projects should make consideration amongst others.
of topics such as accessibility, functionality, sustainability,
This project could be combined with the following:
as well as cultural appreciation. Capacity building
capabilities to collaborate and teach the residents how to arrow-right See also: project on flood-resistant water pump
host an authentic and safe cultural experience for tourists project in Water
and also ensure a sustainable tourism model could also be
arrow-right See also: project on piped water supply
developed.
arrow-right See interactives of river and it’s access
6.2 Termite-proof houses
6.4 Improved local road
This opportunity tasks students to explore novel design
access in the wet season
ideas that use low cost and local materials to efficiently
termite proof structures. It is to be noted that the Dirt roads in the village more often than not get muddy
availability of hardwood is expected to decline in the area. and dangerous to use in the wet season. This affects local
access and especially the road to the primary school which
discourages kids from attending schools. This project
explores utilisation of low cost/ locally sourced materials to
develop structures that improve access on muddy roads and
are easy to maintain locally. Structures could be temporary,
or permanent in line with student’s assumptions
arrow-right See photos of muddy school road in wet season
Read: Mapping and Valuing Ecosystem
Services in Mondulkiri: Outcomes and
Recommendations for Sustainable and
Inclusive Land Use Planning in Cambodia
Read: Ministry unveils action plan set to

guide Mondulkiri tourism evolution
Read: Prefab ‘mobile’ homes
Read: Mekong Low Flow and Drought

conditions 2019-2021

Design area seven
Waste & reuse
Background Situation in Pu Ngaol village
In Pu Ngaol village there is no formal waste management
Cambodia has limited waste management systems, especially
system and most solid waste is burnt in small piles outside
in rural areas where there may be no system at all. In parts of
people’s houses. The primary and secondary schools have
major cities like Phnom Penh (pronounced ‘pnom pen’) there
a small brick incinerator to facilitate this process for waste
are organised public waste management systems with bin
generated on school grounds. A lot of this waste that is
collection. When waste is collected, it goes to landfill without
burnt is plastic and foam, that release toxic chemicals
treatment. Rubbish pickers in major cities earn their living
into the air and the residues are usually left afterwards
from collecting discarded plastic bottles or cans or scavenging
potentially allowing chemicals to seep into the soil and
in waste piles and selling them at depots, with most recyclable
surface water sources especially when it rains. People can
material like this exported to Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia
sell plastic bottles to waste collectors, and rice husk can also
and other countries in the region where it is cheaper to
be sold or reused to feed pigs and ducks. Aluminium cans
process the raw materials (mostly since recycling is energy
gain 100 riel for 4 cans, and a 1kg bag of cans gain 5,000
intensive and there are high electricity costs in Cambodia).
riel (approximately $1.25 USD), which are sold to local
There have been innovations in small-scale waste sellers who visit villages and take the cans to Vietnam which
management by Cambodians leading the way, exhibited has aluminium recycling facilities.
in forums like Waste Summit Cambodia each year. These
include recycling plastics into pellets, and using the raw
materials again to make the same product in a circular
economy, but none of these have gained any significant
implementation. There are no large-scale recycling facilities
in Cambodia, but Siem Reap for example has the country’s
first medium-scale glass recycling facility they have been
piloting.
In Mondulkiri province’s capital Saen Monourom, there are

no facilities to recycle or otherwise process waste materials
like aluminium cans and plastic bottles, and instead are
exported to nearby Vietnam where they have the facilities.

Opportunities
Students if they choose to, can combine this design area
with any others
7.1 Recycling or reuse

opportunities with common waste
Recycling practice is currently limited to aluminium cans
and bottles, which are collected in large bags to be recycled
outside of the villages. In this project, students are asked
to develop a recycling and reusing opportunities that will
build on current practice and increase sustainable practices.
Given the agricultural roots of the village, students are
encouraged to consider agricultural wastes and by products
while formulating design ideas
7.2 Affordable methods

to reduce waste
Keeping in mind human behavioural changes and what
would motivate people to adopt different practices/
products, students might explore this opportunity to
propose affordable and accessible design ideas to reduce
waste(e.g. Reducing water bottles, single use plastics
etc) while acknowledging that people usually choose the
easiest option.
Read: Waste Summit 2019 Cambodia’s
resources
Read: Factsheet: Status of solid waste

management in Cambodia - Mondulkiri
Provincial Profile
Read: Technical Report on Mondulkiri

Provincial Spatial Plan (2020 – 2040)
Read: Partnership Ready Cambodia:

Waste management by GBN Programme
Explore: interactives to see waste piles

and incinerators in the village and
different examples of common waste
Explore: interactives to see how a rice

hulling machine collects rice husk
separately

Discussion
forum
On our website you can access the EWB Challenge
discussion forum. This is where you can ask questions
of the EWB Challenge team as you develop your
understanding of the context and work through your project
ideas. The EWB Challenge team will monitor this forum
and work with our community partner where required to
answer your questions as quickly as we can. Please note that
sometimes it may take a little while to get a response due
to partner availability, the detail of the question asked, or
other factors. We ask that you do not attempt to contact the
community partner or related organisations.
We also encourage you to reply to posts by others to share

information that you may have and swap ideas with your
peers. The more people contributing to each discussion
thread the better!
Before posting a question, check that it hasn’t already been

answered in other threads or in our FAQs document Big
Tricky Questions: Explained.
To post a new question, please first sign up to the EWB

Challenge website using your university email address.

Resources
The EWB Challenge Design Brief is the foundation from And more generally,
which students can begin developing design ideas to
EWB Key Development Concepts focused on the
address the priority areas identified by our 2023 EWB
principles behind sustainable development projects
Challenge partner, EWB Australia in Cambodia, and the Pu
Ngaol community. Links to previous EWB Challenge
award-winning student reports
Further resources to support students with exploring the
Cambodian context and the development of feasible, viable, A downloadable Reviewer Assessment Criteria, used
innovative design solutions are available as a complete list by our external team to evaluate the top submissions
on the EWB Challenge website, including: to be invited to the annual Finalists’ Showcase Event
Background on EWB Australia’s As you are designing for a context remotely, not all details
programs in Cambodia and factors will be known, so will need to make some
informed assumptions based on your research and state
Background on Cambodia as a country
these in your project. We have a document on the website
and Mondulkiri province
to help you navigate this called Big Tricky Questions:
Photos, videos and 360 interactives to build contextual Explained, which also covers how to manage ambiguity
understanding of the Pu Ngaol community around project budgets, who’s implementing the solution
and available materials.
A student discussion forum moderated
by EWB Australia staff

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2023 EWB Challenge

The 2023 EWB Challenge is delivered in

2 2023 EWB Challenge Design Brief

About EWB Australia in Cambodia 4

Design area one: Sanitation & hygiene 15

Design area two: Water supply 18

Design area three: Agriculture & livelihoods 21

Design area four: Energy 25

Design area five: ICT 27

Design area six: Structures 30

Design area seven: Waste & reuse 33

3 2023 EWB Challenge Design Brief

4 2023 EWB Challenge Design Brief

Development Program. In addition, the Cambodia team was engaged

International - their Rehabilitation of Rural Water Supply project in

2009 Live and Learn

5 2023 EWB Challenge Design Brief

Commune Memang: 716 families, 2871 people

District Kaev Seima: 3,138.71 km2

Province Mondulkiri: 14,288 km2

Country Cambodia: 16.9 million people

6 2023 EWB Challenge Design Brief

Read: The Bunong: The Caretakers of

Explore: Technical report on Mondulkiri

7 2023 EWB Challenge Design Brief

14 Geographically the village is divided by the Ou Te river (in

families climate with relatively warm temperatures throughout the year.

People used to be stationed at the village during the Khmer

108 Rouge regime in the 1970’s as it was close to the Vietnam

20 Pu Ngaol village are classified by the government’s poverty

1 Most people in Pu Ngaol village are subsistence farmers that

1 primary services such as a local market strip, high school, medical

school in Cambodia, home to Buddhist monks and providing a refuge

8 2023 EWB Challenge Design Brief

Women however are still mainly responsible for domestic

Domestic violence is fairly common, apparently committed

9 2023 EWB Challenge Design Brief

Unemployment is particularly high in the dry season when

10 2023 EWB Challenge Design Brief

Read: Social Impact Monitoring and

Read: Cambodia Agriculture, Natural

11 2023 EWB Challenge Design Brief

You are encouraged to include a response

Check out our FAQ guide if you have questions

12 2023 EWB Challenge Design Brief

Materials and Access – Have you

13 2023 EWB Challenge Design Brief

Cultural and Social factor – Is

Forest preservation – Since Mondulkiri

14 2023 EWB Challenge Design Brief

15 2023 EWB Challenge Design Brief

16 2023 EWB Challenge Design Brief

arrow-right See also: water supply for toilet project

1.2 Improving hand washing use

school level. CAWAST

Read: Water sanitation and Hygiene -

Explore: Sanitation solutions for hard

Read: Human centred approach to

17 2023 EWB Challenge Design Brief