A Highlands couple have become the world’s third largest donors of water pumps in some of the poorest Cambodian Villages.
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Craig Hawkins and his wife Hannah travelled to Cambodia in 2010 and fell into a project that has continued to improve Cambodian people’s health and quality of life through access to clean drinking water.
During their visit Craig and Hannah met a man named Virak, who was arranging for water pumps to be built north of Angkor Wat.
Virak was a guide for Craig and Hannah and told them that the pumps cost $300 US each to build and install.
“Hannah and I looked at each other and the next day we gave Virak enough money for a pump,” Craig said.
The next day, the couple visited a village and met family the pump would be built for.
“There were a lot of thank yous,” Craig said.
“We found out that one of the men who lived in the house was the Village doctor, so the clean water wouldn’t just help him, but every one of his patients.”
Since then, Craig and Hannah have donated thousands of dollars to build water pumps. A number of Highlanders have also become involved in the project.
“When I tell people about it they donate $10 or $20 but some people donate a lot more,” Craig said.
Craig owns his own business and each time a client’s invoice comes through, $5 is contributed to the project.
The couple travelled back to Cambodia in 2015 and helped build 16 additional pumps.
Craig and Hannah married at their farm in Medway last year and flew Virak and his wife MaLen over for the celebration.
The couple had a wishing well at their wedding, and enough money was donated by guests to purchase five more pumps.
The process of building each pump takes about four hours. The process starts with hand-drilling a hole 25-30 metres deep into the soil, which gives access to fresh water.
“Virak tells me that with the pumps from this trip we now have 42 in operation,” Craig said.
“This makes us the third largest single donor in the world, behind a Kuwaiti gentleman and a Dutch foundation.”
Craig said he and Hannah will keep building until they have funded the most pumps.
The Highlanders said it was a rewarding project that has enriched their lives.
For information on how to donate to the building of the water pumps, visit https://www.facebook.com/Water-Pumps-for-Cambodia.