Under the support of the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade through Water for Women Fund, East Meets West Foundation (EMWF) has launched the Community Led, Inclusive, Climate Resilient (CLICR) WASH project in 30 communes across 15 districts and 6 provinces in Cambodia from January 2023 to December 2024. One of the key […]

After collecting water for consumption and domestic use for more than 70 years, today Mrs. Pik, a 75-year-old widow living in Paklay District, Xayyabouly Province, can remove the heavy bamboo pole and water bucket from her shoulders. During a household visitation, she told East Meets West’s field staff. “I still remember well, when I was […]

On April 7th, 2024, East Meets West Foundation (EMWF) was thrilled to accompany 34 students from Justifi UK for a special visit to Village of Hope (VOH) in Da Nang, Vietnam. This remarkable experience not only enriched the students culturally but also marked a significant milestone in EMWF’s mission to foster resilience among the children […]

On March 22, 2024, an impactful event took place at Tea Banh Primary School in Puok District, Siem Reap Province, marking the celebration of World Water Day. The event, organized by the Provincial Department of Rural Development (PDRD) Siem Reap in collaboration with East Meets West Foundation (EMWF), brought together a diverse array of stakeholders, […]

In late July 2023, an inspiring event took place under the framework of the Community-Led Inclusive, Climate Resilient (CLICR) WASH Project, a pioneering initiative in Cambodia. Thrive Networks/East Meets West Foundation (EMWF) in Cambodia, in collaboration with partners, organized a refresher training aimed at strengthening the skills of female water operators and their technical staff, […]

Right Time – Right Place – Finding good help in Prey Ven province to support the rural piped water system in Ampil Krav commune is a challenge. Ms. Kreang Sreypich, the female entrepreneur and water system operator knew she needed the right mix of business skills and local contacts to help her expand water connections […]

“Back to work after the 2023 Lunar New Year holiday, I feel that there is still a lot to do to help disadvantaged communities in Vietnam, especially after the first trip of the year with Sven and his family, a donor of East Meets West Foundation (EMWF) resilient compassion homes project.”, shared by an EMWF […]

Under the framework of “Women-led Output Based Aid – WOBA” project, Vietnam Women’s Union and East Meets West Foundation organize the WOBA project closing conference on November 29th, 2022 in Ha Noi, Vietnam. Participants of the WOBA project closing conference include representatives from Australian department of foreign affairs and trade (DFAT), leaders of Vietnam Women’s […]

On October 18th, 2022, in Tra Vinh province, Vietnam, East Meets West Foundation (EMWF) successfully collaborated with Disaster Prevention Community Fund (QPT) and Tra Vinh Red Cross to sign the Memorandium of Understanding (MOU) and organize the kick-off ceremony of the project “Building climate resilient compassion homes (CRCH) in 2022 in Tra Vinh province”. On […]

“I want to see the people in the community and others in Pursat province to change their behavior and start washing their hands with soap and water from now on. Handwashing Day gives people around the world a chance to participate in practicing HANDWASHING with soaps and water to protect themselves from disease infection and […]

As part of our Women-Led Output-Based Aid (WOBA) project framework, East Meets West Foundation (EMWF) has coordinated with People’s Committee (PC) and the Women’s Union (WU) of Ben Tre city to implement the “Fecal Sludge Management in Ben Tre City” project (FSM) from June 2020 to September 2022. To help WU in Ben Tre city […]

“I rarely go to the toilet at school, sometimes there is no water in the toilet or the water won’t flush down. My friends use up all the toilet paper or take it somewhere. The hand washing station is clogged too. Before washing hands, we have to splash the dirty water out of the basin.” […]

To help households understand how to manage and treat fecal sludge from septic tank properly, change improper habits and connect households with licensed private units, EMWF cooperated with the Ben Tre Women’s Union to organize training series to improve knowledge and skills for Women’s Union members from 14 clusters/communes on February 28-29th, 2022. These trainings […]

Women Led Output-based Aid (WOBA) Vietnam is a project designed and implemented by Thrive Networks/East Meets West Foundation aimed to bring equitable water, sanitation services and hygiene practices to marginalized households in five rural provinces of Vietnam and to improve women’s empowerment in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector. WOBA is funded by the […]

On December 21, East Meets West Foundation collaborated with Vietnam Women Union to successfully organize the “WOBA project summary conference in 2021 and capacity enhancement training for provincial partners”. Nearly 60 participants joined the conference directly and virtually from Da Nang, Ha Noi, Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Ben Tre. At […]

This report presents results of the Mid-Term Review (MTR) conducted for the ongoing (2018 – 2022) Women Led Output-based Aid Vietnam (WOBA) project funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) through the Water for Women Fund. The project is being implemented in five rural provinces of Vietnam (Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa, […]

Climate change and WASH are intrinsically linked. According to UN Water’s 2020 World Water Development Report, nearly three quarters of natural disasters are water related. When they hit, they can destroy critical WASH infrastructure and access – severely affecting the health, safety and food security of thousands, if not millions of people at a time. […]

In align with the Vietnamese government’s response to COVID-19 and the World Health Organization’s recommendations, Thrive Networks/East Meets West Foundation (EMWF) supported the provincial efforts to prevent COVID-19 transmission at the local level through the implementation of a COVID-19 Response project (Phase 1) in the period of May to July 2020, as part of the […]

In June 2021, the project named “Turn waste into the nutrition” of Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Thu won the second prize in the “Innovative women in developing solutions to improve sanitation and clean water for climate change adaption and social integration”. The contest is under the framework of the Women-Led Output Based project, funded by […]

On World Toilet Day, a marketing campaign in Viet Nam sheds light on what makes civil society organizations effective partners for development projects. To promote the use of more hygienic toilets, East Meets West Foundation work with Viet Nam Women’s Union to conduct door-to-door campaigns and provide sanitation information at village meetings through Women-led Output-Based […]

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Hai Duong province was severely affected by the COVID-19 outbreak before and after Vietnamese New Year in February. Measures to control the spread of COVID-19, such as travel restrictions and social distancing, affected the economy and the livelihoods of vulnerable families. Many households lost everything. Even livestock could not be sold. The lives of poor […]

See link for report: COVID 19 Response Study Final Report

“Thanks to my experience and involvement in joint efforts between VWU and EMW, I understand that improving women’s access to water and sanitation is one of the most effective ways to achieve gender equality.” My name is Nguyen Thi Phuong Nhung, Senior Officer of Family and Social Affairs Division, Vietnam Women’s Union. In my 17 […]

Huong is Head of Economic, Social and Family Affairs Department of Ha Tinh Provincial Women’s Union. She has also been a leader of our Women-Led Output-Based Aid (WOBA) project since the program commencement, assuming responsibility for planning, implementing and overseeing the program activities. The last two years of Huong’s engagement in WOBA have witnessed a […]

Water safety planning is a critical issue that has received increasing attention and investment from governments and international organisations because of the nexus between water supply quality and public health as well as other economic and social implications. However, there remains a lack of clear and comprehensive guidance and instructions for water supply operators in […]

Handwashing: the real deal Called the “do-it-yourself” vaccine[1], washing hands with soap is the most cost-effective and reliable way to prevent potentially deadly diseases such as parasites, respiratory infections and diarrhea. In a joint statement this past Global Handwashing Day 2020, Henrietta Fore, Executive Director of UNICEF, and Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the […]

“I am glad to be able to help my community gain access to clean toilets. Some people still show great gratitude when we meet.” Do Thi Nuong, Vietnam Women’s Union volunteer.  Poor sanitation was the norm in the Cam Chong community, as many families did not have basic latrines. Rainwater carries garbage and human waste […]

These documents are reports on a sequence of surveys of a case study focusing on the latrine use and faecal sludge management practically applied by many households in rural Cambodia. It is a component of the Research Output of CHOBA2 Program. The EMW Team is grateful to the numerous persons met in Prey Veng (PVG) […]

Through our WASH program, we work in partnership with government institutions, women’s and citizens’ groups, grassroots organizations, and researchers to bring water, sanitation, hygiene services and solutions to underserved communities.

We are part of a team of organizations implementing the USAID-funded Building Healthy Cities project in Danang, Vietnam, which aims to refocus city policies, planning, and services with a health equity lens while improving data-driven decision-making for smart cities.

Since 1988, East Meets West has been supporting the needs of rural and peri-urban communities in Vietnam and continues to support projects to build resilient communities, one family at a time, because we know small-scale programs can be incubators for larger impact programs of the future.

  Blue Planet Network provides a technology platform for funders to easily select, monitor, and manage WASH projects that have been peer reviewed and vetted for quality and sustainability. Each member project must pass a rigorous peer review and planning process that helps them to develop the most sustainable approach for their particular area. We […]

Photo: Our team in Hanoi celebrated International Women’s Day on Friday, March 6th. Dear friends and supporters, We wish you a Happy International Women’s Day from Luang Prabang in Laos! At this moment, members of our Board of Directors and key staff from the US, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos are together to discuss the next […]

The rumble of thunder from a distance is a sound familiar to Mrs. Ty and her family. In Vietnam’s Phu Yen district, where they lived for years, it rains up to 250 days a year, with rainfall nearly nonstop from July to October. The damage to their home during these months was always severe, leaving […]

In the rural village of Takdad in Xayaboury province, Laos, Mrs. Pu joined the community’s women’s organization to find ways to provide for her family and keep them healthy. She was worried about how sickly her children were getting and needed real solutions. She heard from another mother how clean drinking water would improve her […]

JACK BESNOY I was given the opportunity this summer to intern with Thrive Networks in their Vientiane office in Laos. The goal of our project was to provide water services to the people living in Xayaburi in Western Laos. We traveled throughout the province speaking with local officials and documenting the people living within the […]

Bright-eyed and energetic, ten-year-old Bui Thi Thu was a friend to all at the Xuan Phong Primary school in Hao Binh province, Vietnam. She could be found either studying on her own, or playing tag with her friends at the schoolyard. She is also a leader and a “Red Star”, one of the “discipline-keepers” of […]

Many of our childhood recollections are undoubtedly tied to the time we’ve spent in school. Every day, we look forward to our favorite subjects, making new friends, and taking part in different clubs or sports teams. All these different learning opportunities are enjoyable and meaningful, and no child should miss out on these experiences. But […]

For Mrs. Champy, teaching is not just a job; it’s a lifelong vocation. She cares for her students at Hatdai Village Primary School in Paklay District, Laos almost as if they were her own children. Nothing gives her more joy than seeing them work hard on their lessons and discover their own passion for learning. […]

by Belinda Abraham Back to school is an exciting time for children all over the world. Ideally, following a long summer break, children have an opportunity to get new uniforms, clothing, shoes, school books, and supplies. They enter clean classrooms with functional facilities, renovated and painted over the summer months. They meet refreshed teachers eager […]

School isn’t just a place with good classrooms, colorful walls, and well-prepared lessons. Nuth Angkea, a teacher at Kumru Krong Tbong Primary School in Kampong Chhang province, Cambodia knew that for students to truly learn and make the most out of their days in school, they needed to be healthy. His heart sank every time […]

Nestled in the rocky mountains of Thanh Hoa Province, northern Vietnam, is the village of Cam Choung 2. The area is peaceful. Quaint wooden houses dot the landscape, with trees a fierce green during warm days. When it rained, the jagged limestone mountains would glimmer against the dark sky. Located in the tropics, Thanh Hoa […]

In the rural areas of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, over 25 million people do not have access to clean piped water. Families would resort to surface water sources like rivers and lakes for drinking, cooking and other household needs. Fresh water is abundant in the lush provinces of Southeast Asia, but fresh water is not […]

Oceans and seas, rivers and lakes, in the rain, roots, and even dewdrops – water surrounds us. We use it constantly as a resource, from showering in the morning, to the food and drinks we consume, even in generating power. People’s everyday activities use up over 10 billion tons of fresh water worldwide. And in […]

Diverse, inspiring, and full of potential, Asia stands proudly as the largest continent, a vast territory where rich experiences and culture abound. In particular, Southeast Asia is home to unblemished landscapes, pristine beaches stretching for miles, stunning lakes and waterfalls, and forests overflowing with boldly colored flora. City streets tempt the senses with stalls full […]

While travelers easily lose themselves in the wonders of Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay, Old Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh city, as in many developing countries in the tropics of Southeast Asia, poverty is deeply felt far in the countryside. Wander farther and poor villages with patchwork houses made of bamboo, coconut leaves, and discarded tarpaulin […]

In the farming village of Lak 38 in Champasak province, PDR Lao, toilets are rare and open defecation is common. For 52-year-old resident Mrs. Peng and her six children, using a toilet has always meant digging holes in the family coffee plantation. Without other options, they endured discomfort and felt unsafe, especially at night and […]

  We are pleased to announce that Thrive Networks has joined the team of organizations implementing the USAID-funded Building Healthy Cities (BHC) project in Da Nang, Vietnam. The project aims to refocus city policies, planning, and services with a health equity lens while improving data-driven decision-making for Smart Cities in Indore, India, and Makassar, Indonesia. […]

A few of our elderly beneficiaries Thrive Networks is excited to announce that our Women-Led Output-Based (WOBA) program is now in full swing. After the program’s launch in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos late last year, we are pushing forward with building piped water systems and latrines for our partner communities and educating families about sanitation […]

For children between the ages of six and 11, schools are where they learn the habits that keep them healthy as they grow, such as drinking lots of clean water, using toilets properly, and washing hands regularly. These are essential to preventing waterborne diseases – such as diarrhea and intestinal worms. However, based on our […]

At Thrive, we believe that one of the secrets behind our success in Southeast Asia is the strength of our partnerships. For over 30 years, we’ve collaborated with dedicated local and international organizations to build water systems, promote basic sanitation, and teach hygiene practices. We are delighted to announce that in 2019, we welcomed charity: […]

I first joined the Vietnam Women’s Union because I wanted to help other women who have nowhere to turn to when faced with difficulty. When we became the implementing partner for the Community Hygiene Output Based Aid program in 2012, I found that many people believe in what we are doing and are willing to […]

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Absence rates and risk of diarrhea and other diseases are lower when pre-primary and primary school kids can conveniently access handwashing and sanitation facilities. Children’s memory, attention, and general cognitive performance improve when they stay hydrated while in school, so providing clean drinking water is also crucial. Many schools in Southeast Asia continue to face […]

In Southeast Asia, Thrive Networks is known for building affordable, accessible and sustainable  water and sanitation infrastructure. Building these structures doesn’t just require pipes and concrete, we also need to build relationships and networks across communities and stakeholders. Since expanding to Cambodia in 2012, Thrive works with government and civil society groups to provide water […]

Thrive Networks has been supporting the Lao government in developing their rural WASH sector since 2014. Through our comprehensive WASH programs, we will reach the 45% of rural households that do not have water connections and the 35% who still practice open defecation in our areas of intervention. In September 2018, we initiated our four-year […]

In rural Cambodia, the lack of sanitation remains a big problem. WHO data shows that only 30% of rural residents have a toilet in their homes, compared to 80% of urban dwellers. Fortunately, the government, along with its local agencies and other NGOs, actively addresses this issue. We at Thrive Networks aim to support the […]

On the occasion of the International Day of Disabled Persons, December 3, Thrive Networks renewed our commitment to inclusive, equitable and sustainable development which leaves no one behind. We recognize that many people particularly women and persons with disabilities (PWDs), face extra barriers in accessing these basic needs. With inclusion as a driving principle for […]

Our work at Thrive Networks is rooted in the strong partnerships we’ve formed over the years –with government, private operators, and other WASH organizations. With their help, we are ensuring that people across Southeast Asia have clean water to drink and have hygienic facilities that keep their families healthy. Our work with the Kien Nam […]

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Background Despite significant improvements in rural water supply, Vietnam is still  facing considerable challenges in “reaching the last mile”, providing the poorest quintile of the population with access to clean water and sanitation. Connection costs, technical and financial sustainability issues are among the reasons that explain the limited coverage and low quality services. Global and […]

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The simple act of hand washing with soap at critical times such as before eating and after using the toilet can decrease preventable diseases like diarrhea up to 48% (Source: Global Handwashing Partnership 2018). But we know that it takes the full cooperation of everyone to teach this simple act and truly build a culture […]

Wonder Woman – In celebration of International Day of Rural Women, we’re shining a light on one of key movers in bringing water and basic sanitation to unreached rural areas in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. The women of a community – mothers, grandmothers, sisters, and daughters – are some of the most important forces for understanding […]

East Meets West/Thrive Networks is commemorating three decades of providing clean drinking water and basic sanitation services to the most vulnerable communities in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. To celebrate, we’re shining the spotlight on major milestones we’ve achieved in Vietnam, where the East Meets West story first began. Skills2Thrive: Young people ready to take on […]

East Meets West/Thrive Networks is thrilled to welcome Belinda Abraham as the new Vietnam Country Director and Regional Program Director.  With over 15 years’ experience in the area of international development, Belinda Abraham joins Thrive Networks, as the new Country Director and Regional Program Director in Vietnam. As a self-defined “Citizen of the World”, Belinda […]

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When Lay Heng Heng opened her hardware store in Kampong Cham, Cambodia, becoming a partner with an international NGO and an advocate for the health of her entire community were not at all part of her goals. These days; however, she proudly sells latrine construction materials along with her usual products. As a supplier for […]

Washing hands with soap helps prevent diarrhea, respiratory diseases and soil-transmitted helminth infections. In Vietnam, handwashing with soap (HWWS) is taught to all first-grade students as part of national curriculum through 1-hour sessions, titled “Body hygiene”.  Still, most children—like most adults[1]—don’t wash their hands after defecating.  However, a recent study found that simple “nudges” significantly […]

Thrive Networks is pleased to announce that Lynn Foden has joined as Chief Executive Officer, bringing more than 25 years of leadership experience with Room to Read, the Peace Corps, Moving Water Industries and other leading international organizations in both the public and private sector. Lynn will apply her deep technical knowledge and expertise in […]

A recent TV show discusses the effort to bring safe water and sanitation to Vietnam, particularly to rural communities where the need is still great.  The show, called “Sharing Vietnam,” highlights the Australian government’s strong support for water and sanitation work in Vietnam and elsewhere, and the importance of international NGOs’ efforts – including those […]

An Update on Thrive Networks’ Newborn Health Program In 2003, Thrive Networks began working to fill a desperate need in nine low-resource countries that have struggled to save newborn babies from needless death and disability. In many developing nations, babies die or are severely disabled due to easily treatable conditions – conditions that rarely rise […]

The Vietnam Youth Federation and Youth Union in cooperation with East Meets West piloted a Citizen Score Card survey in four provinces. The objective of the Citizen Score Card program was to improve the quality of water and, to a more limited extent, sanitation services by enhancing transparency and accountability. Within the context of Vietnam’s […]

Blue Planet Network (BPN), a program of Thrive Networks, has announced funding for critical work on 44 water-supply systems in five low-income countries in Africa and Central America.  The funds, provided by an anonymous donor, will support the rehabilitation, expansion, and/or upgrade of these systems through seven of BPN’s member organizations. The projects were selected […]

Nguyen Van Phuc; his son Tien Manh; and wife Kim Chi stand next to their newly constructed latrine in Long Hung, Tien Giang province Oakland, California and Da Nang, Vietnam –  After completion of a successful program that brought needed sanitation to more than 160,000 mostly poor, rural households in Vietnam and Cambodia, East Meets […]

Since 2003, Thrive Networks has been a leader in reducing the impact of newborn jaundice in parts of Southeast Asia. Worldwide, 60 percent of newborns suffer from jaundice, but babies born in low-resource countries are most likely to suffer serious consequences from the disease. Through our efforts to provide phototherapy equipment, and our training of […]

Thrive Networks has announced that a new neonatal breathing device for use in low-income countries has received the CE mark, an important step in preparing the device for use in hospitals in low-resource settings around the world. The device, a neonatal bubble CPAP – or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure – machine, is designed to help […]

World Water Week, organized by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), has become one of the most important annual gatherings for actors engaged in water and development issues. World Water Week 2016, themed “Water for Sustainable Growth,” will take place between August 27 and September 2 in Stockholm, Sweden. The event will provide a unique […]

Allison Family Football Festival benefitting Embrace Embrace, a program of Thrive Networks is humbled to receive support from generous individuals and organizations around the world. On Saturday, June 25, the 3rd Annual Allison Family Football Festival was held at New Broomfield Park, Airdrie, United Kingdom. The festival was sponsored by Bellway Homes Ltd (Scotland Division) […]

In mid-May, Thrive Networks, known as East Meets West Foundation in Asia, sent one of the largest NGO delegations to the WASH Futures Conference 2016, a research and practitioner event hosted by the International Water Centre (IWC) and sponsored by the Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). IWC is an institute founded by […]

SPELL Scholarship recipient to Vo Thi Tuyet Tra “Life is not always beautiful, but it is a beautiful ride,” SPELL Scholarship recipient Vo Thi Tuyet Tra says as she reflects on her journey from a poor rural area of Vietnam—the Tien Phuoc District of Quang Nam Province—to where she is now, Danang University of Economics. […]

Nurses at Pyin Oo Lwin District Hospital in Myanmar June 4, 2016 was the last day of work for Jenny at Pyin Oo Lwin District Hospital in Myanmar. The day was celebrated with an appreciation ceremony for more than 50 nurses in celebration of their hard work and dedication. Nurses’ commitment is rarely recognized, but […]

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In a unified effort to advance safer sanitation and hygiene practices in Lao PDR, the Ministry of Health’s National Center for Environmental Health and Water Supply (Nam Saat) and Thrive Networks— known as East Meets West Foundation (EMW) in Asia—  came together on May 27, 2016 to sign a Memorandum of Understanding that solidifies their […]

Ms. Loan Duong, the Vietnam Country Director of Thrive Networks, known as East Meets West Foundation in Asia, was an invited guest at President Obama’s speech to Vietnamese leaders at the National Convention Center in Hanoi on Tuesday, May 24th. President Obama stressed the need for strengthening the ties between the two countries, in order […]

John Zip Lehnus, a writer in San Francisco, recently spoke with Sarah Chynoweth, Vice President of Health, and Alejandra Villalobos, Chief Development and Communications Officer, about Thrive’s Newborn Health Program. This post was originally published on Medium. Most babies come into the world well equipped to cope with their new setting. Their lungs are primed […]

By Sarah Chynoweth, Ph.D., Vice President, Health “This is business as unusual,” announced Women Deliver CEO Katja Iversen during the opening ceremony of the largest gathering on women and girls’ health and rights in more than a decade, the Women Deliver 2016 Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark. And in many ways it is. With more than […]

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Jeff Albert, Vice President of Thrive Water, delivers research talk in Brisbane, Australia Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) practitioners and professionals from around the world are convening in Brisbane, Australia for the WASH Futures 2016 Conference hosted by the International WaterCentre in partnership with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the […]

Researchers wanted to determine whether sanitation marketing alone, Output-Based Aid (OBA) subsidy targeting the poor alone, or a combination of both interventions would make a difference in latrine uptake across different poverty levels in Cambodian villages. The researchers analyzed data from households across three income groups – non-poor, near-poor, and poor – to determine differences […]

Severe neonatal jaundice in premature and term babies brings a higher risk of permanent neurological damage or death. Jaundice should be promptly diagnosed and treated, but, in particular in low resource countries, this problem is often underestimated. There are few reliable statistics on the incidence of jaundice in the least developed countries in the world. […]

East Meets West (EMW)’s monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system has evolved in the years since it began. Initially designed for internal management, the system now involves monitoring and feedback processes that are jointly managed by sanitation change agents and the EMW team. This M&E system is now being implemented on a large scale in Vietnam […]

On April 28 and 29, 2016, approximately 471,000 schoolchildren across three Vietnamese provinces were administered with a safe, effective, and extremely low-cost medication to cure infection by intestinal parasitic worms. A week later, another 258,000 students from a fourth province were treated, amounting to a total of nearly 730,000 children, which equates to every school-aged […]

This research demonstrates the existence of inequitable outcomes in the provision of piped water services by both private and other service providers in rural Viet Nam. It highlights the need for effective governance mechanisms to ensure inclusive service delivery, and provides examples of how these might be developed. Private enterprises are increasingly providing piped water services in rural […]

                    Dr. Piers Clark, Chairman of Isle Utilities, a specialist water consultancy business, recently visited Thrive’s Water and Sanitation Program in Vietnam. Read about his experience below, and on his blog, Notes from Piers. In Vietnam the price to have a simple, basic sanitation system installed […]

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Evangeline Garcia, known to just about everyone as Nurse Vangie, has spent half her 23-year nursing career at Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in the Philippines. With an average of 60 babies born every day in its wards, this national maternal and newborn facility serves the greater Manila area, and has been called the “world’s […]

Mr. Dinh has transformed his community; a quarter of a million kids will tell you so. For years, Dinh Ngoc Quy watched the damning statistics roll in. Repeatedly, Thanh Hoa Province in Vietnam recorded the highest number of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infection among children. STH, or intestinal worms, is a debilitating infection that often causes […]

Nguyen Ngoc Van Tuong, or just Tuong, comes from a large farming family in Hoa An Commune in southern Vietnam. Tuong’s family is poor, and his childhood was far from easy. He recalls being so worried about his family’s precarious financial situation that he sometimes had trouble concentrating in school. But that didn’t stop Tuong […]

The days after giving birth are both magical and trying times for a new mother, filled with love, wonder, and sleepless nights. After a brief recovery in the hospital, most mothers are able to bring home their new bundles of joy and vexation, and start their lives together. But for some women this is a […]

In the developed world, basic necessities like clean water, access to education, and easy access to modern health care are generally taken for granted. But for many in the developing world, particularly in rural areas, these basics are in fact luxuries. Probably one of the most overlooked amenities is the hygienic latrine, or simple toilet. […]

The purpose of this report was to provide independent verification of eligibility for participants in CHOBA, the rural sanitation project implemented in Vietnam and Cambodia by East Meets West (EMW). The project’s aim was to accelerate household ownership of hygienic latrines through the use of an output-based approach. Incentives, in the form of rebates or […]

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In rural Vietnam and Cambodia, open defecation and poor hygiene practices are a way of life for a majority of families, and the consequences are dire. Fully 50 percent of Vietnamese and approximately 80 percent of Cambodians do not have proper sanitation at home. Good hygiene practices – including regular hand washing with soap – […]

The Challenge Jaundice is a common newborn pathology that is easily treated. But it can turn deadly when phototherapy—a simple and cost-effective light treatment that is the standard of care in the developing world—is unavailable. Worldwide, 60% of full term and 80% of preterm newborns experience jaundice. Phototherapy treatment, when available and properly administered, is […]

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In 2007, East Meets West (EMW) implemented a project that supported private sector operators, cooperatives, and local government operators of rural water-supply schemes. A customer survey conducted following this project indicated that private operators not only provided better service than the other management models studied, but that their operations might also be more sustainable. To […]

East Meets West (EMW) contracted with the Mekong Development Research Institute (MDRI) to conduct an independent evaluation of EMW’s CHOBA program. The main objectives of the research were to determine 1) to what degree increases in improved sanitation coverage in the targeted areas could be causally attributed to the program and 2) the impacts of […]

This briefing paper utilized internal monitoring and evaluation data to determine lessons learned from the implementation of Output-Based Aid (OBA) water supply, sanitation and hygiene programs in rural Vietnam, the first of their kind in the country. In 2007, East Meets West (EMW) was awarded a grant to provide sustainable access to clean water services, […]

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The Challenge Two million people around the world die every year from diarrheal disease. Safe latrines and hygiene behavior change are recognized as key to preventing diarrhea, yet one third of the world’s population still lives without a toilet. Access to sanitation also remains highly inequitable. Vietnam is a country experiencing rapid economic growth, and […]

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