Pien Keawwichai
Age: 53 years old
Location: Soi Supan village, Phang Nga province, Thailand
Soi Supan village in Ban Nam Khem, Thailand, was one of the hardest hit by the Indian Ocean Tsunami. The coastal community lost almost half of its population and nearly 80% of its infrastructure. The waves severely damaged the community water system, leaving hundreds of people with no access to water for several months.
Pien Keawwichai, a 53-year-old laborer, depended on the local water vendors to come to her village. "The water pipes were damaged," explains Pien. "I had to spend about 200 baht a week to buy water from the water trucks to use for our daily activities including drinking, washing clothes and cooking."
Today, with the assistance from the American Red Cross, the public water system has been rehabilitated and the main meters serving as distribution points for households in the area have been installed. These infrastructure improvements have had a significant impact on Pien's life.
"One of the main meters is installed in front of my house so I volunteer to monitor it, record the amount of water used and collect money from my neighbors to pay for the monthly water charges. It's much more convenient," Pien says with a smile. "We have access to good quality water which runs 24 hours a day and it costs only 100-200 baht per month. That means we can save at least 600 baht a month on water. Most importantly, I don't have to worry about not having enough water for my family anymore."
