New partnership to expand safe water access in northern Laos - May 2026
Abundant Water is pleased to be partnering with the Czech Embassy in Bangkok through its Small Scale Projects program to expand access to clean drinking water in the Phongsaly Province, located in the North of Laos. Between April and October 2026, this project will provide 120 water filters to schools across the province, reaching at least 2,500 students and teachers with safe drinking water.
A classroom in North Laos - This is the kind of schools Abundant Water will reach thanks to the Czech Embassy in Laos Small Scale Projects support.
Double benefits for schools
In very remote areas such as the Phongsaly Province, people do not have reliable access to safe drinking water.
Vaclav Rabas, Abundant Water's Program Supervisor in Laos, explains, "At best, sometimes there is a water company bringing gallons of water once a month and those are very expensive. Therefore, people often drink water directly from untreated sources, and when they treat water, it's mostly by boiling, which is very time-consuming (over an hour) and is undertaken solely by women."
At school, an additional negative impact is that children often don't drink water at all and end up dehydrated, or when they drink untreated water, they get sick and end up missing school over long periods of time. The benefits of this project are clear, and Vaclav summarises it nicely
"By installing water filters, we are able to effectively prevent water-borne diseases, and therefore reduce school absenteeism, while also contributing to gender equality in the area because women don't have to dedicate time and energy to boiling water."
The Northern provinces of Laos are remote rural areas where access to clean, drinkable water remains a challenge.
Sustainable Social Business Approach
A key part of the project will be working with local communities, in keeping with Abundant Water's social business model. Six community members will be selected and trained as vendors, teaching them to install and maintain filters, and to promote safe water practices. This local capacity is important to ensure that access to clean water can be sustained over time.
The project will also support the installation of three Czech nanotechnology water filters in local hospitals and health centres, helping ensure that patients and staff have reliable access to clean water in critical settings.
We are grateful to the Czech Embassy in Bangkok for their support in making this project possible, and for their commitment to practical, locally driven solutions that can deliver lasting impact.
Abundant Water, an Australian volunteer-led organisation, is taking action, now. Our work is already making a tangible difference in Timor-Leste, the Philippines, and Laos. But we need your help to go further, faster. Even the smallest contribution can mean clean water, better health, and renewed hope for families in need.
Act now - Because clean water can’t wait