Development

Understanding the community needs

Project Battambang conducts surveys alongside screenings to collect epidemiological data so as to better understand the needs of the villagers we serve.
Our Development Committee oversees the collection and analysis of data regarding the individuals we serve, utilising this information to strategically guide the direction of our project. Additionally, we are responsible for coming up with and bringing to life new and inventive ideas to further the project’s goals

OUR PROJECTS

VEASNA

Our team trialled a mobile screening initiative, "Veasna," shifting away from the physically written medical reports. This system allows for seamless data collection and management without the need
for internet connectivity, and enables the automatic generation of referral forms, streamlining patient data management and minimise errors, to meet the needs of villagers' healthcare and wellbeing more efficiently.

dOOR TO DOOR SURVEYS

Our team conducts door-to-door interviews to speak to villagers and gain a first hand understanding of their needs. Such an approach not only gives us valuable insight into the villagers' way of life, but also allows us to obtain a more comprehensive visual understanding of the village community. This year, we revamped our door-to-door surveys, transitioning to a fully digital system. Utilising offline Google Sheets with dropdown menus, we streamlined quantitative data collection and analysis, making the process more efficient and user-friendly.

STORIES OF POIPET

In December, we shifted away from traditional quantitative data collection to focus on a more human-centric approach. Recognizing the limitations of purely statistical methods, we embraced freeform home interviews to understand villagers as individuals rather than just patients.

Each team was equipped with a film camera, encouraging intentional photography that captured the essence of the villagers and their homes—spaces both personal and profoundly different from our own. This initiative culminated in the creation of the Stories of Poipet book, which complements our quantitative efforts from May.

water pump

In May, our epidemiological studies revealed a high prevalence of gastrointestinal illnesses, linked to poor water quality. In response, we partnered with Water for Cambodia to install a water pump at the
Love Without Boundaries (LWB) Rangsei School. The pump, officially
inaugurated on December 13th during a ceremony attended by the village chief now serves the children of the school as well as the residents of Toul Pang Ro Village, a nearby landfill community where many of the students live.

SCHOOL UPGRADING INITIATIVES

To complement Education's programme at the Love Without Boundaries School, we introduced a creative and educational soap-making activity.This initiative aimed to reinforce hand hygiene practices while sparking joy and creativity among the children.
At Tum Nub Kor V School, we provided
two laptops to address the school’s need for administrative efficiency and to encourage the integration of digital learning for the students. We also identified the need for a more engaging physical education programme. To enrich this aspect of the students’ holistic development, we provided equipment for volleyball, badminton and soccer.

Future
directions

As Project Battambang enters a new phase, the Development Committee will continue to guide the project through careful needs assessment, community engagement and ground-up planning. Following our May 2026 recce trip, our focus is on better understanding the communities we may serve, while ensuring that future initiatives remain realistic, locally grounded and responsive to actual needs.

Our May recce highlighted Koh Dach Island as a potential site for further exploration and future initiatives. Moving forward, we hope to deepen our understanding of the community through continued engagement with residents, village chiefs, local organisations and Cambodian partners. These conversations will help us identify specific gaps that Project Battambang can appropriately support through health, education and community-based initiatives.

Beyond site exploration, the Development Committee also hopes to strengthen the way we collect and use community data. Future surveys will aim to be more focused, representative and informed by local context. We also hope to involve our Cambodian counterparts earlier in survey planning, allowing their knowledge and perspectives to shape how we understand and respond to community needs.

Through these efforts, Development hopes to ensure that Project Battambang’s future direction is guided not by assumptions, but by listening, evidence and partnership.