For many families, a latrine means something very special. For families who have lost children to disease, a latrine means health. For young women who are in danger of assault when they walk far from home, a latrine means safety. For Sophon, who would wait all day for privacy, a latrine means dignity.
There have been many times throughout her life where Sophon has had to protect her dignity.
A few years ago, Sophon and her husband migrated to Thailand to find better work opportunities.
They both worked in construction for months but when it came time for them to return home, their work supervisor did not compensate them properly for their work. Without citizenship, they held little social power and were unable to stand up against their supervisor or demand fair compensation.
They decided to return home to Cambodia, even though they were returning home in the same way they left, with little job prospects.
Finding work at home was still difficult. Her husband eventually found work, and Sophon remains at home each day, taking care of the household and growing vegetables on their farm.
As part of taking care of the home, Sophon was responsible for providing water for all her and her husband’s needs. Each morning, Sophon would make a 4km return trip to buy bottled water each day from her local store.
She would only take as much as she could carry and if she needed more during the day, she would need to make the journey back for more.