LITTLE HEARTS
NTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION
THE PROJECT
Set across the river from the kingdom’s capital, Phnom Penh, this purpose-built foster home cares for up to 36 abandoned children who would have otherwise have been forgotten. Without the intervention of an organization like Little Hearts, these children have a bleak future placing them at risk of malnutrition, exploitation and abuse, severe poverty and at worse, an early death.
The Belgium-operated organization brings happiness into the little hearts of the children they care for be providing a clean safe and loving home as well as access to quality education which is a right that every child deserves despite their socioeconomic background for a chance at a brighter future
Koya project was both touched and impressed by this professionally-run and dedicated establishment, feeling that they were the perfect candidate for an aquaponics system.
The project consists of a fish tank constructed below ground level to keep the fish nice and cool. There is also a vertical garden for leafy green vegetables and 3 media beds which are already yielding bumper crops of the children’s favourites which include ‘morning glory’.
The system is currently in transition to phase 2, which involves the installation of a filtration system, re-configuration of the DWC beds and wicking beds to become even more productive and the installation of UV protecting cover.
Facts
Project: Little Hearts Organisation
Location: Areyksat, Cambodia
Project design and Construction: Khmer aquaponics
Site dimensions: 14m x 8m
Fish tank capacity: 5,000 litres
Stocking density: 2kg per 100 litres
Fish harvest weight: 800 grams
Expected fish harvest: 250 kilograms per year
Total vegetable growing area: 26m2
Media bed growing area: 18m2
Media bed planting density: 6 plants/m2
Media bed plants: 110
DWC growing area: 6m2
DWC planting density: 35 plants/m2
DWC plants: 210 plants
Wicking bed growing area: 2m2
Wicking bed density and number of plants: varies