January 1998
31st January 1998
Chenhe Drinking and Irrigation Water Supply Project
Most of the piping for this project in Chenhe Village no. 3 hamlet has now been laid. Villagers will be purchasing taps themselves except for the poorest households who will receive them free from DORS
Wansheng Drinking Water Supply Project
1,500 people in Wansheng and Guangrong villages are now drinking clean mountain stream water piped to their houses. This is a vast improvement on the situation reported in our August newsletter, where the villagers were drinking muddy and polluted irrigation channel water. With funding from the British Embassy's 'British Partnership Scheme', materials were bought for constructing the drinking water system and the villagers provided the labour. One part of the project remains to be completed as a separate spring-water source is being used and work has been suspended over winter due to freezing.
Women's Rural Credit Scheme
The Women's Rural Credit Scheme, started by DORS in several hamlets of a poor Yi Minority village, has been running smoothly since July 97. Fifty-nine women have received loans and make repayments on a monthly basis. The scheme has remained flexible to meet the needs of the individual women. For example, one woman was unable to make the full monthly repayments as planned due to her husband falling sick and not earning from casual labouring over winter. After a meeting with the women in her group (above), it was decided she could make smaller monthly repayments until one of the three piglets she purchased with her loan is ready for market. Six women have made early repayments when they have had spare cash available - either the full loan amount or several months repayments. Most of the women use the loan for expanding animal husbandry or for setting up a small shop or stall. Overall the loan repayments are well ahead of schedule.
