December 1998

31st December 1998

Banyang Village - Women's Rural Credit Scheme Expands

In June and July 1998 loans were made to 60 women in 4 hamlets with funding from British Chamber of Commerce in China. Last month, with funding from the Trace Foundation, the credit scheme was expanded to offer loans to women in the remaining hamlets of Banyang Village. In these 4 hamlets a further 101 women received loans totalling 100,000 RMB (7,400 GBP). Loan size is again a maximum of 1,000 RMB and the women will repay half in six months time and the second half in one years time.

There are now a total of 337 women using DORS loans for income generation in Hanyuan County.

Banyang Hamlet 4 Hydro-Power Project

This quick response micro-project to provide electricity for 6 households started in October 1998 has now finished the first stage. A water channel and tank have been built, and the piping and hydro-generator have been purchased. The 6 households have worked together to dig the channel on the valley side and carry the 6m lengths of metal piping for two hours up the steep hillside.

Na'er School

Given the dangerous conditions of the primary school in Na'er Village reported in last month's newsletter, DORS decided to make an immediate donation of 4,560 RMB (337 GBP) to Na'er Village toward the cost of materials to build a new school. Materials have already been bought for this simple building of mud brick walls and flat concrete roof. The school will be built by the villagers of Na'er on a piece of land next to the existing school building.

Social and Community Forestry Project:

Moduo Village Hamlet 1 - The pear, apple and Chinese Prickly Ash trees have been purchased and planted. The final payment has been given to the group leader to purchase the remaining Duzhong trees. The 39 families in this hamlet have received tree saplings of their choice and in quantities of their choice. Apple 2,500 saplings; Pear 750 saplings; Chinese Prickly Ash 9,210 saplings Duzhong 26,858 saplings The total number of saplings purchased is 39,318 and the total project cost is 17,740 RMB (1,324 GBP).

Shashu Village Hamlets 4 & 5 - The pear saplings have been purchased by Shashu Village and planted in nursery plots in the village. 3,910 saplings were bought altogether for 52 households at a total cost of 6,000 RMB.