Jun/Jul 1999

31st July 1999

Juetuo Village

The first stage of the Methodist Relief and Development Fund (MRDF) supported project in Juetuo Village is nearing completion. This was to provide irrigation water to Juetuo Village Hamlets 2 and 3. The water now flows along a newly constructed 100m channel high up the mountain side, through a 100m long pipe suspended over a steep valley gully, along a heightened existing channel of 3,200m, and through a newly cement lined 2,600m channel along the road by the village land. The village leader organised three hamlets to participate in the construction work. The irrigation water is now flowing along the road channel and used for irrigating a plot of land in Juetuo hamlet 2. Remaining funds from this part of the project are to be used constructing cement lined water channels into the fields from the roadside channel.

In addition, this water also passes though a hydropower generator in Juetuo Hamlet 4 on the way to irrigate the fields of hamlet 2 and 3, thus providing Hamlet 4 with electricity for lighting. Juetuo villagers hope to grow two crops a year with the new irrigation water supply, wheat or vegetables in winter and rice in summer.

Chenhe Village Hamlet 2

Last month we reported the start of a new project in Chenhe Hamlet 2. This drinking water supply project for 146 people is now complete. Villagers decided to increase the size of the drinking water reservoir tank from the planned 5 cubic metres to 20 cubic metres. This increased total project costs slightly. Total funding for the project was 16,653 RMB or 1,230 GBP. Per person cost was 8.50 GBP.DORS have yet to visit the completed project due to poor road conditions resulting from heavy summer rains.

The village leader reported that all households are connected with their own taps, the water is sufficient for household use, and the villagers no longer need to carry water from distant springs in wooden back buckets.

Funding News

The 'Small Grants Scheme' of the British Embassy in China recently agreed to award 95,000 RMB to DORS. The projects, Pilot Afforestation Project (75,000 RMB) and funds for basic repairs to buildings in village run school (20,000 RMB), will begin in the autumn.

DORS Volunteer Starts

Jim Weldon, DORS new project assistant, arrived in Hanyuan in July to join Rose Acock in the DORS office. We have also appointed a community forestry specialist, Adam Grant, who will begin working with DORS in September 1999.

Na'er Village School

After receiving a request for assistance, DORS made a donation last December towards the re-building of Na'er village primary school. The new school is now under construction. The Village leader Li Wei Xing is managing the project. During the construction phase classes have been held in villagers' houses. The villagers are hoping to have the school finished by the beginning of the autumn semester. Construction work has progressed slowly due to frequent summer rains.