Feb / Mar 2009
29th March 2009
Earthquake Relief and Rebuilding Project
Rebuilding - Supported by PCD (Partners for Community Development)
Because in February Hejiang Village completed their project plan and preparatory work, in February and March we were able to begin work on their project’s implementation. In the village leaders’ view, repairing the road is the first step so that materials can be transported in more quickly and safely. DORS went to Hejiang and researched the road’s condition, and discussed with villagers ways for them to manage the project. DORS paid 10,000 yuan up front for the work to be able to continue on the road, which had stopped due to lack of funds.
In Moduo, Maping and Chalin villages, materials continued being distributed and houses being constructed and repaired. The villagers are very busy working on this and spring planting at the same time. DORS continues to monitor the materials distribution progress and cash use situation of each project village. Picture: Discussing planting methods related to the second phase of the project with villagers in Chalin.
From March 1st to 4th, PCD’s He Dexian, Lin Zhiguan, and Gao Xuesong came to visit Hanyuan along with Li Jianmin of the foundation they are partners with—Kadoorie Charitable Foundation—both PCD and KCF are under the supervision of Kadoorie Foundation. PCD and KCF came both to inspect the progress of earthquake relief in our four Post-Earthquake Rebuilding project villages and also to survey the villagers’ needs or requirements for ecological agriculture (as well as how to combine this with Healthy Village possibilities, the second phase of the project.) DORS also introduced the Rural Energy Project stoves and biogas systems in the villages visited to PCD and KCF. Picture: DORS, PCD, KCF, and Chalin leaders in Chalin discussing projects.
Post-Earthquake School Support Project (funded by MercyCorps)
The project to support the provision of auxilliary facilities to five primary schools in Hanyuan is still underway. Only Tangjia Central School’s multimedia and psychosocial equipment are left to purchase. Because the construction of Tangjia Central School’s new (post-earthquake) teaching building has been delayed, and the anticipated opening ceremony is now scheduled for May 2009, the purchasing of their multimedia equipment will be delayed until that date. The school wishes it this way, in order to directly install the equipment in the new room.
About the Psychosocial Equipment donation, DORS, the project funders, and earthquake-affected Tangjia Central Primary School all hope to find a plan for helping the schoolchildren stay mentally healthy, and if they do have problems, to seek out help. To this end DORS has recently discussed with Tangjia Central School’s principal Mr. Li on many occasions what materials would be best. Mr. Li’s idea is to establish a counseling room. He would like to supply it with books regarding counseling issues as well as supply furniture to make it useful and have students feel comfortable. But we brought up that the most important part is to provide a teacher with counseling training to counsel the students. Currently it is a major problem that many teachers in Hanyuan haven’t considered students’ psychological needs very much. Mr. Li is full of determination to create Hanuyan’s first school counseling room, and says he can create a proposal for us detailing his plan. We hope to give as much responsibility for the planning as possible to the school, in order to let as many people as possible become more aware of the students’ psychological needs. But we will still assist in the planning, and when appropriate, arrange for them to attend a training in counseling methods.
On the first of April MercyCorp’s Projects Vice-director Peng Ying and Financial Officer Yang Jing, of their Chengdu office, came to visit DORS. We discussed financial management issues.
Rural Energy Project
Hanyuan Project (funded by Charities Aid Foundation)
As of the present, 91 fuel-efficient stoves have been completed for the Rural Energy project, and at least 35 biogas systems have been built, with the ranges installed on 23 of these (these 23 are fully in use).
The major progress this past month was getting a large amount of materials successfully transported to the villages for the next round of biogas and stoves. This was important in order to do as much work as possible now before the rainy season starts in earnest in July.
Photos: (left) Chalin Yi ethnicity village’s metal pot-holder stove built in their new houses, which replace the traditional stone “three-prong stove” used in some households (such as right Yi household in Ganluo, part of WWF project).
In addition, in March the project’s supporters came to visit Hanyuan and DORS to inspect project progress. DORS was delighted to host them all, and Ranmo, Daying, and Qinglin Villages proved delightful hosts.
Daying Yi-minority village went to especial lengths to welcome them, providing, by way of thanks, a home-cooked banquet of home-grown foods, local wine-tasting, serenading and participatory traditional line-dancing to the entertainment of all. We’re touched that they took so much time out from earthquake rebuilding to display such a wonderful welcome.
Ganluo Project (funded by Worldwide Fund for Nature—WWF)
On March 11 DORS staff and Ma’an Shan Nature Reserve leaders, together, went to inspect Ganluo County Bobo Township project villages’ 10 completed stoves. Bobo village (namesake of the township to which they belong) and Naituo Village altogether had 4 trainees attend the training on how to build the stoves, with two now able to construct independently and two still progressing. DORS technical trainer Bai Shihai and Ganluo County’s fuel-efficient stove builders/trainers compared notes on their building methods from a technical standpoint. Hanyuan and Ganluo’s stoves are different, and so both sides were able to learn something. Villagers and the nature reserve leaders as well as the township government leaders were all very pleased about the visit. Villagers said the the fuel-efficient stoves are able to save over one half of the fuelwood needed by the three-prong stove floor fires used previously. Plus, the time spent preparing meals or cooking pig feed is now saved by one-half, because the new stoves’ fires are hotter.
We have started the construction work on the second round of 30 fuel-efficient stoves in Bobo township. Picture: Newly constructed stoves in Bobo Township, which are different from DORS’ former stoves in both shape/appearance and technical aspects. While fuel-efficient stoves have taken on many of the functions previously required of three-prong stoves here, for staying warm in the winter, families still like to huddle around the floor fire and chat.
Education Fees Support (funded in part by Global Fund for Children)
These last two months have seen considerable progress in the GFC project. A namelist of 40 students in Hanyuan was put together by DORS staffmember Zhang Guangtao, who personally interviewed and researched each’s family situation, and then the list was discussed at DORS and students selected for the Global Fund-supported project, DORS Earthquake project, and DORS Education project. Amounts for support were determined, and the fees support is currently in the process of being paid. DORS from its own earthquake-relief funds has supported 10 students so far, and from our Education funds, 5 students thus far. The funds from Global Fund for Children are supporting students in senior high school, junior middle school, and vocational high school or vocational training programs for spring and fall semesters 2009. 17 students have been supported.
Contacts, Visits and Donor News
In March we received Ms. Isabel Crook of Beijing’s 1000 yuan donation. (Photo with friend in Zhaohoumiao, right). On her special relationship to Hanyuan, below are her own words: "Back in 1939, as an aspiring anthropologist I traveled widely in the Yi ethnic minority area in West China, and then settled for three months in the village home of a local chieftain. Many, many decades later I learned about DORS and the impressive work it was doing, including work in this village. And finally in 2004 I was able to make a return visit. As 65 years had passed, I did not discover anyone I had known but I did find a warm welcome."
DORS News and Information
Once again, but never old, spring is here…Hanyuan’s famous fruit trees have bloomed and gone, but our evergreen town is greener than ever, and just in time for all the work to be done, our vigor is renewed with the new growth and warmth. Thanks again for your attention and care as we strive to share your support more effectively
