Jun / Jul 2015No. 128
31st July 2015
Project Progress
Yi Women's Health and Livelihood Project
Tashan energy-saving stove and cupboard project started
During June, Tashan Village Kitchen Facilities Project started. Three local people signed up to be trained in construction of improved stoves and cupboards. Training was held over two weeks, and now the three trainees are competent stove builders, and two are able to build the kitchen food storage cupboards. Thanks to trainer Li Yude from the county town, who spent three weeks at Tashan. Li was previously trained by DORS to build stoves. By the end of July, 33 households’ kitchen facilities were completed. After seeing the kitchen improvements in Tashan, the villagers in Daping Village are keen to start their kitchen improvements.
Livelihood project started
As the villages lack arable land, they are not self sufficient in food, and cannot raise livestock for meat. Also, as the local adults have low education level and lack marketable skills, there are few options for outside labouring work. Villagers live on the tea plantation and make some income from tea picking, however this is only around 2300 RMB per person per year (av £0.60 per day).
After assessing options with the community, DORS has started some Yi embroidery and handicraft activities. Training sessions in handicraft and business development are being held to increase income through sale of handmade items.
Health Project started
The project supports the health improvement of over 630 tea pickers in 2 Yi communities. They used to live in the former tea plantation workers' dormitories, or their own thatched shacks. The entire household (7-8 people) were crowded into one room, without water and sanitation equipment. Now they are moving into newly built houses. DORS is assisting them in maintaining healthy and sanitary lifestyles by providing training and education activities in basic health and sanitation practices.
Cooperatives and Marketing：
Retailers explore marketing potential of Ranmo Village organic walnuts
On-line fruit retailers from Chengdu visited the organic walnut orchards of Ranmo Village in July. After listening to the introduction of Peng Guofu (the cooperative chairman) they said they wanted to further discuss the opportunities of selling Hanyuan mountain organic walnuts to the Chengdu market. They see our walnuts as a mid to high grade natural health product.
Preparing E-commerce project
DORS has prepared an e-commerce training plan for villagers in Ranmo, Wanping and Daying villages, helping them to master setting up and trading on the internet. DORS are also working with farmers to plan other aspects of walnut trading, such as simple processing, storage, packaging, transportation, infrastructure and equipment investment etc. to ensure their business is fully supported to achieve long-term success.
Capacity Building
Piamma Township Entrepreneur training
In July DORS held a two-day training workshop for 16 villagers from 4 villages of Pianma Township and 1 village of Nimei Township. The training content was using SWOT analysis, market supply chain, cash flow statements, and other tools to analyse their existing or planned small businesses. The participants also learnt how to prepare simple accounts. They found the training useful, and hoped to be able to participate in similar training in the future to improve their business development
Youth trainee graduation
At the end of July, two girls from Pianma Township completed their Biaobang Hairdressing course and successfully graduated as qualified hairdressers. Having this skill means that these two young people have brighter prospects of finding paid employment or starting their own hairdressing business, improving their income and that of their families.
Rural energy
DORS will start new energy efficient stoves projects in Sugu Village (26 stoves) and Sanping Villages (11 stoves). We have also prepared plans for 1 bio-digester in Songping Village and 1 in Sugu Village.
Other Project News
Assisting the Elderly in Maping Village during Duanwu Festival
DORS visited elderly people aged over 70 in Maping Village, and provided some basic necessities. We also looked into helping them raise a few chickens to sell eggs or to consume themselves.
Officials Visit DORS
Wang Sitie, the Director of Sichuan Province Poverty Alleviation Foreign Capital Center and Zhou Yongsong, the vice Director of Hanyuan County Poverty Alleviation Bureau visited DORS .We introduced the capacity building, marketing, and loan projects. Dir Wang expressed his support for the loan project.
Thanks for Educational Donations
DORS received Educational donations of 2000 yuan from Tang Biwei of Wuhan, and 3000 yuan from Zhang Mingqian of Beijing. We will use their donations to ensure poor mountain children are able to continue their education.
News and Information
At the time we are writing this newsletter, Hanyuan is welcoming the autumn with refreshing smell from the fruits. We welcome all of our friends to visit Hanyuan and taste the fresh fruits. With best wishes to all.
