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CHINA - WuFeng Water & Sanitation Project - COMPLETED

COMPLETED IN DECEMBER 2009

Country: CHINA

Project Title: WuFeng Water & Sanitation Project

Project Designation:  1302

The Need:

There are an estimated 21.5 million members of China's rural population who live far below the official "absolute poverty" line, which is approximately $90 per year.  Many people live from day-to-day, relying on rugged land to grow crops like rice, corn and soy beans - with no reliable or safe water supply.  Raising livestock, which could help lift families out of poverty, is made nearly impossible because of the water situation.  Water-borne diseases - completely preventable - are a major source of illness and death.

This project aims to increase accessibility to clean water and improve the sanitation of rural villagers in Wu Feng (WF) county of Hubei Province in China.  The project targets two remote villages, Bai Yan Ping (BYP) and Bai He (BH), where accessible clean drinking water is lacking, leading to poor sanitation and health.  The project will strategically address the water problem by installing a water supply system, i.e. pipelines, and storage tanks with filtering systems to collect water from clean water springs.  In addition to water supply, the project will address the sanitation problem by building toilets.  A series of community health education and health activities will be conducted to enhance the health awareness and water management in the villages.

January 2008 to December 2009

Expected Outputs:

1. Gravity-flow water supply installed in 2 villages, and accessed by 789 households (HHs, or 4,276 people).
2. Lavatories (improved toilets) built in the 2 target villages in 432 HHs.
3. Village committees established in each of the 2 villages.
4. Community health education conducted for at least 648 families.

ACTUAL OUTCOMES:

1. Improved sanitation and health for 932 households through provision of quality water supply and lavatory construction with related maintenance and health education.  With the 82 businesses that were also supplied a total of 6,736 people benefited.  100% of the people have daily showers now in the summer, and 34% of them take at least 5 hoowers a week in winter (many install solar heaters).  There were no reported cases of water borne disease this past 12 months.
2. Reduced labour and time used to collect water, reported by 100% of the 932 households as they have water right to the house.
3. Increased opportunities and time for income-generating work and education, reported by 80% of households.  68% report more time spent in agriculture; 50% are raising more pigs, and 18% now feel free t go off to cities for employment as water carrying will not be a chose for spouse or parents.
4. Enhanced local capacity to ensure the sustainability of the project and the water management system.  There are now 15 different Water Management Committees and there were 3 community meetings which 95% of the villagers attended.

With a clean water supply being piped directly to villages, and in many cases (like Mrs. Chen Ben Feng, see beneficiary story) directly into homes for the very first time, lives will be changed.  Families will have more time to pursue other income-generating activities.  It will be easier to grow plentiful and more nutritious crops as well as raise live-stock.

                           THANK YOU FOR JOINING WITH US IN CHANGING LIVES!

Beneficiary Story:

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