I. GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROJECT:
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Implementation context:
Chau Phong is a particularly disadvantaged village in Suoi Bang Commune, Van Ho District, Son La Province, with 97% of the population belonging to ethnic minorities, and the Muong people making up 90%. The area has a high poverty and near-poverty rate, with 40% of households falling into these categories. The primary income of the residents comes from agricultural activities, such as cultivating corn, potatoes, and cassava.
Unreliable water supply makes life difficult for many people.
The domestic water supply system for the residents of the village was built in 2002. However, after years of use, the system has deteriorated, with many sections damaged, leading to water leakage and insufficient supply for the 39 households with 121 residents, including 52 women and 48 children. Currently, the 121 people are using plastic and bamboo pipes to transport water from streams and water sources for daily use. However, during the dry season, the water supply is inadequate for the entire village, resulting in severe water shortages. Additionally, this water source is now heavily polluted due to contamination from pesticides and livestock waste from agricultural households upstream.
121 peoples are having to use water from plastic pipes and bamboo pipes to bring water from streams and water springs for use.
The use of contaminated and unsafe water increases the risk of gastrointestinal diseases, eye infections, cancer, and other health issues, particularly for children and women. Ms. Dinh Thi Hue, a resident of the village, shared: "Upstream, they raise livestock and practice farming, so sometimes the water has a really unpleasant smell. Using that water over the long term is bound to harm our health, especially when it's contaminated with pesticides and chemicals. It's very likely to cause cancer. We know this, but there's no other water source available, so we have no choice but to keep using it."
The economic conditions of the residents in Chau Phong village remain challenging, and the local government's budget for maintaining and repairing infrastructure is limited. As a result, the water supply issue has not yet been addressed. The lack of clean water and the unsanitary water source have become extremely urgent problems, with no solution currently available for the 121 people living here.
Project implementation time: From May, 2023 - January, 2024
3. Method of project implementation:
– Entrusting the residents of Chau Phong village to organize and implement the project under a community-managed model, allowing them to oversee the entire construction process.
– Local authorities at all levels and project staff from the RIC Center provide support in methods and technical expertise.
II. ACHIEVEMENTS:
After more than a month of both surveying, evaluating, and organizing the implementation with the active participation of the residents of Chau Phong village, as well as taking into account the current condition of the water source, the domestic water supply project for the residents of Chau Phong Hamlet, Muong Chieng Commune, Van Ho District, Son La Province was completed and put into operation on January 23, 2024. The achieved results are as follows:
1) Regarding the scale of construction: Completed as planned and ensuring technical requirements: (Based on the current water source status of the people in the village and the work)
- Construct 02 upstream water collection tanks (3m long, 0.55m high, wall thickness 0.44m) with rubble, bricks and cement.
- Build 02 3-compartment tanks for storage-filtering-pressure cutting with a total volume of 13.5m3/tank (3m long; 2.5m wide; 1.8m high) using cement bricks.
- Install new 200m water pipeline with HDPE plastic pipe phi 32 and 3600m HPDE plastic pipe phi 25 and 900m HPDE plastic pipe phi 20.
2) Regarding the beneficiaries: After completion, the project has currently connected and provides sufficient water for 29 households with 153 residents, including 85 women and 74 children. Additionally, the project continues to connect and provide water to households in the surrounding areas and the group of households that are being resettled within the Chau Phong village area.
