Focused Sector(s): Shelter, Livelihood, Risk Mitigation
Project: Eco-sanitation and Sustainable Livelihood
Date and duration: September 2008 / 10 months
Location: Yuanqu County, Shanxi Province
Beneficiaries: 430 villagers from 88 households
Problem(s):
- Shangwa is the poorest village of Yuanqu County, with an annual income of just RMB800 (S$156)
- Besides its mountainous terrain, which is unfavourable for farming, fields suffer from poor soil quality, and villagers lack access to markets
- Lack of community resources such as a well-equipped healthcare centre
Intervention and Impact
- The Changzhi Township government partnered with Mercy Relief and its local partner to relocate the village to a more favourable site
- Constructed 5.2km2 of roads within the new village to improve accessibility to markets as well as to healthcare and education facilities
- Erected a 2km-long perimeter wall to protect livestock and crops
- Turned the new village, Yuanqu, into a model eco village where
- Renewable energy is harvested through the fermentation of excreta and used to power appliances, among other things
- Residue from a newly-installed biogas digester system is used as crop fertiliser
- Provided 352 piglets for rearing. The sale of these brought more income to the villagers
- As the growing of vegetables is allowed in the courtyard and land allocated to every family, there was more farmland available
Cost: S$323,000
Share this article!
