Go Cong Dong Water Project – Vietnam
Water Charity is extremely pleased to announce the implementation of a rainwater collection project in partnership with Habitat for Humanity International in Vietnam.
The work will be carried out in Go Cong Dong district in Tien Giang province in Vietnam. In that district a baseline survey conducted by Habitat in mid-2008, concluded that, “Shortage of safe water is one of the biggest problems… Sometimes, they have to pay 500 VND for 2 buckets of water, [this is] a burden for the poor.”
At present no organizations are working on water-related needs in the area. Go Cong Dong is near the ocean, and, due to its low elevation, the rise and fall of the tides infiltrate the soil making it too salty for ground water wells. On the other hand, it is far too expensive to drill very deep wells.
Although some areas within the district have piped water, the areas chosen for this project are difficult to access, and it is not likely that they will receive piped water. A rainwater collection solution is appropriate because it is an immediate solution, and provides the best value per dollar spent. It also gives families more control over the quality of their water, as rainwater doesn’t need to be treated as much as other sources, or at all when collected and stored properly.
Also, it was recently found in another baseline survey, in a separate province near the ocean, that nearly all of the people interviewed preferred the taste of rainwater to other types of water sources.
Each family will receive two rainwater storage jars plus a set of rainwater collection gutters. The jars will be made on site, at the location of each house, since it is more affordable than transporting the heavy jars. Each family will receive the assistance needed to construct the collection system.
The project will cost $3,000, and will initially serve 25 families, or 150 people. However, micro-financing will be utilized to extend the project to an additional 70 families, or 420 people.
The exciting and timely concept of micro-financing involves the beneficiaries in the project by requiring them to make small contributions. This greatly adds to the sustainability of the project, as money collected through repayment is used to continue the project and increase the number of people who will be served.
Financing will be made available to poor families that have the ability to repay the loan over a long period of time. Once they begin to repay their loans, the funds go back into the account so that more families will be able to obtain loans.
The interest on the loan, set at approximately 0.65%, will be used as payment for the salaries of the Women’s Union staff, which will travel to the families’ homes for collections and manage some of the accounting for the revolving fund.
The families will also be provided with “Information, Education and Communication" (IEC) materials along with an explanation regarding proper water collection and containment, as well as how to budget and save money in order to properly manage their loans. Both of these IEC activities increase the capacities of the families.
The project is being directed by Habitat Vietnam’s project manager, together with 2 construction supervisors and their water and sanitation staff. This competent management will ensure the timely completion, superior quality, and proper fiscal integrity of project.
Family selection has begun, and construction is set to start at once. It is expected that the project will be completed in a month.
This is the first of many projects we hope to do in partnership with Habitat Vietnam. Please let us know how you like it, and show your support.
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This project has been completed. To read about the conclusion of this project, CLICK HERE.
Conclusion of Go Cong Dong Water Project – Vietnam
This project has been completed in partnership with Habitat for Humanity Vietnam. To read about the beginning of the project, CLICK HERE.The project was to implement a rainwater collection project to serve about 150 people who lacked an effective way to obtain water for their needs.
The partnership was successful in designing and implementing a rainwater collection project, which resulted in service to 23 homeowners and their families in the district.
The families are involved in a microfinance project and had the option either to build large, concrete rainwater catchment containers or to buy large rainwater jars, depending on the location of each household.
Habitat’s Dana McNairn reports on the project by presenting two typical case studies from among those who have been served by this project:
Chuyen’s Family
For the last five years living in Rach Bun hamlet in Go Cong Dong district, Nguyen Thi Thanh Chuyen and her two children suffered from a severe lack of water, as did the majority of their neighborhood. Due to the low elevation of the area, the soil is becoming saltier every year. Chuyen’s family collected water from a river nearby and stored it in three jars, containing about 100 liters in total. However, as the season changes, ocean water surges into the river, the resulting water is undrinkable. Throughout this season, the price of fresh water shoots up to around VND 100,000 (US $5) per liter, a price few can afford.
Within three days of implementing the project, Chuyen hired a team to complete the construction of a concrete rainwater container, measuring approximately 2m X 3m. She can store about 25 times more water than before and ensure that her family’s basic needs for safe water are met. “We used to drink from the river,” she said, “but now, we’ve got a more healthy drinking water supply. Our lives are much more improved.”
Linh’s Family
On average, each person needs at least 2.5-3 liters of water a day for basic survival needs. This means the four large water jars that Phan Ngoc Linh’s family were using would only provide enough drinking water for two months, leaving her family with a dramatic shortage of water during the annual dry season.
Living in a coastal area of Tien Giang province, the family has limited access to safe clean water. Due to the area’s low elevation, the rise and fall of the tides infiltrate the soil, making it too salty for ground water wells. On the other hand, it is far too expensive to drill deep wells. Piped water is also not an option due to the remoteness of the area.
While the five members of Linh’s family used to rely on four jars of river water, they knew drinking river water was not healthy and the jars not sufficient. When the project was begun, Linh signed up immediately and waited for her turn to build a concrete rainwater catchment container.
Habitat provided technical expertise on construction, as well as safe water and sanitation practice. Households like Linh’s also received assistance for locating sources of affordable materials, as well as supports on simple methods of water purification. Financially, each family also received a microfinance loan with very low interest to be paid in three years into a revolving fund so that other households can access money in the future.
Unsafe water causes approximately 1.8 million diarrheal deaths every year. The project has delivered to homeowners like Chuyen and Linh a way to avoid serious diarrheal diseases while making everyday life easier and less costly.
The project is important in two aspects. First, it was designed to assist the families with whatever services and materials they needed for their individual needs. Second, the impact of the funds spent on the project was multiplied by an innovative microfinance program, which will result in more families receiving benefits far into the future.