Project Number: FCAPN81
Final Report for
Twenty Solar Water Heaters for Two Resettled Tibetan Communities to
the German Embassy What? Where?
Twenty solar water heaters are benefiting 120 Tibetans in 20 resettled households. Dara and Shaja villages, (Mangra, Gomang Township, Mangra County, Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, PR China) are resettled communities with a population of 3,000 Tibetans.
When?
October 2013
Contribution: German Embassy = 68,000RMB Local Contribution = 133,990RMB TOTAL PROJECT VALUE = 201,990RMB
by ____________________________
Friendship Charity Association 31 October 2013
October 28, 2013 Dear German Embassy, We respectfully report on the susccessful completion of the Twenty Solar Water Heaters for Two Resettled Tibetan Communities in Qinghai Province. The sum of 68,000RMB granted by the German Embassy in May 2013, plus 133,990RMB provided by the village committee, ensured the successful completion of this project. Before the project, local recipients lacked access to hot water bathing facilities. Locals had to travel at least 5 kilometers to bathe in the nearest local township or county towns. The local towns do not have frequent bathing services. Most locals bathe once a year or never. Local communities collect sheep and cow dung, wood, and coal to heat water for drinking, washing their face, and washing clothes. The burning of these fuels produces poisonous fumes, negatively impacting health, particularly over the long term. Cutting trees for fuel results in soil erosion and flooding. Some families do not heat water to wash clothes or wash their hands. Because of a lack of hot water, many locals wash their clothes once every 1 to 3 months; others wash at longer intervals or never. Locals lack sanitation and hygiene awareness and get sick easily. Locals received no, or very little, instructions about health and hygiene. Women do most family chores. They get up early and work hard all day even though they are unwell. STDs are among local are common. As most local women grow older, many become chronically ill and take medicine that often is of little use, but consumes a significant part of the family's income. This sometimes led to domestic discord, including divorce. According to some local doctors, many sicknesses are aggravated by lack of access to bathing facilities. With the support of the German Embassy, this project provided 20 low-cost, environmentally friendly solar energy water heaters for 20 Tibetan families in 3 communities. Locals contributed other materials and labor. People from the 20 families can now bathe frequently at home, more easily drink hot water, and use hot water to wash clothes. With basic short-term health training with the project, locals' personal hygiene and sanitation awareness is improved. This project provided an excellent example of solar hot water heaters and their many benfits to neighbor families and communities, and local government. I sincerely extend my appreciation to the German Embassy for this wonderful project! Sincerely,
Nangchukja Director Friendship Charity Association www.friendshipcharity.org
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Photographs Related photos may be viewed at: www.flickr.com/photos/friendshipcharityassociation/.
A local technician works on the electricalsystem of a solar water heater. 3
A solar bathroom under construction. 4
A shower-head. 5
Inside a solar bathroom. 6
Inside a solar bathroom. 7
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Inside a solar bathroom. 9
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A solar bathroom. 11
Sink. 12
A solar 13 bathroom.
A solar bathroom. 14
A couple by a solar bathroom. 15
Solar water heaters on the roof. 16
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A local monk receives a solar bathroom. 18
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Solar heaters on the roof. 20
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Lights in the solar bathroom. 22
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Solar water heaters. 24
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A solar bathroom. 26
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Solar bathroom in a community. 28
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Water temperature reaches 99 degrees on sunny days.
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A solar bathroom in a local community. 32
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INTERVIEW
1.1. Interview:
Lhamo (b. 1969), a local woman, said “This project brought us hot water for showering, drinking, and washing clothes. We can use the hot water to shower any time we want. Our neighbor family members also come to take showers.�
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1.2. Interview:
Nyin grags (b. 1975), a local monk, said, “This project has many benefits such as accessing a bathing facility and washing the face and hands. Clothes may also be washed with hot water. Before the project, we collected sheep droppings and wood to heat water for washing clothes. We often used cold water to wash our face, hands, and clothes. We now need to collect less fuel. I thank the German Embassy for providing this water heater project.� 35
PROJECT IMPACTS
Twenty family members have access to hot water showers, hot drinking water, and hot water to wash clothes. Recipients gained basic knowledge of sanitation and hygiene that they will put into practice and pass down to ensuing generations. Women maintain better personal hygiene and are able to shower privately without embarrassment. Greater chance for improving sanitation that will lessen transmission of hygiene-related diseases. The villagers' heavy workload is reduced. Tey no longer need to fetch extra fuel for heating bathwater. Men are able to shower and wash their genital area, which will help protect their wives from disease. Elders are more likely to change their minds about hygiene. By bathing regularly, they will realize the importance of basic hygiene. Women benefit the most from this project because women never used to bathe and generally ignored their health. Given the lack of bathing facilities, they were often ill.
SUSTAINABILITY Local community committees and FCA are responsible for sustaining the project after completion. The solar heaters purchased in Xining are the highest quality and last for at least ten years. The solar heater company will be in charge of the installation and necessary repairs to the heaters for two years. All damage or problems occurring after the project's completion will be solved by the company and the caretakers. During project implementation, the manufacturers of the solar heaters sent a technician to train villagers, especially selected families who look after the bathrooms, in basic solar heater care, maintenance, and protection. This enables the villagers to safely use the heaters and bathrooms. Locals learned how to repair and contact the company if bathroom-related problems arise in future. PROJECT ACTIVITIES 2013 May
Activities Once funding is secured, return to the communities and hold another community meeting to begin the project. May Purchased the heaters and building materials and transported them to the village. June - July Completed construction. Teach villagers how to use and maintain solar water heaters. August Interviewed villagers (men, women and children) for September the final report. October Wrote final report. October Submitted final report with pictures and receipts.
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Participants FCA, locals
FCA, locals FCA, locals FCA, locals FCA FCA
Letter of Appreciation (translation) Dear German Embassy, First, we thank you for providing this great project. We are very pleased to receive the solar water heater project. This project has many benefits. Locals are now able to shower with hot water; our sanitation conditions have started to improve; and the amount of fuel we need to heat water is reduced, thus saving time to pursue other family chores. Sincerely, Shaja Community (Stamp)
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Letter of Appreciation (Original)
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Letter of Appreciation (translation) Dear German Embassy, All of our community members extend sincere thanks to the German Embassy for providing such a great project. This project brought us great happiness and better health. We are now able to bathe anytime we want. As time goes by, our hygiene conditions will surely improve. This project also brings environmental benefit as people need to cut less wood from the forest to heat water. Again, we are very grateful for having this project. Sincerely, Dara Community (Stamp)
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Letter of Appreciation (Original)
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COMMUNITY BACKGROUND These two communities were resettled from grassland to near the local township town in 2008. The government provided housing , but did not provide bathing facilities nor any health training. The communities long wished for a bathing facility project. Unfortunately, the local households did not have funds and relevant design skills. Generally, locals have poor basic hygiene and poor knowledge of sanitation. Locals burn yak and sheep dung to boil water and cook. Local tents and houses have poor inner ventilation, thus smoke in the house leads to sore throats, tracheitis, bronchitis, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). These ailments are common in the community. Reproductive health is also a serious local issue. Many women suffer from annexitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, and vaginitis. Women often feel too embarassed to see doctors and many never go to hospital, thus such disease go untreated, endangering women's lives. Such diseases also bring conjugal problems to marital relations and may result in divorce. When the disease worsens, locals must travel to Xining to visit provincial hospitals. The cost of transportation alone is more than 100 RMB - a huge financial burden for families with almost no cash income. Local women lack knowledge about contraception. Unprotected sex is common in the community and women, including unmarried women, easily get pregnant. Poverty is exacerbated as family size increases. Abortion is considered a violation of local religious values and is not practiced. Given the lack of nearby hospitals, pregnant women usually deliver children at home. Midwives have experiences dealing with common birth situations but, when an emergency arises, midwives cannot deal with the situation and may endanger the life of the mother and infant. Women continue doing family chores while pregnant. Consequently, many women’s physical condition deteriorates after delivery. Due to the lack of medical treatment, severe infections often arise after birth. Infant flu is common and many infants die shortly after birth. Cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, high cholesterol, and coronary heart disease take the life of many local elders. Many of those who suffer from these diseases need to pay attention to diet, proper exercise, have regular blood pressure checks and take such medicines as anti-hypertensive drugs to control the situation. However, medical treatment is hard for them to get. Local women play an essential role in family economics by fetching water, farming, herding, childrearing, and so on. Generally, women are more serious about work than men. However, due to lack of hygiene awareness, many locals have diseases caused by never bathing. Approximately 80% of local women get sick and cannot work properly when they are in their thirties, especially after giving birth. As women become weak and are unable to work - plus medical treatment expenses become higher - many local women divorce because the groom’s family cannot afford medical expenses. In sum, this project has potential benefits in terms of hygiene awareness and improving locals' lives. About 120 Tibetans in these two communities directly benefited from this project. FCA implemented a solar water heater project funded by the German Embassy in 2012. The final report is available at: http://tinyurl.com/anlbalb. A FCA clinic project final report was done in 2011. The final report for this project is available at: http://tinyurl.com/72u4xna
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FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING Donor Contribution = 68,000RMB Receipt No. 1 2 3 4
Details 10 water heaters* 2,800RMB 10 water heaters * 2,800RMB 10,000 brick* 0.60RMB 2 truck* 2,000RMB Health training
Item Solar energy water heater
Total RMB 28,000
Solar energy water heater
28,000
Red brick Material transport Health training and associated materials.
6,000 4,000
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2,000 TOTAL
68,000
Local Contribution = 133,990RMB Item Ceramic tiles Wood Grey brick Bamboo Concrete and whitewash Ceiling materials Plastic sheeting Glass Steel bars for foundation Nails, brush, power implements Water nozzle Stone and sand Labor Cement
Details 200 boxes* 30RMB 20 bathrooms*1,000RMB 8,000* 3RMB 100 bundles* 20RMB 20 bathrooms* 200RMB 20 bathrooms* 700RMB 240kg* 16RMB 200 pieces* 11RMB 400kg* 14RMB 20 bathrooms* 100RMB
35 items* 60RMB 700 m3*40RMB 20 people* 10 days* 60RMB 15 tons* 550RMB TOTAL LOCAL CONTRIBUTION TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET
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Total RMB 6,000 20,000 24,000 2,000 4,000 14,000 3,840 2,200 5,600 2,000 2,100 28,000 12,000 8,250 133,990 201,990
EXPENDITURES 1. Receipt
2. Receipt
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3. Receipt
4. Receipt
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5. Receipt
[Translation] Receipt: This is to certify that Shaja and Dara villages received 2,000RMB for conducting health training during the solar water heater project. [stamps]
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Project site map:
Guinan County 46
Project Site
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