Lesson 2: Creative and independent ways of working

(Baonghean) - Many highland villages have proactively overcome the problem. In some places, people have contributed money to build clean water projects to serve their families' lives...

Don't let the project go to waste

Nam Dinh village, Chi Khe commune, Con Cuong district has 117 households, the State invested in building a self-flowing domestic water project in 2007, with 9 community water tanks. At each water tank, there is an on-off valve, a yard, a bathroom... However, during use, due to the poor awareness of some people, some equipment is damaged, moreover, at the water tanks there is no drainage system, so the wastewater stagnates, causing public hygiene problems. Especially, in the hot season, people coming home from work gather at the water tanks to bathe, wash, wash... leading to a situation of fighting and jostling each other.

In 2010, some people suggested that households should invest in installing a water supply system to each house, to avoid crowding and raise awareness of protecting the project. Seeing the idea as reasonable and feasible, the people of this village unanimously agreed to implement it. Accordingly, each household invested in buying valves to open and close water pipes and building water tanks... to install water pipes from the main axis to the house. With the approval of the Commune People's Council, in just 2 months of 2011, nearly 100% of households installed a water supply system to their homes. Depending on the actual situation of each household, the household invested at least 300 thousand VND, the most was 1 million VND.

After completion, families were able to use water comfortably, without worrying about rain or sun when going to the community water tank like before. The village also agreed that each household would pay 10,000 VND/month to have funds to support the management team and protect the project from the source to the village. Ms. Lo Thi Tham, a resident of Nam Dinh village, happily said: "Since having water at home, I have been able to use it more comfortably and conveniently, without worrying about water shortages like before. Not only for bathing, washing, and daily activities, my family also uses this water source to grow vegetables in the garden, improving daily meals". This method is also applied by people in Lien Dinh, Trung Dinh, Son Khe, Tong Chai and Bai Van villages. Therefore, the water projects in these places always operate effectively, and the people are very excited.

Mr. Lo Van Vinh, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Chi Khe Commune, said: The 6 villages mentioned above have 415 households, up to now, 403 households have installed water supply systems to their homes. Seeing the good practices of the 6 villages above, in 2014, Chan Nan village proposed to the commune to follow suit, the Commune People's Council agreed, and the villagers are investing in installing water supply systems.

Going to Ta Ca commune (Ky Son), we also saw that the people here have measures to protect their works by electing a project management team. All 11 villages of Ta Ca commune have built self-flowing water works from investment programs and projects of OXFAM, 134CP, 135CP. The project management team is elected from 3 to 4 people responsible for distributing and regulating water to the reservoir as well as maintaining the water pipeline system. In addition, to keep the source water clean, the people here have agreed not to cut down upstream forests, not to use pesticides on the fields and not to graze livestock near the water source. The awareness of each person has been raised, so the water supply works in Ta Ca commune are operating well after decades of construction.

In the past, the people of Tho village in Yen Hop commune (Quy Hop) mainly used water from dug wells. In the dry season, the wells often ran dry, and people had to travel far to bring water home for daily use. Since the State invested in building a self-flowing domestic water project using capital from 134/CP with 7 tanks at 7 different locations, the people in the village have been very happy, considering this a common asset, and everyone has the responsibility to protect and preserve it. There have been unwritten rules, but they have formed in the thinking and consciousness of the people. All 7 water tanks are built with protective fences made of B40 steel and all tanks are full of water. Ms. Vi Thi Dau, who lives near tank number 3, said: People in the village often remind each other that when going to the tank to bathe, wash clothes or wash vegetables... they must not make a mess, and each time they finish using it, they must turn the tap tightly, and not let the water flow freely. When the water is clogged, the village sends people to check and handle it. Here, everyone in the village is aware of protecting water works for long-term use.

Village chief Le Van Truyen added: During heavy rains and floods, leaves and rocks get into the water pipes, causing blockages. To promptly fix the problem, the village arranges people to go to the source to dredge and repair. By doing so simply, the locality has never had to contribute money to fix or repair the pipes. Mr. Lu Van Than, who lives near tank number 2, shared with us his experience in repairing pipes when they are blocked by rocks and soil: “After each flood, we men tell each other to bring hoes and shovels to the source to scoop out rocks, soil, and sticks from the mouth of the pipes. If the water pipes are blocked, based on practical experience, each person goes a section, using a tree trunk to lightly hit the pipes to loosen the rocks and soil inside, and the water flow is immediately clear.”

Don't expect the State

In many localities that have not received support or investment from the State, people have told each other not to wait or rely on the State, but to proactively contribute funds to build water supply works. In some villages such as Hoa Son, Son Ha, Son Thanh of Ta Ca commune (Ky Son), people have even established their own water groups to build water supply works themselves instead of waiting for support from projects or the district budget. Each group usually has from 10 to 15 households contributing from 2 to 4 million VND/household. That is not a small amount of money compared to the income of people here, but people are still determined to do it. Mr. Lo Xuan Viet, a resident of Hoa Son village, said: "My family mainly does farming, so a few million VND is a lot, but in return for that amount of money to have water for daily use at home, it is worth it, because lacking water is very difficult."

With consensus and awareness of the importance of using domestic water, the people of Na Cong village, Chau Hoan commune (Quy Chau) have contributed their efforts and money to build a water tank in the center of the village. From that water tank, the people continue to invest in drawing water to each household. Ms. Vi Thi Hong, a resident of Na Cong village, said: "Before, every dry season, our people were miserable because of the lack of domestic water, so the elderly, children... also had to carry water a few kilometers to use, which was time-consuming and had to be economical with each bucket of water." Faced with that reality, although their families' economic situation was still difficult, 20 households in the village met to discuss spending their own money and effort to build a source tank and install pipes to each household's tank. Now, domestic water is delivered to their homes, they can use it comfortably, and their lives have been "changed".

People in Lien Dinh village, Chi Khe commune (Con Cuong) invested in water pipes to their homes.

Mr. Lu Van Duc, Chairman of Chau Hoan Commune People's Committee, said: "The lack of domestic water is a reality in the locality, because currently, of the 3 community domestic water works invested by the State under Program 135/CP in Na Ba, Mo Pom, and Na My villages, only 2 works are still in use, but water is sometimes available and sometimes not. Therefore, the fact that some households in Na Cong village spend their own money to build water tanks is a great effort from the people. We will promote it so that many households in other villages can learn and follow suit."

In Le village, Chau Hoi commune, people are also pioneers in spending their own money to build water tanks. With an average volume of 15m3, Le village currently has 4 tanks, 2 tanks in team 1 and 2 tanks in team 3, enough to provide water for nearly 80 households with 340 people. It is worth mentioning that all the water tanks were built with the contributions of the people. They contributed their own money and labor to build, each household contributed nearly 10 days of labor and 2 million VND to buy materials. Excitedly showing us the water tank of team 3, Ms. Lang Thi Xuan said: "Since having a water tank, we don't have to worry about the well running out of water in the summer, nor do we have to carry water 1-2 kilometers like before, but all activities are more comfortable, just turn on the tap and there is water".

Mr. Hoang Van Truong, Head of Le village, said: Every month, the teams clean and scrub the water tank area. In addition, to ensure the source of water is clean and does not run out, in addition to the awareness of saving, the villagers also encourage people in the village to protect the natural forest area in the water collection area. Thanks to that, since the projects were completed and put into use, there has always been enough water supply for people even in the dry season.

The direct beneficiaries of community water projects are none other than the villagers. Therefore, the initiatives and experiences of the villagers in some of the above localities are very practical. If only each locality had its own experience in managing self-flowing community water projects for its village, it would limit the waste of large state investments and the villagers' lives would be more stable.

X.Hoang - D.Cuong