This project is one of the 11 projects selected for implementation under Batch 5 of the Village Water Management (VWM) programme in China. The VWM programme for China was initiated in 2012 with 2 batches of clean water projects to be implemented yearly thereby enabling sustainable clean water access to approximately 20 rural poor villages in China every year. Under the VWM programme for China, Lien AID has a strategic partnership with the China Association of Poverty Alleviation and Development (CAPAD) to utilise its training platform for Student Village Officers (贫困村大学生村官), who live and work in rural poor villages, to drive the implementation of clean water projects from the grassroots level. The Student Village Officers undergo a structured training session to equip them with the knowledge and skills to implement basic water projects and conduct health and hygiene training to villagers. A significant percentage of them submit water project proposals for funding and Lien AID will evaluate, select and implement suitable projects with the participation of all stakeholders. Typically, the built infrastructure involves water collection/ storage tanks and a piped network delivering water to individual households, with water tariffs subsequently collected from villagers. Village water committees are formalised to help the Student Village Officers implement various components of the project, including future operations and maintenance as well as hygiene education for the villagers.

Project Results

This project has provided 1,847 villagers living in Fengshan Village with piped water that meets national drinking water standards. The water facilities are owned, operated and maintained by the villagers and have been designed to ensure that the villagers need not suffer from water shortages during seasonal droughts. Villagers also no longer have to walk long distances through difficult mountain terrain to collect clean water.