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Running Water for Kangmo Monastery
Project Manager: LhamoTso (Gina)
The immediate goal of this project is to build running water system for 43 households of Kangmo monastery monks in a remote Tibetan village. The overarching goal of this project is to supply clean, secure and dependable water for the monks
Funds needed: $8, 468.8 ( 65,582rmb)
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Lhamo Tso is from Waku Village , Wendu Tibetan Township, Xunhua Salar Autonomous County, Haidong Region, Qinghai Province , P.R.C. She is currently working towards an Associate's degree in English with the English Training Program at Qinghai Normal University Nationalities Department.
Project location:
Kangmo monastery is located 14 kilometers southeast of the administrative center of Wendu Tibetan Township, Xunhua Salar Autonomous County, Haidong Region, Qinghai Province. This monastery has 43 households with 57 monks. All residents are Tibetan and most come from Zhoung Ku, a town consisting of seven small villages. Some monks come from other places in Wendu Township. Zhoung Ku is in a valley surrounded by mountains and is located 12 kilometers southeast of the WenduTibetan Township's administrative.
Population:
In Kangmo monastery there are 14 monks who are over sixty years old ,and there are 27 monks who are age twenty to forty. There are 16monks who are six to twenty years old and total in Kangmo monastery there are 57 monks.
Education:
Most of the monks over sixty speak only Tibetan. Although they have a thorough knowledge of Tibetan, they have received no formal education. The middle-aged monks are bilingual, and can speak Tibetan and Qinghai's Chinese dialect. Some of them also know some English words. The youngest monks from six to ten years old are staring to learn Tibetan at the monastery.
Cash income:
Most of the monks in Kangmo monastery have barely enough money to support themselves. They don't receive any backing from the government; and the villagers, with their small incomes, are not able to lend much support. On average, each monk can earn approximately 650rmb each year. They earn cash performing religious rituals, mostly during the winter. Some of these rituals include: funerals, chanting scriptures for a bride before her wedding and Nangney (fasting).
One monk's yearly living expenses, including fuel, medicine, salt, clothes, and electricity, are around 430rmb on average. In the winter, local families invite monks for rituals, so they eat with the family who invited them. In other seasons, however, they usually make breads, cook noodles for themselves. Each monk also must spend about 120 rmb for the Tibetan New Year celebration because they have many visitors during this time.
Agriculture:
The monks have no land to plant crops. Though most of their families have small un-irrigated farms, the monks at the monastery get very little support from them. Usually each family might contribute 100kg of flour and 5kg of oil every year. Almost every monk's family owns 6-10 mu (Chinese unit of area mu (1/15 of a hectare) of land. The village lacks mechanized tools, so fields are plowed using mules or horses. Other activities such as weeding and harvesting are done by hand and are thus strenuous, time consuming.
Wheat is the village staple, which is used for self-consumption (bread, noodles) and to pay the government's tax levies. Other crops include barley, rapeseed, potatoes, and beans. On average, the land belonging to each household can produce 520 kg of wheat, 200 kg of barley, 100 kg of rapeseed, 460 kg of potatoes and 50 kg of beans in each year. Much of the agricultural work is the duty of women. Agriculture in the village is difficult because:
Drought is common. And when drought strikes, crop yields are low
Fields that are not irrigated are difficult to cultivate
Irrigated land is very limited
Sometimes hail destroys crops
Difficulties in farming mean that villagers rarely have spare food or money with which to support the monks at the monastery, let alone themselves.
Herding/livestock:
Village families also raise livestock. There are 10 livestock ( such as goats, sheep, mules, donkeys and horses)in each family on average. The grass areas are not fertilized well because villagers have dug for medical herbs. Eventually, these areas were destroyed due to excess digging. Some thieves from other communities also attack villagers. Other problems villagers have in herding and tending to these animals: Conflicts between Tibetan communities over grazing areas.
In some years, heavy snow causes the death of many young animals and female animals.
Death of livestock from natural causes. For example, in the summer of 2003, it thundered into the flock of sheep at the mountain and killed 240 sheep, and lacked weeds in spring and winter.
Animal disease. (Animals have died from lung cancer and infectious disease)
Weather:
Local people keep a constant fire burning in their stoves for almost six months of the year because it is cold. Previously, monks used firewood from the forest nearby to cook and heat their homes. Recently the government has banned collecting wood from the forest, so monks must spend 180 rmb on fuel per year now because of the cold weather. Also it is drought and that causes problems for growing crops.
Project goals:
The immediate goal of the project is to build running water system for 43 households of Kangmo monastery monks, in Wendu Tibetan Township, Xunhua Salar Autonomous County, Haidong Region, Qinghai Province.
The
overarching goal
of the project :
to supply clean, secure and dependable water for the monks.
To improve the monks' living condition.
To pump water from the spring which is three kilometres away to each household in the monastery.
To improve the drinking water system for monks, thus improving the overall health of the monastery.
To reduce the burden of monks such as carrying buckets of water on the shoulder.
To improve sanitation by having easier access to and a sufficient supply of water.
To reduce injures caused by difficulty in getting water.
To increase monk's leisure time so that they can study more and participate in more valuable and relevant activities.
To lighten women's burden during the monastery festivals and rituals.
The need of the project:
This monastery consists of 57 monks within 43households. Access to drinking water is difficult for villagers.
In recent years drought has been common, so the water resource where the monks get water as usual have been very limited. A river near the monastery is the only water resource for the monastery, but the water from river is dirty by the livestock and the villages live upper-reach of the river. During the spring and summer, the water is dirty with dung and swimming, which influences the monks' health, also the flood. During winter, the river dries under the ice that makes hard for monks. So the monks have to beg the water from other families in Dangkha village, which located 2 kilometers away from the monastery. Getting water is the hardest of the household chores. Also it's very hard to ask families for water many times because of local people have strong belief that if you carry the blank buckets to enter the family, it's a kind inauspicious omen so they wouldn't happy about this. Then it's a difficult task for them like harvest. The monastery is located higher place like on top of a small and the river is below, so they need to climb to reach the monastery with the big buckets of water. Sometimes they injured from getting water especially for the old monks, in situation like raining or frozen time. For e.g. A'ke Luosang the oldest monk in the monastery, one of his rib was broken when he carrying a plastic pipe of water on his back. He stepped on the iced road and slipped down and broke his rib.
The problems:
Dirty and less water
Other villages who live upside of river and the livestock step or swim into the water polluted it with yak dung or the garbage as old clothes, shabby shoes, and plastic stuffs from the people who live upside. The river has frozen under ice during the winter and the water also dried up under ice. A small spring, which is beside the river near the temple, is also dried up as the river drying. So the water is very less during the winter. Mostly the water has dried during the New Year time, and again the monks can't have relaxes during the New Year. It's just like harvest for them. Because of Less water in the winter they cannot use more water on washing, as clothes, vegetables. Especially form June 15th to Auguest1st they can't produce cleaner water for them during the ritual that hold for 45 days in the autumn. Again they need to spend four more hours to beg the water from other families in Dangkha village, which located 2 kilometers away from the monastery. The water from the river is dirty in summer and autumn. Because it's raining season, and more floods, so they also need to beg for water.
They are greed on water and not use more on washing clothes, vegetables as well. Sometimes because of limited time they get dirty water from the river put for a while, and let it become a little clean, and then they use it for drinking water instead of go far village or begging water. So it affects their healthy as lung cancer and stomach.
Monks need to worry about the young monks study
The young monks need spend more time during winter and spring due to shortage of water. Because they need to spend four hours on carrying water per day that they couldn't do morning practices.
Injury
In winter, the snow melted on the road and froze. The way from river to Kangmo monastery is slope, so it's very dangerous for monks to walk on it especially for the old monks who haven't disciples. During the raining season, because of road is slope, so it's very easy to slip down with full buckets of water. For example, A'ke Luosang who is the oldest monk in the monastery, one of his rib was broken when he carrying a plastic pipe of water on his back. He stepped on the iced road and slipped down and broke his rib.
Benefits:
1. Improve health conditions with secure water.
Clean, reliable water will improve the monks' health. They will be able to wash their homes, food, clothes and bodies more regularly. Diseases would also spread less quickly among the monks.
2.The young monks will have more time to spend on their studies.
The young monks won't need to spend hours each day fetching water for the monastery's needs. They will have four extra hours daily in which to study. They will be able to use this time to join in morning ritual practices, read more scriptures and study educational books. Their quality of education will improve and elder monks will no longer have to worry as much about the younger monks' futures.
3.Reduce the risks involved in fetching water.
The monks won't need to traverse the dangerous path to the river or spring whilst carrying water buckets on their shoulders. They will be able to use water at any time, regardless of the season or the weather conditions. Injuries associated with fetching will have been prevented.
Gender equality:
In Wendu Tibetan Township in Xunhua County men and women alike, believe that women are inferior. There are many systems in place in the village that discriminate against women, from unequal work practices to religious rituals.
From June 15th to August 1st, a ritual takes place within the monastery which specifies that women may not enter the monastery complex. For 45 days they are not allowed to even venture near it. Another example can be seen in the general preference for monks leading rituals in family's houses, rather than nuns. Even though both monks and nuns practice the same religious ceremonies, the nuns are seen as inferior. If this project is funded, then there is a high possibility that the community's perceptions of women will be better.
Village people will see that a woman can successfully design, manage and implement a much needed development project. An important message will be sent to the community at large. I have seen this transformation after other successful projects, including a solar cooker project in my local area. At this time, people said that young women such as me were actually better at getting things done than any man. I believe that through this project, people's perceptions of women could change, and that it would be understood that women and girls could make genuine and substantial contributions to their communities.
Just before the New Year and during the June festival that holds in the monastery, prepare more water for the monks is often women's task. They can't enjoy during the time and need to carry more water for the monks and the visitors or guests. The villagers and few nuns already use the running water under government's help, so local people don't need to fetch water. However, because the monastery does not have access to the running water, local women still need to fetch water for the monks during the monastery festivals and rituals. Monks couldn't get any help from government because government said it's not their responsible to help monks. If this project is happened this way local women can get benefit through this project and they can enjoy during festival and their burden would be lighten.
Project Steps:
1 Collect information about the basic needs for the monks. (Already completed.)
2 Visit Jirmey, who is a kind of leader in the monastery. Also discuss the project with Songyal Jamtso, Gaydan and Sandan to make sure they agree with and support this project. (Already completed.)
3
With the above group, visited the spring which is sustainable and will supply the monastery with its new water source. (Already finished.)
4Discuss the project's needs with Lijia Tsairing (who has completed three water projects in Xunhua areas). (Already completed.)
5 Contact the firm's ( 兰州市塑料厂 ) leader ( 张玉青 ) to get specifications and prices for all of the materials. (Already finished.)
6
Receive funds.
7
Water project committee is established with the participation of monks. This committee will be composed of eight people - two laymen, six monks and Lhamotso (Gina ). (Already done)
8
Contracts are signed with the water project committee. Monks prepare sand and stones for the construction of the water tanks.
9 Purchased Iron bars and cement (from a Xunhua Factory).
10 Build the water tanks.
11Monks dig the ditch.
12Purchased Plastic pipes from the Lanzhou City Plastic Factory . The other materials like valves, spigots, connectors and bricks will be bought from the Xunhua Factory.
13. The running water pipe line is buried in the ditches .
14 Water is piped to 43 monks' household courtyards.
15. Establish a sustainable management plan. This will involve choosing five members who are responsible and have good reputations within the monastery by a meeting. These members will manage the system for a set period of time, and will then choose a new committee for the upcoming years.
16. Document the success of the project, and interview the monks and take photos
17.Write final report
18.Send the final report with photos and receipts.
Time frame:(In total the project needs almost 50 days for its completion.)
1 day: Establish project committee by holding a meeting.
2 days: Sign any contracts with the project committee.
10 days: Villagers prepare sand and stones for water tanks.
3 days: Purchase iron bars and cement (from Xining).
4days: Purchase plastic pipes (from Lanzhou city in Gansu province).
3 days: Purchase all remaining materials in Xunhua.
20 days: Running water pipe line is buried in the ditches.
10 days: Water is piped to the households' courtyard.
1day: Hold meeting with the project committee.
Detailed budget:
Donor contribution
Item |
Number of items |
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Price per item rmb |
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Total rmb |
Cement
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11 ton |
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300 rmb/ ton |
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3,300 |
Plastic pipe 6pa # 50 |
2,000 m |
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10.1 rmb/ meter |
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20,200 |
Plastic pipe 4pa # 75 |
200 m |
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14.26 rmb/ meter |
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2,852 |
Plastic pipe 6pa # 32 |
1,700 m |
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5.5 rmb / meter |
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9,350 |
Plastic pipe 6pa # 25 |
4,200 m |
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3 rmb /meter |
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12,600 |
Valves 75mm |
1 |
|
205 rmb |
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205 |
Valves 50 mm |
1 |
|
125 rmb |
|
125 |
Valves 32 mm |
3 |
|
110 rmb / each |
|
330 |
Valves 32mm |
9 |
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6 rmb/each |
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54 |
Iron bar #12 |
900 kg |
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6 rmb/ kg |
|
5,400 |
Iron bar #14 |
500 kg |
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4.48 rmb/ kg |
|
2,240 |
Iron bar #6.5 |
120 kg |
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4.3 rmb / kg |
|
516 |
Bricks |
14,600 |
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0.25 rmb /brick |
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3,650 |
Connections (metal wire, screw) |
200 kg |
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7 rmb per kg |
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1,400 |
Pipes, spigots, connections, valves.
Total: 65,582rmb
Local contribution |
3,360
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|
Item |
Price per Item rmb |
Number of Items |
Total rmb |
Transportation fee for stones |
40 / truck |
7 |
280 |
Transportation fee for sand |
35 / tractor |
4 |
140 |
Labor
|
10 / day / person |
47 people
50 days |
23,500 |
Management expenses
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Phone calls, photocopying, mail and developing photos |
70 |
Management fee |
500 |
Total local contribution in cash: 24,490 rmb |
Total project cost
Donor contribution |
Local contribution |
Total Cost in rmb |
65,582rmb
(8, 468.8 dollars) |
24,490rmb
|
90,072rmb |
Project Sustainability :
The monastery will take care of the drinking water system and repair any damage in a timely manner. The monks have access to workers who have the necessary skills to repair such damage, as they will be involved in the entire process of this project.
Governmental support for the project:
The local government believes that water, electricity and roads are the most important needs in the area. They gave their support to the project when a village secretary discussed it with Duojitai and Jaymay (the monastery manger).
Additional information :
Lhamo Tso is from Waku village and she has managed some projects in Qinghai province and Sichuan province.
In 2002, Lhamo Tso implemented and monitored (on a volunteer basis) a 3,900 rmb solar cooker project for Waku Tibetan Village , which was supported by Canada Fund.
In 2003, Lhamo Tso did second hand clothes projects for Wahu, a local village. She chose the poorest families in the village. After families received clothes, they signed with a fingerprint.
From August to December in 2005 Lhamo Tso worked for Green Kham, a grass-roots development organization based in Ganzi Prefecture , Sichuan Province. She helped the organization to evaluate their projects and translated proposals.
Photos:
This picture was taken on the August 12th, 2006. Here the young monks are shown fetching water from the river, which is a time consuming, awkward task.
This is the spring that is sustainable during all the seasons, and where we plan to get the water from. It's about three kilometers away from the monastery.
Jiemey (a leader at the monastery) and Songyal Jamtso visit the spring, which is three kilometers away from the monastery.
The monk is carrying two buckets of water on their shoulders.
There is another monk who is carrying two buckets of water on their shoulders.
Teacher Lorsang's two students are carrying water to their home.
Project location ( Xunhua County ):
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