Project Manager: Rinchen Jyi (Audrey)
This project directly benefits 68 villagers, making up 12 households, in the first three years. Every three years a different 12 households will benefit from this project. After 10 years about 200 villagers, making up 36 households, will benefit from this project..
Asia Foundation funded this project
Rinchen Jyi is from Metog Lungba Sholma Village, Chacha Town, Gonghe County, Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, and Qinghai Province, China. She has studied English for almost four years and she graduated from Qinghai Normal University Nationalities Department English Training Program.
What? To buy 60 piglets for 12 households in Metog Lungba Sholma village.
Who? 12 poorest households in Metog Lungba Sholma Village, Chacha Town, Gonghe County, Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, PRC.
Photos of the project implementation
Rinchen jyi and the recipients are having the meeting to discuss about how to raise, feed and prevents diseases for piglets, meanwhile talking the pig loan contract.
Rinchen Jyi is signing contract with the pig owners.
The piglets are in the pigsty.
One of the project beneficiaries whose name is Tsebu and he is preparing the food for the new piglets provided by this project.
The vet was taking month injections to prevent infectious diseases in Metog Lungba Sholma Village.
Project summary
Project title: pig loan project for Metog Lungba Sholma village
Project goals: The immediate goal of this project is to buy 60 pigs for 12 poorest families in Metog Lungba Sholma Village; ultimate goal of this project is to generate these 12 poor families’ annual income, to be able to send their children to school, and to alleviate education poverty in the Metog Lungwa Sholma Village.
Location of the project: Metog Lungba Sholma village is located in Chacha Town, Gonghe County, Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, China. Metog Lungba Sholma is north of Chacha Town and it is 7 km from Chacha Town and 157 km from Xining, the capital city of Qinghai Province.
Project Beneficiaries: This project will directly benefit 68 villagers of 12 households in the first three years, every three years different 12 households can be benefited from this project. After 10 years, about 200 villagers of 36 families out of 94 families will get certain benefits from this project, and meanwhile this project will help the development of whole village
Implementation organization/individual: The village leader, Tselo Gyal, Renchen jyi (project manager) and Shem Women’s Group.
Contact group: Shem Women’s Group
Fund received: Source, Amount, and Date Received
On January 1st, Rinchen Jyi received 28,900rmb from Shem Women’s Group.
Details of project activities
1) On June 15th, Rinchen Jyi began to design the project proposal;
2) On September 4th, Rinchen Jyi completed and polished the proposal;
3) On January 1st, the Asia Foundation funded this project;
4) On January 10th, Rinchen Jyi and the villagers had a meeting and discussed about the project;
5) On January 8th, Rinchen Jyi and the village leaders set the nominated 12 households;
6) On February 15th, Rinchen Jyi discussed buying pigs with the 12 households; decided to buy the piglets;
7) On March 1st, householders and Rinchen Jyi together buying the piglets in the market;
8) On April 1st, Rinchen Jyi visited the 12 families, took photos of pigs and project beneficiaries;
9) On April 10th, Rinchen Jyi and the 12 households had a meeting, clarified the project contract;
10) On April 15th, Rinchen Jyi and the 12 households set the contract; and divided the funds;
11) On April 16th, Rinchen Jyi visited the 12 households and interviewed some women and men.
12) On April 18th, Rinchen Jyi wrote the final report.
Project Finances|
Original budget |
Actual Cost |
||||||||
| Receipt # | Item | Donor Contri bution in rmb |
Local Contri bution in rmb |
Total Cost in rmb |
Donor Contri bution in rmb |
Local Contri |
Total |
Difference |
|
| #1 | 60 pigs |
28,800 |
6,000 |
34,800 |
28,800 |
1,200 |
30,000 |
+4,800 |
|
| 12 pigsty |
0 |
18,000 |
18,000 |
0 |
18,000 |
18,000 |
0 |
||
| #2 | Project manage ment expenses |
100 |
200 |
200 |
100 |
100 |
200 |
0 |
|
| Total |
28,900 |
53,000 |
53,000 |
28,900 |
19,300 |
48,200 |
*+4,800 |
||
Notes * in the original budget, one month old piglet is about 580 rmb, in the actual cost, three months old piglet is about 500rmb each. Rinchen jyi planned and designed, the market price of one month old piglet is about 580 RMB, but since beginning of 2009, one month old piglet is about 350 RMB. After discussing with the villagers, Rinchen jyi purchased 60 three months old piglets, each piglet is about 500 RMB on March. Therefore, in the actual local contribution, 1,200RMB, actual local contribution less than original local contribution since one piglet’s price is 80rmb cheaper than original. Originally the locals planned to pay 100 for per pig and but since the locals already paid a lot for pigsties so then let them pay 20RMB for per pig, so the project manager did not collect 4800RMB.
The name of recipients
The translation of recipients
| Drukgyal | Tsebu | Gyalye |
| Dorjee Tashi | Wengchang Jyi | Gunid |
| Duo changyu | Nima Tsering | Wangdrum |
| Wandi | Paldan Dorjee | Konchok Gyap |
Difficulties and lesson learned
Difficulties
There are lots of difficulties during this project implementation. But of all, the most difficult thing that encountered with this project is to choose who should be the beneficiaries. Everybody says “I am poor, please help my family.” At the end, village leaders’ nomination, villagers’ votes, and my observation during the two months, together we selected 12 families which are in need to raise those piglets to improve their living condition.
Secondly, some villagers are mad at me after the project, because many villagers want to receive the piglets from this project in the village; people who didn’t get the piglets are kind of angry with the village leaders and project manager. At last, the leaders and I, as the project manager promised and convinced the local villagers, and also we determined who and how many piglets would receive after three years.
Finally, since the time I received the funds to complete this project, managed the money is not an easy job. Losing Bank Account is another mess to me, delay my project time and work. But fortunately, I reported loss to the bank immediately and all funds are safe.
Lesson Learned
Through this project’s implementation, my life experiences are expanded and I have more experience and skill at solving problems practically. Moreover, the important lesson that I learnt from this project lead me to be a better project manager and be the first young woman leader in my community to help my own communities. However, there are lots of lessons I can learn from implementing a different project with different people. At the same time I realized that there are lots of experiences and knowledge I need to learn and experience in my future.
Interviews of the project beneficiaries
Gasang Drolma: She is 48 year- old woman, has three children, one son and two girls who are students. Her husband and she are illiterate. Her first daughter is a university student, and the second daughter is a high school student. The couple believes that education only makes them out of poverty. Therefore, even though the family couldn’t afford two students’ tuition, but the couple got loans from bank and encourage the girls to school.
Tsebu: The middle one is Tsebu, left one is his wife, Yintso, right one is his son Wenchang Tar. When Rinchen Jyi visits his family, his daughter is out for school. Tsebu is 45- year old man, and he has two children, one son and a daughter and the daughter is high school student. He has owned 10 mu of farming land that only can feed family members. He is illiterate, has no access to other family income. His son has been working in the construction sites and making a little money for family expenditures. But the family expenditures are always higher than they produced each year, therefore, his daughter’s school tuition becoming a problem for his family.
Dorjee Tashi: Dorjee Tashi is one of the project beneficiaries and he is feeding his piglets happily. He is a 46 years old man, has two daughters who are studying university and middle school. His wife, Chintso is always sick and the family currently spends half of income on her health, plus two daughter’s school tuition, he always worries about how to manage the family. Now he is very confident that he can make enough cash for children’s tuition and his wife’s medicine. He says thanks many times to the Asia foundation and Shem women’s group’s donation and help that he doesn’t need worry so much after this.
Lhamo Tsering:Lhamo Tsering and her two grandchildren are sitting on the ground. She is Nima Tsering’s mother, a sixty-one years old woman, living with her son and daughter-in-law. She has three grandchildren, who are under 10 so she is hard working with them. Nima Tsering and his wife have no time to look after children after New Year; it’s the time when planting time started. Now thanks to the donors for alleviating her family life standard, the children will get good education when they are in age to school.
Appreciation letter
Translation of appreciation letter
Dear donor,
My name is Tselo Gyal; I am the leader of Metog Lungba Sholma village. It is an agricultural village, majority of us depending on planting wheat, beans, rapeseed and potatoes. Our farming land most depend on rainfall water only, therefore, we make little amount money from our relatively large farming land.
Most of our children like to go to school and achieve their dream in school, though as parents, we have lots of problems for their tuition and other expenses. To make a new income is very emergent thing for our children and our life. Your donation will be like spring rainfalls moisten our field. Here I am representing my entire village saying thanks for your donation of piglets for my village. We appreciate your help very much, from today on, we would encourage our children to school for repaying your help. Thanks a lot.
Respectfully
Tselo Gyal
April 1st 2009
Sample contract:
Translation of the contract:
Pig loan contract
A: Drukgyal (the pig householder’s name)
B: Rinchen jyi (project manager’s name)
Through A and B’s discussion, to sustain and improve farming village life standard, relieve poor family’s economic burden, and make more school-aged children get to the school, A and B make agreement as following:
1) From the day the project funds receive, A should be responsible for piglets’ health, feeding and protection. B has the responsibilities of supervising A during the contract period.
2) During the three years, A can not sell and give the piglets without B’s agreement; otherwise, B has the right to require 1,500 or three piglets from A.
3) A must gives three piglets to other nominated family after three years; otherwise, A won’t be any other project beneficiaries after this.
4) A, B should have this contract. This contract is available from April 1, 2009.
Householder B’s SIGN: Drukgyal
Project manager: Rinchen Jyi
2009.4.1
Receipts
#1
The total amount of money in this receipt is 30,000RMB of purchasing 60 three months-old piglets. The donor contributed 28,800rmb and local people contributed 1,200rmb.
#2
The photocopy fee is about 34 rmb.
Phone calls fee for managing the project during the implementing was about 70 rmb (50 rmb +20rmb) in total.
Original Proposal
Project Location
Metog Lungwa Sholma Village is located in Chabucha Town, Gonghe County, Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, China. Metog Lungwa Sholma Village is 7 km north of Chabucha Town. Chabucha is 157 km from Xining, the capital city of Qinghai.
Population
Metog Lungwa Sholma Village has 94 households and a population of 450 people, out of which 203 are men and 147 are women. There are 100 children. On average, each household has five family members, with three generations. 20 percent of the population are over age 55 and are unable to support their families.
Education
The majority of the population in Metog Lungwa Sholma Village is illiterate. People who are in their forties did not have the chance to pursue education in their early years. Two thirds of adults over twenty have completed elementary level education; one third of adults over twenty have graduated from junior middle school. There are about one hundred school-aged children in Metog Lungwa Sholma Village: half of them are receiving education in the primary school or town schools; the rest of them stay home with their families to help with household chores, raising livestock and taking care of the fields. There are twenty (9 girls and 11 boys) middle and high school students in total. There are nine college students in different provincial capitals, such as Beijing (1 girl), Chengdu (1 boy), Lanzhou (2 boys) and Xining (4 girls and 1 boy).
Agriculture
In Metog Lungwa Sholma Village, the main planting crops are wheat, beans, rapeseed and potatoes. Each family owns about 25 mu of planting land; each mu produces an average of 300 kg of crops each year. Beans are used to feed livestock, such as pigs, sheep, cows and mules. Selling crops yields 2000-3500 RMB per family, that used for buying pesticide, fertilizers, and harvest machine rent fees.
Herding
About 20% of families have 50-250 sheep, 15 % have 1-3 cows and 65% of families have 1-2 mules for plowing land. Families with sheep can sell wool and a portion of their sheep for about 3500-5000 RMB each year. Families with cows can sell milk to yield 1500-2000 RMB per year. Families with only mules make almost no income from herding.
Cash Income
Metog Lungwa Sholma Village is a semi-agricultural community. People mainly make income from agriculture, selling wheat, beans and rapeseed. Among them, a small number of families have tended 50-250 sheep privately and are considered richest in the village. They can sell wool or some sheep to make 3500-5000 RMB per year. The rest of 73 families are living on agricultural practice, since the weather here is unpredictable and dry during summer and lot of rain or sudden storm in the autumn. Therefore, the production from each year is only enough for feeding family members.
In Metog Lungwa Sholma Village young adults can find construction jobs outside the village. They can earn about 25 RMB per work day, earning 2000 RMB in two and a half months. This additional income is not enough to cover yearly expenses and children’s schooling.
Project goals
The immediate goal of this project is to buy 60 pigs for the 12 poorest families in Metog Lungwa Sholma Village. The overall goal of this project is to generate sustainable income for these 12 poor families, enabling them to send their children to school, and to alleviate education poverty(education poverty means Metog Lungwa Sholma Village school education cannot reach what the government requires, and incomparable with county town school education, in the terms of qualified teachers, teaching material, and school equipment) in the Metog Lungwa Sholma Village.
Beneficiaries
This project will directly benefit 68 villagers, making up 12 households, in the first three years. Every three years a different 12 households will benefit from this project. After 10 years about 200 villagers, making up 36 households, will benefit from this project.
Problems
1. Poor income leads to school withdrawal, early marriage and teenagers work forcedly
In Metog Lungwa Sholma Village, the most villagers have no other access to produce family wealth; the only way to get some income is from selling portion of crop production to buying basic needs such as salt and tea bar, and pay for electricity fee, telecommunication, and other government miscellaneous fees. Some families can not buy the basic needs, and most families are unable to afford children’s further education; some students must drop out of school before the family outcome is overweighed instead of attend school. Girls are arranged early marriage; Boys are sent to work in the construction sites. Only few parents encourage the students who are doing well in the school, but they must get loan from the agricultural bank, after 10 months they need to pay high usury with the original money. And they borrow some money from other relatives. Generally, Metog Lungwa Sholma Village families have no ability to raise money and improve their life standard.
2. Education poverty drives the village falling behind others, decrease school enrollment
As mentioned in the education section, many students drop out of school before entering junior or senior high school. This is due to the following reasons: firstly, many families cannot afford to send their children for further education. Secondly, they are unable to pass the entrance exams to enter junior high school or university, because of their poor education. Only 5-7 students from Metog Lungwa Sholma Village enter junior high school and high school each year. On average, 2 students attend college or university each ear. In 2003-2007, the high school enrollment declined to 2-4 students from this village, because village education has no improvement and at the same time the high education level challenge(gap between county town primary school and village school education) at junior middle school. Another reason that students drop out of school is high tuition that families cannot afford at the same time for two children. Some families even cannot afford one’s school fees. Generally speaking, the most families don’t want to risk on children’s education because the students are unable to enter high level schools.
3. Health problems make the family lacking of wealth producers, family helpers
Gall stone, cholecystitis, tuberculosis, high blood pressure and appendicitis are normal diseases that people get anytime, but medicine treatments fee is not affordable for families who are basically depending on agriculture productions. Other diseases such as fever, stomachache, headache, knee ache, backache and diarrhea are considered as small illness which treated at home. The most serious health problems are women’s; the poor women are usually tolerated and until the illness become very serious and fatal. If the woman in the family gets sick, the family business mostly falling on man’s shoulder, such as taking care of children, do house chores and involuntary village labor and less chance for the man to generate family income. Moreover, some women’s death is caused by child birth and the baby is died because of mother’s poor nutrition.
Benefits
1. Increasing income
If this project is funded, every family with pigs will be able to earn an additional 2500 – 4000 RMB per year by selling piglets. One mature female pig can give birth to at least 5-8 piglets per year. Therefore this added income will alleviate many problems simultaneously. For example, sales of cheap labor in the construction sites, teenagers work force and early marriage for girls. Meanwhile it can ease family basic needs, such as tea, salt, electricity fees and telecommunication fees which are I mentioned in the income poverty.
2. Improving education level
Firstly, this pig loan project will increase school enrollment rate in Metog Lungwa Sholma Village. Most villagers are unable to afford school fees for children so they force them to drop out of school. If the family has a certain income annually they would be able to send their children to school. Secondly, this project will elevate majority of villagers’ education to be the same level, break the education poverty line even if the children cannot get high level education but most of them can get basic or higher education at school which can help them in the future. At last, in turn children who get education will help the development of the whole village.
3. Improving awareness of health importance
The consideration of health care will be improved if the basic needs and education are elevated by funding this project as well as shrinking the death rate of women delivering children, and under-5 mortality. The women who get some education will understand doctors’ suggestions if they go to hospital and clinics check their body health. And they will be aware of health importance under doctor’s supervision, or not delay the small illness to become serious if this project is funded and is succeed.
Government support
On May 22nd, 2008, the village leader Tselo Gyal went to the Chacha Town Government office to present a report about this project. The leader of the town government agreed and endorsed this project.
Gender equality
From this project, the beneficiaries in Metog Lungwa Sholma Village will have first hand experience about the importance of education for female students. Many of the villagers think that sending girls to school is not helpful for the family. This kind of idea started to change after I implemented several projects for the village, including the Solar Cooker Project, Flashlight Project and also Second Hand Clothing Project. So this project will further build on people’s changing values about young women.
Effect on children
The most positive side of this project for children is the improved possibility of getting further education in the school. Parents’ willingness and eagerness to send their children to school is an important factor in the family selection process for this project. Families who show more sincere interest in sending their children for further education will be more strongly considered as initial beneficiaries of this project.
Project activities
1. Rinchen Jyi contacts the village leaders, discusses what the villagers need most urgently. The village leader, Tselo Gyal, recommends a Pig Loan Project.(completed)
2. Rinchen Jyi visits the village and conducts a survey to find out who are the poorest families in Metog Lungwa Sholma Village. (Completed)
3. Project manager compares findings from survey with a list compiled by village leaders. Consolidate findings. (completed)
4. Conduct research in the local market to find out the price of one piglet. (completed)
5. Hold a meeting with village women and men to talk about how this project will work in the village. (completed)
6. Write pig loan proposal. (completed)
7. Secure the donor funding.
8. Choose a day and purchase pigs with the villagers.
9. Take pictures of implementation of this project.
10. Write final report.
11. Submit the final report
Time frame
This project will take 25 days to complete
17 days: visit village, discuss pig purchase with villagers, purchase baby pigs in the local market, take pigs to the village.
1 day: distribute pigs to the 12 selected families.
2 days: take pictures of pigs
5 days: interview the families
Detail Budget
|
Items |
Price of |
Number |
Donor Contribution |
Local Contribution |
Shem |
Total cost |
|
pig |
580 |
60 |
28,800 |
6,000 |
0 |
34,800 |
|
Pig sty |
1,500 |
12 |
0 |
18,000 |
0 |
18,000 |
|
Manage |
0 |
0 |
100 |
100 |
0 |
200 |
|
Manage |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
500 |
500 |
|
total |
0 |
0 |
28,900 |
24,100 |
500 |
53,500 |
Note: each pig cost about 580 RMB in the local market. The local people will contribute 100 RMB for each pig and each family will build a pig sty which costs about 1,500 RMB for each.
The donor contribution: 28,900 RMB
The local contribution: 24,100 RMB, includes pig sty
The Shem group: 500 RMB
Sustainability
This project is going to benefit the 36 poorest families in Metog Lungwa Sholma village after 10 years. At first, 60 pigs will be distributed to the 12 poorest families. The first 12 families will buy 5 piglets with project manager Rinchen Jyi. There are 4 female pigs and 1 male pig for each family. After three years, each family will contribute 5 piglets to the second round of selected 12 families. The second round of 12 families will contribute 60 piglets after three years. This way, every three years, a new 12 families will receive 5 pigs from former families. After the first round of 12 families’ initial contribution, they will be able to keep the remaining pigs to generate income. The local people will sell two-month-old piglets to others to develop their income.
To secure piglets are in good health and to sustain this project, the villagers are willing to make a contract with project manager. The first round of 12 families will take good care of the pigs and will be responsible for the health care and costs for keeping the pigs. They are also responsible for contributing 5 piglets after three years.
This project will be sustainable for at least ten years. Since half of the village is living in poverty, they understand the importance of being responsible for this project. The village leader Tselo Gyal will be responsible for the project if project manager Rinchen Jyi is not present in the village during the ten years. The last 12 families will contribute 2,000 RMB each to village errands. If the piglets die accidentally, the families are still responsible for contributing 3 piglets after 3 years. If the families sell out the piglets, Rinchen jyi will request 2,000 RMB from that family.
Past experiences
Rinchen Jyi (Audrey) started her English studies in September 2004. She has completed two second-hand clothing projects for Metog Lungwa Sholma Village that were supported by Sue Bishop at the British Consulate in Shanghai. On May 5th, 2008, Audrey completed a solar cooker project for Ragongma Village and Dzelangtang Village; following that she implemented a flashlight project for Metog Lungwa Sholma Village on May 18th, 2008.
Map of the project location
