Project Activities

The Science Technology and Environment Office in Oudomxay, my partner organization, is a provincial government agency mandated to identify environmental problems or issues and then develop and implement projects to address them. My job as Community Planning Facilitator, is to assist the office and to develop their capacity to conduct community based environmental research, find funds for project activities, assist the office in writing and submitting proposals (although truthfully at this point I do most of the writing) and then to facilitate the implementation and evaluation of projects.

Thus far, we have completed one project: the Clean Water and BioSand Filter project in Ban Tang Nguey, a small Khmu village of 150 people north of Oudomxay Town. The project went well and included the construction of a gravity fed water system, construction of a sanitation and toiletry facility for the village (the biggest in northern Laos) and the introduction and training in the construction, use and maintenance of the BioSand Water Filter. The project went very well and as of this time the villagers have construced and are using a total of 14 filters. The big task for STEO is to get back out to the village and test the filters and make sure that they were built properly.

Other activities that have either started or will be starting in the next little while include:

Community Learning Centre Assessment Initiative
This project involves our working with DED, the German Development Service here in Lao, to assess the feasibility of continuing support for Community Learning Centres in village communities around Oudomxay Province. DED approached us about four months ago, asking us to look into some CLC's that had been set up in recent years by a number of international NGO's, and to identify those centres that would most likely benefit from and would use additional support and financing from DED in the future.

The CLC's were set up to provide training and education in village communities for any kind of training requirement from literacy to business administration. DED is interested in having us research and pick 6 or 7 centres which would receive new money and support and could continue their activities in the future. At this time the project has yet to get started but I'm hoping we can get going sometime this month.

Ban Bo Clean Water and BioSand Water Filter Project
This project was started when STEO was approached by the village chief of Ban Bo. Ban Bo is a Phonoy and Thai Leu ethnic village of about 1000 people located about 7 km north of Oudomxay Town. We were told by the Phor Ban that the village desparately needed a gravity fed water system and some means of filtering water for personal consumption. Fortunately, STEO has already done precisely this kind of project in Ban Tang Nguey (please read above) and we were more than happy to investigate. Our preliminary participatory planning meetings with the villagers confirmed the village chief's concerns and we set about finding funding. As mentioned previously, we have just recieved just under $2500 USD to build and gravity fed water system, and introduce and train the villagers in the construction, use and maintenance of the BioSand water filter. the project starts next week.

Water for Life: A Land Use and Watershed Management Project in Khmu Villages in the Ko River Watershed
This project, which recieved a $9,380 CND grant from the Saskatchewan Council For Internation Cooperation, represents STEO's biggest undertaking with my involvement to date. The whole idea is to conduct environmental and community research on the connection between contemporary and traditional land use practises and the impact on watershed services (ie. clean water, flood control, etc.) From there we will work with the village communities to develop and implement strategies for land use, integrating traditional practises and uses where possible, and protect the natural environment.

The project area is the Nam Ko River, a 85 km river, which startes approximately 55km north of Oudomxay town, runs through the townsite and then turns north again to drain into the Phak River. The Ko is a sub-catchment to the Lower Mekong River Basin, an area of high biodiversity levels, and a key resource to the livelyhood and economic sustainability of the Khmu people living in the region. As noted previously this project starts tomorrow and will run for the next ten months.

Tourism Environmental Education and Infrastructure Project
This project is very much in the planning stages. It started when the Provincial Tourism Authority approached STEO looking for assistance in conducting environmental research and education in villages that are developing eco-tourism projects. Our involement will include conducting environmental education activities, environmental impact assessments on tourism activities, and introducing the BioSand water filter into participating communities, as well as developing environmental protection strategies and plans.

That's a summary of my activities to date. I will do my best to keep this blog updated along with general thoughts and essays on development as these projects progress.