Guizhou Sansui Snowstorm Rehabilitation and Community Holistic Development Project
Location: Sansui County, Guizhou Province
No. of Recipients households: 300
No. of pass-on families: 450
In the January of 2008, a strong snowstorm attacked 19 provinces of China, which caused 60 people's death and direct economic loss across China. Among these 19 provinces, Guizhou is one of 6 most affected provinces. The strong snowstorm killed the plants and cut the transportation and power and damaged the buildings. In Guizhou the damage caused by snow and frost were more serious than other areas because of the humid weather there.
Apart from the damages in transportation, electricity, and tap water system, the snowstorm also caused loss in agricultural production and livestock husbandry in the rural areas. In Sansui County (one of the most badly damaged counties in Guizhou), there was a total direct damage of RMB100 million, more than RMB 84.4 million loss was from agriculture and livestock sectors. As one of the state-designated poor counties, the snowstorm has worsened the poverty situation in Sansui.
This project will provide 300 affected families with livestock and training. Training will cover topics like Heifer Cornerstones, group management, animal management, livelihood strategies, gender equity, environment conservation, and the management of natural resources. This aims to strengthen the communities' development capacities by supporting self-help initiatives, such as group development envisioning, planning and group savings. All these will not only strengthen the families' rehabilitation capacities, but also to improve holistic community development in cooperation with the local government. Another 450 will benefit by Heifer's passing-on-the-gift approach.
