Rebuilding Project (Phase 2) at Ma’an Village (May 09 - Jun 10)
• Researchers: NG Yan Yung, MU Jun, WAN Li
• Funding source:Wu Zhi Qiao (Bridge to China) Charitable Foundation

Maan Qiao Village, at the southern tip of Sichuan, is one of the poorest villages in Xinan Township (新安鄉). It is also the only Dai Minority (傣族) village in Sichuan. The 6.1 degree earthquake in Panzhihua (攀枝花) on 30 August 2008 has added a further burden to this deprived village. Almost all the village homes (263 out of 272 houses in the village) were collapsed or severely damaged. There is very little the villagers can do, as very limited aid from the outside has managed to reach them, and rebuilding works has been slow, if at all. A small team of students and professionals, under the guidance of Wu Zhi Qiao (Bridge to China) Charitable Foundation (WZQCF) has, since September 2008, been working in the village to seek an economical anti-seismic construction method for the villagers. A pioneering initiative has resulted in an anti-seismic village house prototype that is affordable, ecological, and more importantly, socially sustainable. We have also worked very closely with the villagers as if we are one family. The rebuilding project at Maan Qiao Village is proposed to allow more university students and volunteers from Hong Kong, their mainland university counterparts, professionals, and local officials to further our work to provide villagers with an ecological, economical, socially sustainable and healthy village habitation. In the process, we also aim to provide university students in Hong Kong an opportunity to realize their potentials, aspire to see beyond themselves, and lend their kind hearts to the needy in a remote and almost forgotten part of the world. With student volunteers, it is proposed to (A) firstly, engage the local villagers to rebuild 2 village houses in order to further teach them skills and techniques for them to rebuild their own homes; (B) further engage the rebuilding works of the entire village and community holistically by subsidizing key construction materials to rebuild all 33 homes in the village; (C) assist in the re-building of the community by providing a community centre and a public plaza. This will give a focus to village life. The centre will have a clinic, a library and reading room, training facilities, and accommodation for visitors and skill providers. Trainings in the areas of public health and sustainable agriculture will be hosted in the community centre; and (D) provide them with a bridge and village pathways to improve their communication with the outside world. Some basic infrastructural works like water supply, eco-toilet and bio-gas system will also be installed. Last but not least, it is proposed to (E) further the education opportunity with our students drawing up technical manuals, summing up their works with publications, and passing on our skills. (ED08586)