Restoring Water to 2,000 Families
The May 12 earthquake did not only affect Sichuan but also many of its neighboring provinces like Gansu in North West China. Song Shu, a small village in Gansu was not spared of this. The earthquake damaged the water tank and is not in full use since May 12. Barely 20% of the tank is being filled for fear of collapse. The provincial inspectors filed a report that the tank is unfit for operation and is need of major repair. Should the tank be left in its current state, the parish will be forced to close the tank. The parish asked for help from the government but they were denied of funding as its currently focusing on other matters (problems) that arose as a result of the May 12 earthquake.
Gansu Province is located in the Northwestern parts of China. It has a very arid and dry topography. Water is scarce in Gansu and is often considered as a precious commodity. A lot of places and communities in Gansu are in need of water for farming, livestock and consumption. One such place is Song Shu.
Song Shu is a quaint little town just outside Wu Wei. Even though water is scarce, most families in Song Shu live through farming. Water for irrigation is rationed by the government, but drinking water in Song Shu, like in many places in rural Gansu, is a precious commodity. In most cases, water for human consumption is bought. For the past ten years, the local parish in Song Shu has addressed this problem. In 1998, the parish applied for rights to dig for water and build a tank that would supply 2000+ families free drinking water in Song Shu (only half of these families are Catholic). Before the tank, they get their drinking water by collecting rain water through makeshift wells.
Through the local parish’s initiatives with the help of the Lanzhou Archdiocese, the Song Shu community decided to take matters into their own hands and sought for ways to repair the water tank. Bricks has agreed to provide 40% of the repair costs from the funds raised (thanks to your generous donations) for the Wenchuan Earthquake Appeal. With your help, the 2000 people in Song Shu will again be assured of free and safe drinking water. Our promise is that 100% of your donations will go directly to the project.