project summary
bayen county integrated rural development project

project goals & context | project description | activities & achievements

project goals & context

running water comes only now t these older women

Trace Foundation is dedicated to working with rural communities to meet the challenges and opportunities of China's rapid development while maintaining unique features of community life. In 2004, Trace Foundation established the Qinghai Integrated Rural Development Project (QIRD), a three-year initiative to combat interrelated problems that keep rural Tibetan communities in poverty in three townships of Bayen County, a nationally-recognized poor county of Qinghai Province.

project goals & context | project description | activities & achievements

project description

In the often harsh climate of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, numerous factors converge to keep rural families in poverty: limited access to and poor quality of local healthcare systems, low access to and poor quality of local water sources, a disproportionate labor burden on women, low access to and quality of education, limited income, and challenging agricultural conditions are prevalent for most rural communities. Through participatory methodologies, Trace Foundation's QIRD project worked with 12 villages in Chumar, Serzhong and Tagya townships of Bayen County to design integrated projects to address their needs while maintaining their traditional ways of life. Through community-driven activities, the QIRD project sought to counteract challenges in six areas:

Drinking water and irrigation systems;
Access to and quality of education;
Efficient cooking technologies;
Women's participation in development;
Household income generation;
Health interventions.

project goals & context | project description | activities & achievements

activities & achievements

Drinking water and irrigation systems: Partner villages constructed or improved drinking water and irrigation systems to reduce health risks, increase agricultural production, and decrease women's burden in water collection.

8 new water systems built: Eight villages constructed new piped, clean drinking water systems.
3 water systems upgraded: Three villages improved their rainwater catchment systems.
1 irrigation system constructed: One village constructed a new crop irrigation system.
6 irrigation management trainings held: One village built a new irrigation system, and six villages participated in trainings to improve management and maintenance of their existing systems.

Access to and quality of education: Primary education and women's literacy were promoted to improve the education system and provide new opportunities for those who had previously dropped out of school.

13 primary schools were built or expanded: Local schools were renovated and expanded, and several new schools were constructed to increase local access to education.
70 older girls resumed primary education: A special primary school class at Serzhong Primary School was established for 70 girls aged 10–15 years old who had previously dropped out of school, allowing them to complete their primary education.
44 older girls acquired new, marketable skills: An additional vocational training class in sewing and cooking was held for 44 older girls at Bayen County Vocational School.
25 students pursued vocational training: Vocational training in driving skills was held for 25 boys and girls in all 12 target villages.
30 primary school teachers upgraded qualifications: 30 primary school teachers from all three townships improved their Tibetan-medium teaching methodology and completed their three-year dazhuan degrees, the required qualification for primary school teaching.
434 women achieved literacy: 434 women in all 12 villages completed basic literacy classes.

Efficient cooking technologies: Fuel-efficient or renewable-energy cooking stoves were promoted to reduce reliance on non-renewable fuel resources and reduce women's labor burden from gathering fuel.

166 fuel-efficient stoves distributed: Families in 4 villages received fuel-efficient stoves allowing them to significantly reduce energy expenses.
218 solar stoves distributed: Families in 11 villages were provided with solar stoves, necessary due to the relative scarcity of fuel on the dry plateau.

Women's participation in development: Through the establishment of women's self-help groups and microcredit programs, the QIRD project encouraged women's participation in income generation and development activities.

489 women joined self-help groups: 12 target villages established women's self-help groups, which met regularly to assist families in income generation.
60 women participated in a microcredit loan program: In Anguanqunwa Village, 60 women received microloans to assist in income generation activities.

Household income generation: Business training and improvements in agriculture and animal husbandry resources encouraged income generation activities at the village level.

220 people participated in small business trainings: In 11 villages local families and individuals attended small business trainings to aid in the development of local business.
8 families constructed new pigsties: In 2 villages, new pigsties were constructed to aid in animal husbandry.
3 greenhouses constructed: 2 families and 1 local school constructed greenhouses in 3 villages to improve access to and the quality of local produce.

Health interventions: To improve health education and healthcare delivery systems in target areas, Trace Foundation established the Qinghai Primary Health Care Project as part of the QIRD initiative.

project goals & context | project description | activities & achievements

project summary bayen county integrated rural development project

project goals & context

project description

activities & achievements

project: quick facts

project summary
bayen county integrated rural development project