Ban Huay Lue Luang Bathroom Project – Thailand

Location
Ban Huay Lue Luang, Muang District, Chiang Rai Province, Thailand

Community Description
Ban Huay Lue Luang is located in the Mae Yao District of Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. This village of 96 members is of Lahu ethnicity, a “hilltribe” spread throughout the northernmost part of Thailand, mostly in mountainous or hilly areas.

Ban Huay Lue is remote– although only being within 45 kilometers of the provincial capitol, high slopes and rough terrain have prevented an asphalt road from being built to the village. The existing dirt road is drivable during most of the year, but the monsoon season leaves it off limits to most vehicles.

There is a main field in the middle of the village that has a soccer field, a small market and a small general store that serves as the social center of the community. There is one toilet in this field, but is getting old and falling into disrepair. Most families around the town center do not have private toilets so they share this one instead.

This village has difficulty obtaining funding from government sources for projects because of its remote location.

Pictures of the village, the town center, and the old community restroom can be found at the following Picasa web album:

http://picasaweb.google.com/115454689678252677742/BanHuayLueIntroWaterCharity?feat=directlink

Project Description
This project is to build three new toilets in the village.

Two of the toilets will be part of one structure, located where the current town center restroom is. The third toilet will be close to the convenience store, just up the hill from the town center.

The restrooms will be built with cement walls one meter high. The rest of the wall portions and roof will be made from bamboo, a nearly endless and free resource from around the village.

The labor will be provided by community members and provided free of cost. A local community leader has experience in building similar facilities. He has a truck and will purchase the supplies in the provincial capital, transport them back to the village, and supervise construction.

The community will maintain the restrooms. Construction and maintenance will be monitored by RPCV Mark Cox, who visits the visit regularly as a part of his regular work.

Project Impact
96 people will benefit from the project.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Mark Cox, RPCV

Comments
Mark Cox is an Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV), having finished his two years of Peace Corps Thailand service in April 2010. He previously worked in Pa Tan subdistrict, Khun Tan district, Chiang Rai province, and carried out the Pa Taan Daai Bathroom Project – Thailand.

Mark is currently the project manager for a poverty alleviation project being undertaken by Khom Loy Development Foundation in Chiang Rai province.

Dollar Amount of Project
$400.00

Donations Collected to Date
$400.00

Dollar Amount Needed
$0.00 – This project has now been fully funded through the generosity of The Soneva SLOW LIFE Trust as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative, with the help of friends and family of RPCV Mark Cox.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Mark of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by the PCV and/or other projects in the country of service.

This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.