Daba Council: Clouds from Mountains

Daba Mountain Ecology and Poverty Research Council was established in February of 2004 at Bazhong City of Sichuan province. The organization aims to protect ecosystem, reduce poverty and improve community capacity. The following was first  

We have been working with rural communities for over 30 years. I remember back in February 2004 we had just established Daba Mountain Ecology and Poverty Research Council and launched the Yaopoli Village Health Project. Within 2 years, 3 units of housing was established, including running water and electricity for 65 households. We also constructed 1 kilometer of road and built a health clinic for villagers. Looking back, I still remember the details of the project. Just getting through the steep cliffs seemed daunting enough. The successful implementation of this project left us with such a great sense of accomplishment. We were able to help the community become more organized and sustainable, while protecting the natural ecosystem.

In a scorching summer, He Dexian and her team visited Bolingwan. In 3 days, they did survey in 3 villages. In 2009, PCD supported 890,000RMB for community relief and ecosystem project which was launched in Bolingwan community officially. In 3 years, 3 systems for sewage treatment and flood discharge were built. Running water covered to 220 households from 3 villages. 6 irrigating reservoirs and 50 meters of water channel were built. 17668 meters of pipe network were built. 125 biogas plants were built. 132 households of livestock’s shelters were rebuilt and total 1598.9 ㎡ of livestock shelters were built. 7 households built ecological livestock shelters. 16 garbage pits were built. A reservoir with 2000 cubic meters capacity for irrigating was built. The project successfully used the outcomes in Yaopoli village for reference. We came up with experience as 1 Control (control pollution from chemical fertilizer), 2 Discharges (discharge purified sewage and garbage innocuous disposal), 3 Ecologies (nursing ecological environment, protecting life support ecology and developing ecological economy), 4 Promotions (promote drinking water, health, culture and safety), 5 Selves (voluntary participation, self-organizing, ownership, self-management and assumption of risk), 6 harmonies (family, neighbor, community, society, economy, ecology). In the critical period of the project implementation, leaderships of PCD visited the community, describing a beautiful future which greatly encouraged the villagers and our partners.   

A few years later, the Bolingwan became a nice place for the journalist of South Weekend. The villagers work hard to achieve more income. The villagers experienced the value of the life and saw the future of the village. They value their achievements, just like a pine tree who expects spring after a severe winter. 

For 8 years, we have been cooperating with PCD and leaving our footprints. PCD is a partner, and more like a friend or a tutor. We witnessed progress and transformation together. 

Original article written by Xuemei Zhang, translated by Maggie Li, and edited by Yanyan Zhang