Yunnan Leprosy Village: Solar-Powered Shower Room

Lepers in Shuigou Village 

Shuigou village is 170 kilometers away from Kunming and home to about 30 lepers. The village is in an area with higher elevation. The weather is cooler, and winters are longer. There is a large temperature difference between morning and afternoon.

The eldest leper is over 70 and the youngest is over 50. Drinking water used to be a problem, but now the village has running water, so that situation has greatly improved. However, there still isn’t water to take a shower. When one of the lepers Lao Wang went to Yangquangou village and saw the solar-powered shower room that TFish helped build there in 2014, the Shuigou villagers applied to for their own solar-powered shower room. After assessments, TFish approved their application and decided to build a solar shower room for them. Thanks to a generous donor, the $2,650 USD needed to fund the shower room was provided.

Volunteers Help with Construction

​Liang Ping asked Andrew, a US volunteer, to help with the shower room building. He is an expert of rural solar-powered shower rooms. The village is remote and transportation for the materials is expensive. They asked a boss of a quarry to transport the materials. Lao Hu, Lao Wang, and their children laid cinder blocks, following the outlines Andrew had first established. Everyone participated in the building work. Some were mixing concrete, some were moving sand, and some were placing concrete.

After 3 hours, the placing of concrete was completed. Volunteers began to talk with the locals and do performances for them.

​The lepers were moved by the loving construction of TFish and the donation that made it possible. Six lepers and their children participated in the construction work. They were laying down floor concrete. With their efforts, the shower room was completed.

The solar-powered shower room is nice and functional. The lepers can take a shower as people living in the city do. Their life will become more comfortable.

Reservoir Ditch

In order for the solar-powered shower room to be used, a reservoir ditch needed to be constructed in Shuigou village to ensure a sufficient water supply. The 3-meter reservoir is a supporting facility to the shower room, and it will also provide drinking water for the people living in the village. Thanks to the same generous donor, the $1,830 USD needed to build the reservoir was also provided.

About Our Field Partner

​Shalom Leprosy Care Ministry is a grassroots organization in Yunnan province. The organization has been providing services to lepers since 2000. They invite domestic and overseas volunteers to join their services, providing medical aid, care, and help to the patients living in leprosy villages in Yunnan.
In 2012, the organization became partners with TFish. With our support, Shalom’s services can reach more people. The number of project villages has increased to 8 with 117 patients, with 5 being from around Kunming.