Sichuan New Hope Build

We need 150 volunteers to help the families at Mayan village to rebuild a safe home; and bring hope and future to the children!

Mayan village is located in Youzha Township, Qionglai city in Sichuan; 60km away from Chengdu. It is a picturesque village with 405 families, contributing to a total population of 1,380 people.  The villagers earn their living from subsistence farming and raising livestock. Some of them are living in old houses built 100 years ago with mud, wood and green bricks, which are vulnerable to landslides.
The living environment is deplorable with no proper sanitation, stable electricity and clean water supply. After the devastating earthquake in 2008 followed by a rainstorm in 2009, the mountain structure of Mayan village has been damaged, leaving the houses in shaky and dangerous conditions.

In 2010, the government of Qionglai City supported the national “New Rural Construction Policy” to raise the safety level and improve the quality of life. New houses are constructed with strong cement and based on the standard against magnitude 8.0 earthquake.  The villagers can join the program on a voluntary basis. Since 2011, a total of 150 families in Mayan village have participated in the project. However, the building cost for each house is approximately RMB100,000 (USD16,000). Although the government can provide financial support of RMB30,000 (USD4,800) to each family, the villagers have to settle the large remaining balance. With their average annual per capita income of RMB5,900 (USD940), it is simply impossible for them to have a new home.