Water
Minors has provided or improved Water Systems at 184 highland schools.
Shortage
Along with cold temperatures, a chronic shortage of water in many mountain commune schools is the greatest challenge to overcome trying to keep children, especially girls, from the most remote villages in school.
Even large rainwater storage tanks run dry every school year, resulting in many boarding students dropping out and return home. In this rocky terrain wells are impractical. For one short-term solution at this and a neighboring school, please see Fog Fence, above.
A low well at a school in Bac Kan
During Minors' project site visit in Ha Giang a teacher returns with a load of water for the boarding students and other teachers who stay at the school. During late winter even the nearby streams run out, so long distance fetching is the only alternative until the monsoons arrive late in the school year.
Water remains one of the most crucial needs of most schools and dorm students. All available containers.
Boarding students return to school with water. This school in Tua Chua District has no water in the dry winter months.
Primary students head down the road for water, a dangerous daily routine on this narrow mountain road in Meo Vac District of Ha Giang Province
Local Hmong women and girls bring water for the commune boarding students
Gravity Flow
With no water easily accessible in the steep terrain, boarding students construct their own gravity flow system from bamboo, tree limbs and scavenged pipes to bring water to their kitchen from a hillside spring.
Pipes & Pumps
Boarding students help out with construction of Minors' supported water system near their school, in La Pan Tan Commune, in Muong Khuong District, Lao Cai Province. Photos above by our local partner, the District Department of Education and Training.
Boarding Students are the labor crew for digging and laying pipe, their school can be seen down below. This is the same rugged steep path the boys and girls who board had to hike as they hauled water from a distant stream.
Water system at Lo Van Gia, Ban Lang
Minors together with local partner contribution, supported this Complete Water System: Well, Pipes, Pump and Tank, at Binh Trung High & Middle School, Cho Don District, Bac Kan Province.
Well and pump supported by Minors for boarding students at Primary School C, and at the Junior High School in Tung Ba commune - Vi Xuyen District, in Ha Giang. Photos by Minors' Local partners, the provincial Department of Labor, Invalids and Affairs (DELISA).
Tanks
Gravity flow system, storage tank near Mu Sang Commune, Phong Tho Lai Chau
At a high school dormitory in Lai Chau
Minors' tank convoy prepares to deploy to Dien Bien. What could possibly go wrong?
Water system at a kindergarten in Bac Kan, with accompanying veggies
Toilets
Newly dug well and new toilet construction not yet complete, these boarding students are not waiting for a formal opening.
Latrine lockout: These school toilets are out of water, and so out of commission, until the monsoons. They requested Minors support for water source development.
Toilets at mountain schools often fall into disuse for lack of water. Some are pressed into other services, such as a dry place to store kindling in winter-little chance of getting wet in the toilet, ironically.
Fog Fence
Minors supported construction of Fog Collection Fences at schools in Dong Van District in far northern Ha Giang province, where there are severe water shortages over the winter months.
Both collectors' dimensions: 4 x 12 meters, on foggy or misty mornings, each produce 120 liters of water over 24 hours, and are in use for water sources from October to April.
Boarding students carrying water to school in Trung Thu Commune
