Projects
1. Piggery Building
We have been raising pigs since 2009, but the building is low-lying and floods have resulted in an increase in illness and the loss of some of our stock. Recently, some of our staff and children attended training, gained knowledge and received Certificates of Competence in caring for pigs. Due to the location and damage by the floods we need to start again and invest in a new building on a new site. - The piggery will be 20m x 5m and cost US $3,000. We hope to invest by purchasing 35 pigs - two male pigs for seed, five female pigs for breeding and 28 other pigs for meat and sale. We are now producing enough bran to support the pigs and other animals. The 35 of pigs will be cost US $ 4050
2. Duck Coop Building
Currently we have 150 ducks and, providing we can allocate the land we would expand the present facilities. The ducks need an area outside their coop which is fully fenced. We intend to sell out our present stock in 2011 and purchase 500 new ducks. The eggs supplement the diet of the children at Rainbow and also provide an income by being sold to the local villagers and at Pouk Market. To accommodate this number we will need to build a coop 20m x 8m at a cost of US $2,800.
3. Mushroom Farm Building
Currently we have established a small mushroom farm housed in a temporary shelter and we are growing enough to meet our children’s needs, as well as being able to sell to the local villagers and at Pouk Market.
We would have the capacity to expand this venture with a larger building - giving us the ability to provide additional income. Now we have a small truck to take supplies to market at the same time as we take the older children to High School (15Km away) each day - the proceeds will assist with fuel costs for the truck. We are looking at a building 15m x 5m at a cost of US $2,300.
4. To fix the former kitchen roof to be come the sewing training room
The kitchen building was constructed when we started the orphanage 2008 - with money donated by a charitable couple from Italy. Recently the roof has been damaged and we have built a new kitchen/eating area close by. Now we would like to repair the former kitchen roof, and tile the floor for a permanent sewing class room at a cost of US $2,500.
5. To dig a fish pond
Our current rice field is low-lying and always floods during the rainy season. We need to build up the level of the land to avoid this, but bringing soil from outside is very expensive (US $2 for every 3 meters of landfill.) The alternative is to increase the number of fish ponds and use the soil that is removed to raise the level of the rice field - hence to prevent large areas of flooding during the rainy season, as has happened in previous years.
At the orphanage grounds, we will develop a small pond (15m x 25m x 8m) . The cost will be US $3,500.
6. A new boy’s dormitory
The current dormitory was built in 1984 and, as one of the oldest buildings, is starting to show it’s age. Some of the pillars are damaged due to flooding and destruction by ants. We would like to relocate the boy’s dormitory - which would include a more comfortable environment for the older boys who choose to stay on and manage the Eco-Farm. Our plan is for a building 12m x 5m at a cost of US $13,800. This is a major project- but an accommodation need to which we would hopefully give high priority.
7. We need to purchase four cows and two more oxen
We need the 4 cows for breeding - but as well we collect the dung for the biodigester- providing gas for cooking - as well as compost for cropping at the developing Eco Farm.
The oxen are needed as work animals - for pulling the cart and plugging. The dung is also used for the biodigester and for compost The cost will be US $3700
8. We need to buy four buffalo:
The compost we make to support our Eco Farm isn’t enough at the moment to support our vegetable and fruit tree planted areas, so we hope to buy 4 more buffalo to take their dung and urine for compost at our cropping place by making a mobile buffalo stable close to where we are planting out crop. The animals are a key link in the move towards an ecological self- sustaining farm which will provide on-going support for the Orphanage children. The cost would be US $28000
Several of these projects link in to our plans, not only to make the Orphanage self sufficient, but also provide a training ground for the children - and a role model for local villagers - in animal husbandry, crop development and food production. These are essential ‘life skills’ in a rural community.
