San village, Hop Dong commune has 155 households of which 68% is poor and near poor households, and nearly 700 inhabitants. In 2015, San village participated in the project “Pilot of Community-based Operation and Maintenance (O&M) of communal infrastructures in Program 135” funded by Irish Aid and implemented by RIC. Eight villagers of San village voted by the villagers to set up community based group. These people trained on planning, repair budget calculations, fund management, monitoring and evaluation…
In late September 2015, San villagers organized “opening ceremony” of a concrete infield bridge which was 6m long, 3m wide, thick 0.2m. The villagers contributed all resources – money, in kinds and labor to do this bridge: 20,000 Vietnam Dong/household, a bamboo tree, a load of stone and two working-day. Village Fund paid for 100 kg of iron, 4 tons of cement and 16 labor of mason. The CPC of Hop Dong commune supported 3 power poles to be used for bridge girders. Estimated total construction cost of the bridge was about 30 million Vietnam Dong.
Concreting the bridge
When members of the community based group asked how they have applied trained knowledge provided by the project in to build the bridge, Mr. Bui Van Thum, a member of the group said: “Before participating in this project, we was not trained and did everything without planning. Now we applied the knowledge, step by step, started working with surveying, planning and organizing meeting with villagers to discuss on the plan. We also know how technical requirements, how to calculate the correct ratio of cement, sand and gravel …. Moreover, transparent working method, community supervision, and meeting the aspirations of the villagers created favorable condition for the constructing. “
A bridge is not long but much shorter the distance. The bridge reduces the burden on farmers’ shoulders. Previously, without the bridge, the farmers used to bear rice, materials, through deep streams. Now with the bridge, human labor is saving and gradually being replaced by equipment.
Mrs. Bui Thi Minh, 58 year-olds, excitedly said: “I as many others who have no fields in the other side of this bridge, but we are very excited because this bridge built for our village. The head of the village asked people to start work at 7 a.m. to build the bridge but we came earlier”.
Mr. Dinh Cong Banh – traffic and irrigation staff of the CPC who was responsible for monitor the construction said: “Community of San village had a good work. Normally, villagers often suggested CPC to invest for small works in their villages. If other villages can solve their issues actively as San village, it’s very well”./.
