A New Start!

               Zhang Qian (张 骞- 40) is delighted to learn the traditional art of brocading and has big dreams.

               She belongs to the Tujia people, and is now attending a brocading course for women who are part of the International Biogas Project that NMS operates in YONGSHUN, located in Hunan Province in China. The course teaches her how to do traditional Tujua brocade.

               The unemployed, single mother looks at this course as a unique opportunity to start a new life for herself and her son, Tian Youping (14). The opportunity to learn a skill that can help her to earn a living is obviously important in a corner of China where it is difficult to find work. Getting enough money for rent, food and school fees for her son has not been easy, especially when she used to work as a cleaner or a nanny. For Zhang Qian, however, this course is much more than just an opportunity to earn a living; she has a big dream.

               She became a Christian a few years ago, when she was in the city of Wenzhou as a migrant worker at one of the city's many factories. One of the other workers at the factory told her about Jesus and it changed her life completely. "Jesus gives life hope, meaning and joy" she says, smiling broadly. "As a Christian, I have peace and feel much better no matter how my (external) situation is”. She also says that she experiences the church's care for her.

               Zhang Qian thinks that she is possibly the only Christian participant in this brocade course, but nonetheless has big plans. Once she had learned the art of brocade, she wants to start teaching it to other women in the small Church. "Together we can maybe make a small factory and make some money to help the poor in our village" says Zhang Quan with a big smile and a lot enthusiasm.

               This brocading course for women is part of the International Exchange of Biogas that provides biogas to poor farmers in China and Madagascar. The women have more time once they have biogas on the farm because they no longer have to collect wood or other fuels. Due to increase in free time, this project also started several courses in China and Madagascar that give women the opportunity to use their new-found leisure time in a way that can improve their life and family income. This brocading course is one of the courses available to women and Zhang Qian is one of the participants. Do you want to support the International Exchange Program for Biogas?

               Maybe you're wondering what to give as a Christmas gift to someone who already has much of what they need? For 100 Pounds Sterling, you can give a whole biogas tank to a farmer in Zhang Quan’s home county, YongShun. This Christmas gift could combat poverty and improve women's health all in one! A gift that keeps women in Yongshun for so many years is a unique gift! An Ipad, mobile phone or computer rarely lasts more than 4-5 years but a tank of biogas can last generations and provide an entire family a better future. Find out how you can support this project here. 

From scepticism to joy!

Peng Yueling ( 30) and her husband , He Qiwan ( 35 ), who live in Hunan province in China looked forward to getting biogas on the farm. However, they were a bit anxious about the fact that inexperienced strangers from Madagascar would be doing the job of building the biogas tank.

Why?
NMS have been running successful biogas projects in China for Many years. Through the “International Biogas project”, we are seeking to transfer this biogas success to our partner Church in Madagascar by training technicians and farmers in Madagascar and building biogas digesters in both Madagascar and China. As a part of their training, five technicians from Madagascar came to China for 7 weeks to study biogas technology in our project area in YongShun in Hunan Province. As a part of their training, these technicians helped built the biogas digesters of farmers in China who were not able to build their digester on their own, like Peng Yueling and He Qiwan.

 

Scepticism

Not surprisingly, this family of four was very interested in getting a biogas digester as it would make their lives much easier. Mr He Qiwan works in Guangzhou City and is away from the farm most of the year. As their two children are quite young and they have no relatives who can lend a hand, they accepted the offer of help from the Malagasy biogas apprentices.

However, their scepticism actually increased when Peng Yueling met the technicians for the first time - they were smiling and friendly. From my cultural perspective I interpreted this to mean that they were not serious and would not do a good job, she admits. However, she relatively quickly changed her mind: - I soon discovered that they worked very hard and were talented. We are very pleased with the biogas tank we built together, she says.

Results

Peng Yueling did not only get a biogas tank. She also got new friends. Tears rolled down her face as the technicians finished the job and returned to Madagascar - We became good friends, even though we do not have any common language or will be able to see each other again, says Peng Yueling. She is delighted that she can now make food in a smoke free kitchen and can cook easily and conveniently.

Her husband is also happy. The biogas tank ensures that the family save money on energy. The organic fertilizer is used on their fields where they cultivate corn, cabbage, carrots and potatoes. The result is a better environment, better health and a little more money to spend on school fees and other necessities.

How Does Biogas work? 

Waste from the human toilet, the animal pen and any kitchen waste all goes into the tank under the farm. The air-tight tank transforms the biomass waste into methane. Thus, renewable energy is made. This gas is odourless and produces no smoke, and can be used for cooking and lighting. When the "mixture" has produced the gas, the sludge and slurry that comes out of the tank is now organic fertilizer of high quality. So, the biogas digester does not only provide gas for cooking and lighting, but also good organic fertilizer for the field.

Great Impact Over the past five years, NMS has enabled more than 1,000 families in YongShun in Hunan to get biogas digesters on their farms. Now we want to help to provide biogas for even more families in YongShun in China. As a part of this project, we are also transferring the success of the biogas projects in China to our partner in Madagascar. Do you want to make this possible?

Do you want to help?
For about one hundred pounds, you can provide a biogas tank for one of the neighbours of Peng Yueling & He Qiwan. By supporting this project, you help fight poverty, protect the environment and improve women's health.  Peng Yueling & He Qiwancan enjoy a biogas tank that can last 20-30 years. Would you like biogas valuable for more people? Click here to find out how you can support this project. 

Technicians from Madagascar who studied biogas in China: From left : ANDRIANATOANDRO Jaona Rasoloarinala , IARIVELO Niaina Thierry , RAZAFINDRAINIBE Jean Patrick RAVALISON Andriamisaina and RANAIVOARISOA Jean Dieu Donné Richard

A Chinese Biogas Update from Madagascar

I love this volunteering experience here in Madagascar and feel so good! It is great to be outside almost all of the time! Malagasy people are eager to build biogas as most villages we visit have no electricity and the charcoal based cooking stove that they use are not very efficient.

Nearly 3 biogas digesters have been finished this week. During this week, Chen JiaHai also had a chance to give the technicians here further training.  

We feel the farmers and project leader are both very eager to get this biogas project going. The project Leader of FLM in Fianarantsoa, Alfred, said a reporter of a local newspaper is going to write about the biogas project. 

Both Chen JiaHai and I enjoy working with Stine. She is doing a good job translating between English and Malagasy. Chen JiaHai is happy to see that the biogas sites are working very well.

We did hiking this morning and it was very nice.

We eat well and sleep well! 

This update is written by Jane Ren. She has travelled from the wonderful Middle Kingdom to volunteer in Madagascar as a translator in the International Biogas Programme that seeks to transfer the biogas success from China to Madagascar. She is translating for the biogas technician Chen JiaHai from YongShun in Hunan (in China).  

Good reasons to have biogas in Madagascar (and around the world):

1) To protect the blue sky as God's creation

2) Every day you see people push carts of charcoal on terrible roads for hours. By using biogas, you do not need to use charcoal!

3) To stop cutting down trees. In this country, trees are in danger.

4) To change the inefficient and smoky ways of cooking into a clean and efficient gas stove

5) To give light through the biogas lamp (especially nice as many people have no access to electricity here)

6) To get enough organic fertilizer for the field.

7) To save expenses for farmers in order to improve their living standard! 

Perhaps you can think of other good reasons?

This article is written by Jane Ren (see picture). She has travelled from the wonderful Middle Kingdom to volunteer in Madagascar as a translator in the International Biogas Programme that seeks to transfer the biogas success from China to Madagascar. She is translating for the biogas technician Chen JiaHai from YongShun in Hunan (in China).  

Peng WuYu is finding it hard not to smile .

Peng WuYu ( 47 ) and her husband Yan Xigang ( 48 ) are both having trouble not smiling today. The hundred Pounds that purchased the biogas tank under their farm has had a great impact on their lives. Peng WuYu tells me that they have not only got a higher income, better health and a lot more time, but the installation may even improve the chances of marriage for their two sons. How is this possible?

Peng WuYu and her husband Yan Xigang have recently got a biogas tank on their farm through the International biogas project NMS is running in China and Madagascar. It does not take long before Peng WuYu explains why she is so excited about biogas:

"It is so easy to cook quickly with biogas! Before we got the installation, cooking was complicated and time consuming, but now it is easy and quickly done "says Peng WuYu and smiles while she continues:" Also there is no smoke in the kitchen anymore - it's so refeshing ! "According to the World Health Organization ( WHO), smoke in the kitchen is responsible for 1.6 million deaths each year through pneumonia , chronic respiratory diseases and lung cancer . So it is no wonder that Mrs. Peng is excited about no longer having any smoke in the kitchen.

Waste from the toilet, the animal pen and any kitchen waste all goes into the tank under the farm. The air-tight tank transforms the biomass waste into methane. Thus, renewable energy is made. This gas is odourless and produces no smoke, and can be used for cooking and lighting. When the "mixture" has produced the gas, the sludge and slurry that comes out of the tank is now organic fertilizer of high quality.

This means that Peng WuYu and Yan man Xigang not only get gas for cooking and lighting, but also good organic fertilizer for their 2.5 acres of land. This fertilizer increases their harvest considerably, which they are both very happy about.

The couple is thankful for the money they save and the higher yields they are anticipating. It's tough to make ends meet in the countryside, especially since both sons are now in high school and education here is certainly not cheap. Peng WuYu , however, insists that her sons should go to school, as she did not complete primary school and would like to give her two sons a better future .

Last year, Peng WuYu had to go to the city for several months to earn money. She found this very challenging as she prefers to be available for her old mother on the farm and she did not like that the fields were not farmed or looked after.

After getting the biogas digester, she has more money but also a lot more time. She no longer needs to go to the city to earn money, but not having to collect wood, means that she has more time available. This means that she now can be available to her mother and her sons as well as being able to cultivate the fields- something she is very thankful for.

"Before we got biogas, I spent much of the day collecting twigs and wood for cooking. I went out 3-4 times a day and spent most of the day on cooking and picking up sticks and wood (15 to 20 kilos per day). As we now have biogas, I no longer need to collect twigs or wood and cooking is really quick and convenient " says Peng WuYu and smiles. With a lot more free time, she is now able to spend time on activities she enjoys and improve her family’s income: 

"I make these traditional backpacks of straw! I sell these and get some extra income" she says excitedly before a big smile takes over her face again.

The family is proud to belong to the Tujia minority. This people group lost much of their traditional culture a long time ago. For this reason they are particularly proud of Tujia crafts. So, Mrs Peng is excited about making these traditional Tujia baskets which are used to transport everything from children to grain. In this simple way, she is keeping alive traditional Tujia culture.

Mrs Peng is clearly grateful for how biogas has made her life much easier. "Do you have any other dreams?” I wonder. "Hm …" she says quietly looking out of her window: "Yes, I hope that one day my sons may get married," she says , laughing. Curiously enough the biogas tank may in fact have a positive effect on their chances of finding a wife in the future.”

Strange but true. With China's restrictive laws on child birth coupled with a traditional preference for boys, about 122 boys are born per 100 girls in China. This means that approximately 15 % of men in China will never marry. It is especially difficult for the young men who live on a farm where the bride's life would most likely be tough and tiring. Getting a biogas tank on the farm could actually improve the sons chances of marriage.

Over the past five years, NMS has made it possible for over 1,000 families in Yongshun in Hunan Province to get biogas digesters on their farms. In the next year, we want to transform the lives of many more farmers through biogas digesters in Yongshun, China.Do you want to make it possible for the neighbours of Peng WuYu to enjoy a biogas digester on their farm?

For about one hundred Pounds, you can provide a whole biogas tank for one family on the "The mountain of the Bachelors". By supporting this project, you help fight poverty, protect the environment and improve women's health. Click here to find out how you can support this project.