Thursday 27 February 2014

Would you like to support one of our projects in China?

If you're interested in supporting one of our projects, there are several ways to do do this. If you have a British Bank Account, take a look here. If you can read Norwegian, the easiest way to support our project, is probably to click your way from here. If you have Hong Kong bank account, you can either send us a cheque made out to “Norwegian Missionary Society”. Please specify on the back of the cheque which project or general purpose you'd like to support (If you do not write anything on the cheque, the funds will still go to our work generally). Alternatively, you can transfer funds to the HSBC account of the Norwegian Missionary Society. The account number, is 031-006695-001.
If you live in another country, please make a transfer to NMS in Norway.
The bank details for NMS in Norway: IBAN: NO73 8220 02 85030 BIC/SWIFT:PLUSNO22 Bank: Sparebanken SørIBAN: NO73 8220 02 85030BIC/SWIFT:PLUSNO22Bank: Sparebanken SørIBAN: NO73 8220 02 85030BIC/SWIFT:PLUSNO22Bank: Sparebanken SørWhen you make the transfer, please specify that the donation is made to Project No. 641 000
Tel: +47 51 51 61 00 E-mail: to info(a)nms.no Postal Address:The Norwegian Mission Society P.O. Box 226 Sentrum,4001 StavangerThe Kingdom of Norway


Thank you for your support!

Sunday 16 February 2014

Dreaming of biogas

Xie LuQian ( 61 ) and Yan GanLian ( 50 ) in YONGSHUN in Hunan province in China have a dream.
They are in good physical shape, but feel that they are both old and find farming tiring as all three of their children have moved to the city. They have not yet approached retirement age by western standards, but in China they would both normally be retired long ago if they had a normal job in a city. Xie LuQian (61) has in fact already lived longer than average in the rural population of China. The average life expectancy in the countryside of China is actually under 60 years. So, it is perhaps not surprising that they feel that they are getting old.
"I would really like a biogas tank on the farm," says Xie LuQian and smiles. "It would be very nice to not have to pick twigs and wood any longer. Cooking would be so much easier" said Yan GanLian and wince slightly as she stretches a tired arm.  A biogas tank would save her many hours of work each day she explains.
Yan Gan Lian also thinks that it would be nice to get rid of all the dirt from the two cows in an easy way. It makes the farm much cleaner and hygienic.
This simple construction helps us get rid of  something we do not want (animal and human waste) and turns it into clean energy (for cooking and lighting) and free organic fertilizer of high quality that does not smell. In fact, the agricultural production in this grand country is in fact responsible for more pollution than the industry. Reducing the carbon footprint of agriculture through the use of biogas is therefore a key to improving the environment.
Many women I have spoken to about biogas are particularly excited about the prospect of having a smoke-free kitchen after getting biogas. I ask if this is important to this couple. " No no smoking in the kitchen and need to collect wood? Then I'll be healthy even though I'm old!" says Yan Gan Lian, laughing.

Mr. Xie LuQian ( 61 ) and his wife , Yan GanLian ( 50 ) dream of biogas on the farm.
  
How does the biogas tank work?
Biogas is formed when animal (or human) dung and other compost are inserted into the digester and become methane gas in the tank under the ground. This gas has no smell or smoke and can be used for cooking and lighting fires. When the mixture has released the gas, it comes out as organic fertilizer of high quality. That means
Xie LuQian and Yan GanLian not only get gas for cooking and light, but they also receive high quality organic fertilizer that increases their crop yields.

In addition, to increase revenue, reduce costs and free up time for poor farmers, biogas is helping to improve the status of women, improving health and hygiene, as well as protecting the environment.Over the past five years, NMS has made it possible for over 1,000 families in YONGSHUN in Hunan to get biogas on their farms. During this year we want to help to provide biogas for several families including Mr. Xie LuQian ( 61 ) and his wife Yan GanLian . Through the "International Biogas Project" we are able to provide biogas for farmers both in China and Madagascar.
Would you like to fulfil the dreams of Xie LuQian and Yan GanLian?  

Have you planned your vacation this year? Are you traveling by air this year? Then you can buy “Carbon Offset” from NMS while helping Xie LuQian ( 61 ) and his wife Yan GanLian and others in their village to get biogas on the farm and thus reduce poverty, protect the environment and to improve women's health.

If you’re in the UK (or if you have UK bank account), you can support the project here. If can read Norwegian, you can give one-off gift to the project here or support the project regularly here. If you live in another country and would like to support this project, please send us an e-mail and we will let you know the best way. 

Wednesday 5 February 2014

Biogas Makes Life Better!

Zhang MingGan (58) and his wife Luo Decui (56) are really happy to have received a biogas digester for their home through the International Biogas project that NMS operates YONGSHUN in Hunan Province, China.
The couple belongs to the Tujia ethnic group and has five adult children: four daughters and a son. All the children are married and working in big cities, so the couple unfortunately does not have any help on the farm. For this reason, they are very happy that they no longer need to collect wood in the forest. "It was a pain and took a lot of time," says Zhang MingGan, smiling. Now the kitchen is clean and cooking is quicker and easier Zhang says. "Now food can be made in 20 minutes! Before, the cooking often took half the day”. Now they enjoy improved hygiene and a better life, but Zhang is probably most enthusiastic about the increased yields in the years to come as a result of the organic fertilizer that comes out as a "bonus product" from the biogas tank after the methane gas has disappeared. He has noticed that the crops already are better than before. Mr Zhang is thankful that he can use the organic fertilizer from the biogas tank on his garlic, onions, cabbages, carrots and oranges.
In a simple way, MingGan Zhang’s and Luo Decui’s (56) biogas tank helps to protect the environment and makes their lives easier and better in terms of finance, time and health. In addition, the biogas digester is also very good for the environment.
How does the biogas tank work? Biogas is formed when animal (or human) dung and other compost are inserted into the digester and become methane gas in the tank under the ground. This gas has no smell or smoke and can be used for cooking and lighting fires. When the mixture has released the gas, it comes out as organic fertilizer of high quality. That means Qingxiu Zhang and Gu Zhengyi not only get gas for cooking and light, but they also receive high quality organic fertilizer that increases their crop yields.
Biogas has clearly made life better for Zhang MingGan (58) and his wife Luo Decui (56). Over the past five years, NMS has made it possible for over 1,000 families in YONGSHUN in Hunan to have biogas on their farms. Now we want to help to provide biogas for several families in YONGSHUN as well as in Madagascar where we seek to transfer the technology. Do you want to make this possible?
Did you know Chinese New Year has just passed? Many farmers in YONGSHUN dream of starting a new year that is better than last year. Would you like to give a New Year's gift that helps to combat poverty, protects the environment and improves women's health? To give an entire tank of biogas for a family in YONGSHUN costs only 100 Pounds. You can give an entire tank (or a half, or a tenth) to one of Zhang MingGan's neighbours. The amount is up to you. If you’re in the UK (or if you have UK bank account), you can support our project here. If can read Norwegian, you can give one-off gift to the project here or support the project regularly here. If you live in another country and would like to support this project, please send us an e-mail and we’ll let you know the best way.