<h2>Background</h2>

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Houixang village located in Namor District in Oudomxay province is home to three distinct ethnic groups, Hmong, Khamou and Lao Houi people, each having their own identity, culture, traditions, costumes and languages. The village is located at 18 Km North of Namor and at 3 Km off Road 13. The population of 1,014 (535 women) is divided into 3 communities living at 600 to 800m apart.

The main activity is farming, slash/burn dry field and latex trees. Education: there is one primary school (5 classrooms), 187 students. Public health is administered by one volunteer health worker. There is no health care center in the village. There are no toilets in the village.

The Houixang river runs year long at a distance of 200m from each of the three communities. The river is used from North to South for a variety of purposes which renders it quite polluted. Villagers rely on a water spring located at 5km for drinking water.

[caption id="attachment_557" align="alignleft" width="292" caption="Lao Hue children bringing water from river to their home"]<a href="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/namor-1.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-557" title="Lao Hue children bringing water from river to their home" src="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/namor-1.jpg" alt="Lao Hue children bringing water from river to their home" width="292" height="200" /></a>[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_558" align="alignleft" width="267" caption="Drinking water"]<a href="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/namor-2.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-558" title="Drinking water" src="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/namor-2.jpg" alt="Drinking water" width="267" height="200" /></a>[/caption]
<h2>The Project</h2>
Although the river runs through the village providing ample water for irrigation, washing, etc., drinking water is only accessible at the springs. Capturing and filtering water at Huixang spring, then piping it to a concrete water tank above the village is feasible and sustainable. From the tank, drinking water can easily be made available at three locations in the village. Estimated cost $35,000.00

<a href="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/water-3.gif"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-559" title="The Project" src="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/water-3.gif" alt="The Project" width="501" height="646" /></a>

<a href="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/gps-1.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-560" title="Distance and elevation" src="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/gps-1.jpg" alt="Distance and elevation" width="549" height="358" /></a>

GPS survey conducted in September 2010 showed a distance of 4 Km between the village center (right) and the Huixang water spring (left) and an elevation difference of 325 feet with no obstacle between the 2 points.

<a href="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/gps-2.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-561" title="Alternate view" src="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/gps-2.jpg" alt="Alternate view" width="549" height="358" /></a>

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<a href="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Namor-Water-Project.pdf">Click to download the clean water project for Namor (1.46 MB PDF)</a>

<a href="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Namor-Clean-Water-Project.pdf">Click to download project pictures (1.18 MB PDF)</a>

<a href="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Report-of-Water-Project.pdf">Click to download the completed water project report (2.28 MB PDF)</a>