Briefing on Progress at Ban Xai
Peder Pedersen from The Charitable Fund suggested that we start now in briefing the Villagers on what we are doing at the Model Farm at Ban Xai. On Thursday 8th November Michael and Yang briefed a group of Local Villagers, Foreign Affairs and Phoukood District Officials.
They were told about the building itself, the challenges with water, toilets & ablutions, the very poor soil in the area for a market garden and how we intend to build up this soil, the cow-shed to collect their dung, the construction of the bio-digester and how the dung will be used here to provide methane gas and fertiliser to put on the garden. In addition they were briefed about the intention to have pigs, chickens and fish ponds.
When you look at the attached photos you might wonder why Peter Moroney is shown sitting on his bed. Peter is our bio-digester expert and has arrived in Ban Xai where he will be for one month to commission the bio-digester and produce the first methane gas. Doesn’t his bed look comfortable! Incidentally, Peter arranged for his Lions Club to pay for the purchase of the concrete mixer for MiVAC.
Yang used the model bio-sand-filter to explain the technicalities of purifying water. He then briefed them on the construction of the bio-sand-filter which was taught to them by Anthony Higgs. The group was shown the bio-sand-filter within the MiVAC building and water was put through which Sandy then drank in front of them.
MiVAC hopes to get the proper water testing equipment, including incubators which is necessary to test for E-Coli and Choliform. As to the water, Anthony Higgs – who has taught thousands of people to install bio-sand-filters – has assured us that the bio-sand-filter is 100% reliable. Sandy remained quite well and was not affected in any way from drinking the water.
