Any visitors to Phonsovan will see the MiVAC sign in the main street opposite the Nice Hotel.  The sign invites people to make inquiries within where they will be met by a relation of Yang’s (our Lao Manager) who runs a tourist company for Yang. Visitors will be told about MiVAC and then they can choose to visit our site at Ban Xai – paying for the hire of the vehicle of course.

For the Bio-digester to operate MiVAC needs fresh dung. The first step was to build a cattle shed, with a concrete floor, where cattle are housed overnight. The second step is to get some cattle. Negotiations are currently going on for Kam King to house his cattle there. He however also has a need for dried dung for the rice fields. What we are hopeful of is to buy dried dung for Kam King and use the fresh dung for the bio-digester.

Yang was in charge of negotiations and supervision of the building of the cow shed. You may be interested in the cost of this very substantial cattle shed.

The total costs were:
1. Building Contractor 4,500,000 Kip
2. 15 Kilo Nails 200,000 Kip
3. 16 Timber Posts each 79,000 1,264,000 Kip
4. 4 m3 @750,000/m3 3,000,000 Kip
5. Delivery of timber 1,100,000 Kip
6. Roofing – 70 more @ 32,000 = 2,240,000 Kip
7. Delivery of roofing 360,000 Kip
8. Cement 35 bags @ 37,000 = 1,299,000 Kip
9. TOTAL 13,960,000 Kip

In the photo you will notice a building that looks like an out-house – that’s because it was a “long drop” toilet. It is now used as a rubbish tip. Attached to this small out-house, just on the other side is a secure small generator hut. Notice the Electricity pilon in the distance – electricity is everywhere (going to Vietnam) however most locals cannot afford to connect it. The cattle shed is beyond the out-house.

The Ban Xai Team