Project: Building a Rural Road for Villagers in Trà Ôn, Vĩnh Long

At the beginning of June, Y Tam received a letter that read:

“ …Dear Y Tam Volunteer Organization Vietnam,

We, the Residents' Board of Mỹ Thạnh A hamlet, Lục Sĩ Thành commune, Trà Ôn district, Vĩnh Long province, respectfully request the following help from the Y Tam Volunteer Organization Vietnam:

To give our children, who are students, and our residents a convenient (concrete slab) road during the rainy season (more than 200 students from the 03 hamlets of Mỹ Thạnh A, Kinh Đào and Long Hưng, with 874 households and more than 3,100 residents)

Most residents live by farming and growing crops… and still face many hardships in their daily lives, so their ability to contribute money for a concrete road is very limited. It is the wish of our grandparents, aunts and uncles… to have 01 concrete road so the children can get to school easily, so we need a great deal of support from donors and charities everywhere to help build 01 concrete road 400 meters long, 1.2 meters wide and 0.1 m thick (it is currently a dirt road 400 m long and 1.4 m wide, running from the end of one bridge (Mr. Năm Châu's bridge) to the end of the Kinh Đào bridge)

We now respectfully ask the Y Tam Volunteer Organization Vietnam to help with funding and labor so that, together with our grandparents, aunts, uncles and children, we can realize our dream of building the 01 concrete road described above.

With sincere thanks,

On behalf of the Hamlet Residents' Board

Hamlet Head – Phan Văn Mười (certified by the People's Committee of Lục Sĩ Thành commune)”

Having received this heartfelt letter from the people of Mỹ Thạnh A hamlet, Trà Ôn district, Vĩnh Long, on 10/6/2019 Y Tam went to survey the site and learn about the needs of the people there.

I/ SURVEY RESULTS.

After 2 days of on-site inspection and working directly with the residents and local authority representatives, Y Tam had a clear picture of the people's needs. There is currently a dirt road connecting 3 hamlets: Mỹ Thạnh A, Kinh Đào and Long Hưng. The road is 391 m long, with fields on both sides. Besides connecting the residents of the 3 hamlets, it is also the road the children of Kinh Đào and Long Hưng hamlets take to school. In the rainy season it is extremely muddy: motorbikes cannot get through, and children and elderly people have great difficulty getting around.

In addition, at the start of the road there is a small bridge whose sides are now damaged, and its approach is steep and slippery, so people fall there often. It is even more dangerous during this rainy season.

The residents of all 3 hamlets have wished for a concrete road for many years but have never had enough money to build one. So far they have raised 30 million VND among themselves.

Given this situation, Y Tam decided to help the residents realize their dream of a concrete road and to repair the bridge to make it safe, meeting the residents' transport needs, especially those of the children going to school.

Illustrative drawing of the project:

II/ APPROACH.

To make the 3 hamlets' dream of a safe concrete road come true, Y Tam decided to follow the approach of Y TAM AND THE COMMUNITY BUILDING TOGETHER. This means Y Tam will connect sponsors and donors to contribute 70% of the funding for materials such as cement, sand and steel… and will also provide technical support for construction. The residents will contribute the remaining 30% of the cost (lonely elderly people, households in hardship… will not have to contribute) as well as the labor needed until the road is complete.

Y Tam members will come to work alongside the residents on the groundbreaking day and the completion day.

III/ ESTIMATED TIMELINE

It is now the rainy season, and Y Tam is very keen to act urgently so that the residents have a safe road to use and the children can get to school more easily in the coming school year. So Y Tam plans to break ground on 6-7/7/2019, expects to finish within 7 to 10 days, and will hold the inauguration ceremony at the end of July

IV/ ESTIMATED COSTS

The road to be built is 391 m long, 1.2 m wide and 0.1 m thick. Its core will be poured concrete with B40 mesh to increase its durability and lifespan.

Total estimated budget for the 2 items (a concrete road 391 m long, 1.2 m wide and 0.1 m thick, and repairing the bridge): 103,152,000 VND

This budget covers construction materials for the road and the bridge repair, wages for the main skilled workers, and concrete mixer rental. The general labor will be volunteered by the residents and Y Tam members.

Of this, Y Tam will contribute 73,152,000 VND

Residents' contribution: 30,000,000 VND

V/ SUPPORT THE PROGRAM

Y Tam believes that with all of us joining hands, we will soon help the people of the 3 hamlets of Mỹ Thạnh A, Kinh Đào and Long Hưng realize their dream of a concrete road, a dream left unfinished for so many years. That road is not only about getting around; it also means safety, connection and trade between the hamlets.

So Y Tam very much hopes to receive the support of donors near and far.

ALL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ROAD PROGRAM CAN BE SENT TO:

Y Tam Volunteer Organization

Office address: 958/65/24 Lạc Long Quân Street, Ward 8, Tân Bình District, Ho Chi Minh City.
Phone: 098 567 4772 – 0934 197 772

Bank accounts:

1/ DongA Bank: Account number: 0101607577 – Account name: Đào Thị Minh Lệ, Branch: 343 Lê Văn Sỹ, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City

2/ Vietcombank: Account number: 0721000640139 – Account name: Đào Thị Minh Lệ, Kỳ Đồng Branch, Lê Văn Sỹ Transaction Office, Tân Bình District.

3/ Vietinbank: Account number: 107001354465 – Account name: Đào Thị Minh Lệ, Card issuing branch address: 207 Lê Văn Sỹ, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City

4/ Agribank: Account number: 1606 205 971 141 – Account name: Đào Thị Minh Lệ, An Phú Branch.

Note: When making a transfer, please state clearly: Donor's name + Support for the road

Sincerely
Y Tam Volunteer Organization