JOICFP's expertise in international cooperation and development was further emphasized at an orientation seminar from 28th February to 3rd March for the new "People's Participatory Poverty Reduction Model Project in Daozhen and Leishan Counties, Guizhou Province (November 2005 - March 2009)," held in Leishan.

The seminar was attended by Yukio Homma, Director, China Program, JOICFP, an expert on project management, Yoshitatsu Kanno, Senior Program Officer, JOICFP, an expert on family health activities, and Chihiro Uchiyama, China Program, JOICFP, an expert on income generation, who all delivered information on Japanese experiences in community based development and health care.

Junko Kajima, Chief, Research Division, Japan Association of Parasite Control, also attended as a technical expert in parasite examination.

The seminar was the first event for project personnel to reach a common understanding and detail activities and expected outcomes following the signing of the memorandum of the project by JICA and NPFPC and PFPC (Population and Family Planning Commission), Guizhou Province in October 2005.

Active exchange of ideas during the orientation seminar

The project will be implemented based on the achievements gained from the JICA-supported project in Sandu County, Guizhou Province. In this project, sites have been selected in Daozhen and Leishan Counties, with a target population of 65 thousand.

The project aims to develop a model for poverty reduction through a comprehensive approach encouraging community participation in design and implementation, focusing on three main components:

• Family health activities, such as parasite control and women's health
• Income generating activities, such as chicken and pig-rearing using revolving funds
• Eco-farming activities, such as pig-rearing, vegetable cultivation, construction of biogas toilets, improvement of sanitary facilities, and road repairing.

Field trip

Leishan County

Leishan County is one of the least developed counties in Guizhou Province, which has the lowest GNP among all the provinces in China. The county is located in a mountainous area and has a population of about 150 thousand, mostly comprising minorities such as Miaozu, and Suizu.

In 2005, the annual per capita net income of the farmers in the county only amounted to RMB1600 Yuan (US$199) compared with the national average of RMB 3255 Yuan (US$406).

Through a field trip to Leishan, Japanese experts and Chinese project personnel observed poor sanitary conditions and the need to improve facilities.

FP service station in Leishan County

Daozhen County

Daozhen County is also very underdeveloped with a population of about 337 thousand, again mostly comprising minorities such as Gelaozu, and Miaozu. The annual per capita net income of the farmers in the county amounted to RMB1680 Yuan (US$209) in 2005.

Sanitary conditions are also poor here, with many families' toilet facilities located next to domestic livestock pens.

School children in Daozhen County

Poor farmers in Daozhen County

Future plans

From May 2006, JOICFP will begin to implement activities under the activity plan developed at the orientation seminar.

These include holding parasite examinations for school students as an entry point for project activities, and training courses for technical training for family health services, reproductive health, information, education and communication (IEC), revolving funds, eco-farming, etc.

It is expected that Chinese project personnel and service providers will learn over the next three years through the project how to provide high quality services and health care to support the local farming communities.