Location
Ban Nasan, Surat Thani, Thailand
Community Description
The community is located in Ban Nasan District, Surat Thani Province in Southern Thailand. The community is made up of 7 villages with a total population exceeding 5,000 people.
The area is rural and the economy is largely agricultural. Specifically, rubber tree farming is the highest income-generating activity. Villagers also grow and harvest palm trees and various fruit and vegetable varieties.
A well-established community group is the Tree and Medicinal Plant Orchard, located in Village 3. The group is run by a committee of 18 members who have overseen the development of the orchard since its establishment 9 years ago.
Comprising over 9 acres of land, the orchard contains many varieties of medicinal plants. These plants have raised interest from universities and other outside observers in Thailand, and the site receives occasional visits from researchers.
The village also contains one of the four schools in the greater community. The students, numbering about 50 children ages 6-11, frequently take class trips to the site to learn about environmental issues, help plant trees, and help pull weeds.
Additionally, throughout the year various community gatherings are held at the orchard.
During certain Thai holidays, monks come to conduct worship, after which people eat and plant trees together. Over 100 people generally attend such events.
Although the site is frequented by many people throughout the year, the facilities are in poor condition. The building is old and run down, and the bathroom not usable.
Project Description
A new bathroom will be built at the Tree and Medicinal Plant Orchard
to provide facilities to host the various events held at the site.
The group decided that a repair and reconstruction of the existing bathroom would not be effective, as the plumbing and drainage problems could not be easily surmounted. They have committed to providing any additional funds needed to complete this endeavor.
The project includes the construction of a new bathroom to include the water supply, new plumbing, proper drainage, and new fixtures.
The work will be done by villagers in the community who have previously done similar bathroom projects.
Future plans are to renovate the surrounding building as well and convert it into an education center about the orchard and its medicinal plants.
Project Impact
This project will benefit the 600 visitors who use the site each year, including the 50 students at the local school.
Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Joel Gerstman
Comments
Fixing the bathroom will be the first step in the process of upgrading the facility to better serve the needs of visitors. The project arose from the community and has the substantial support of the villagers.
Dollar Amount of Project
$500.00
Donations Collected to Date
$500.00
Dollar Amount Needed
$0.00 – This project has now been fully funded through the generosity of The Soneva SLOW LIFE Trust as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative, with the help of friends and family of PCV Joel Gertsman.
We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Joel of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by the PCV and/or other projects in the country of service.
This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.