Thakhek, 29 May 2019
The Theun-Hinboun Power Company (THPC) has donated 50 tonnes of rice seed to help people in Hinboun and Khounkham districts who lost crops to flooding during the 2018 wet season.
Six districts of Khammouane province, including Khounkham and Hinboun, were particularly badly hit by flooding last year, with heavy seasonal rain exacerbated by tropical storms Son-Tinh and Bebinca. Over 1,150 households in Hinboun and 3,400 families in Khounkham suffered damaged rice fields and lost much of their staple crop.
Emergency aid from the government and international partners helped alleviate immediate problems caused by the floods, but farmers were concerned that with rice seed stocks depleted, they would not be able to plant crops for the 2019 season. THPC therefore responded to a request from Khammouane Province, donating 260 million kip to purchase rice seed for the two districts in its project area.
The Deputy General Manager of THPC, Mr Soulideth Baomanikhoth, officially handed over the donation to Mr Detsackda Manykham, Deputy Director of Khammouane Agriculture and Forestry Department. “THPC has a long-standing partnership with the people of Hinboun and Khounkham, and tries to provide help when needed,” said Mr Soulideth. “Such events affect people’s morale as well as their finances, and if we can share some of their burden then they can more quickly gain the strength to work through natural disasters”.
Mr Somchay Phetsynouan, Deputy Governor of Khammouane Province, described THPC as “a strong development partner in all aspects, which provides assistance whenever we have difficulties. After previous natural flooding disasters, they have given generous support through materials, food and transport for villagers and their belongings".
The floods were a nationwide problem in 2018 noted Mr Soulideth, and THPC has previously contributed 300 million kip to disaster relief efforts in Attapeu. “The people of Hinboun and Khounkham are our family”, he added, “so we are bound together in good times and in times of need”.
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