Village Profile - Ban Bala
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Welcome to our village...
     Ban Bala is the third village encountered along the road into the Mae Tam catchment, and falls within the government zoned Moo 19. Bala is actually comprised of three sections: the Lahu section, the 'old' Akha section (on the North side of Mae Yang Min River), and the 'new' Akha section. It is the largest community in the Mae Tam Watershed and is strategically located at the junction of the Huay Nam Khun and Mae Yang Min Rivers. It's original name reflects its location: "Song Sop (Two streams junction) Bala".

Key needs / Issues
• 1. Poor road access conditions 2. Community activity hall (public) is too small 3. No land rights & not enough land for cultivation 4. Household water quality & shortage in dry season 5. Poverty & debt 6. No community health center, medicine fund, personnel 7. Soil in agricultural sites degraded 8. No education fund 9. Lack of community groups, saving funds or marketing for crops 10. Lack of appropriate waste management systems 11. Lack of Thai citizenship 12. Handicap persons & elderly in community without assistance 13. No school or teachers

Activities
• Micro-Finance and Credit Union Establishment
• Citizenship Assistance and Land Rights Advocacy
• Water Security and Sanitation
• Health, Hygiene and Nutrition Education
• Youth Groups and Life Skills Training
• Child Rights / Protection
• Alternative Income Generation / Product Processing and Value Adding
• Village Development Committees / Catchment Associations
• Educational Scholarships / Trust Funds
• Environmental Protection / Forest Reclamation