News, March 2008.
Public-private partnership is the key to Sikachi-Alan Nanai minority village development
One of the keystones of the local community economic development in Sikachi-Alan Nanai minority village is considered to be tourism. Unique images carved in stone thousands of years ago called petroglyphs are visited not only by tourists from Khabarovskiy Krai, but also from the rest pf the world. However, approaching to this place of interest is problematic. In spring and fall tourists can use boats. In summer and winter they can reach petroglyphs using the road. However it is almost destroyed by erosion and only large vehicles can pass it. Local active citizens applied for assistance from Community Development Support Program funded by USAID and Administered by the Fund for Sustainable development to bring the road to the acceptable standards and got actively involved into this project.
One could think that it is easy to repair 400 meters of rural road. However that requires this required organizing new drainage system and many tons of gravel. 20 citizens volunteered for 4 days repairing it. Local citizens and businesses covered costs to bring five trucks with gravel. It was also supported by two local businesses: “Mayak” Ltd that allowed using its machinery for free and “Karier-service” Ltd that send 112,5 cubic meters of gravel at its own expense. In total local monetary contribution to the $20000 CDSP grant was equal to about $6000.
Impressed by this local civic initiative Khabarovskiy raion municipal administration joined this partnership alliance and allocated funds for laying asphalt on the repaired road what was not planned in the project. Mrs. Nina Druzhinina, the Head of Sikachi-Alan administration has many other plans on tourist infrastructure development to make it attractive for visitors. This will help the Nanai minority community leaders to increase life quality of the local people and fully use talents and skills of Nanai in making traditional handicrafts items.
