School: Kang Chiao International School, Hsinchu Campus
    Hsinchu, , Taiwan

3 students, ages 10-12 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on March 2, 2021. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2021

Classes and Teachers: Tsai Pey-Ruu, Li Cheng-Tung

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://www.kcbs.hc.edu.tw/zh/index.html

1. Description of Our Community

Nanpu Village is located in the southwest of Beipu Township, Hsinchu County, Taiwan. It is suitable for growing crops, especially rice, persimmon, citrus, and sweet potato. Golden rice fields, orange round persimmons, oranges, yellow roasted sweet potatoes, and the orange afterglow when the sun sets are those that decorated the four seasons of Nanpu Village with beautiful yellow, so Nanpu Village is called 'Golden Water Town'. However, due to the long-term disrepair and siltation of the water canal, the lack of irrigation water resources made the beautiful Nanpu community unable to cultivate, and the young and middle-aged population moved out of the country and gradually declined. Fortunately, in recent years, a group of young people who love the Nanpu community have cooperated with local associations and villagers and communicated with each other to reach the decision of 'a year of fallow in the whole village', and use this period to work together to repair the water canal and dredge. They uphold the spirit of being friendly to the environment, and use the most natural but also the most laborious construction methods to restore the irrigation function of the ditches, so that clean and pollution-free water will once again flow through every small canal in Nanpu community and every roadside. The traditional washing kiosk reproduces the most simple and beautiful vitality of the originally declining Nanpu community.

2. Summary of Our Project

This project will apply data reading, video viewing, hands-on experience, expert interviews and other activities to gain an in-depth understanding of the humanities and geographic landscape of the Nanpu community, as well as the process of reconstruction and development of the entire Nanpu community to further understand through interviews how the village came together as a whole and continued the sustainable development in the process of restoring the century-old water dam.

3. Our Computer and Internet Access

A. Percentage of students using the Internet at home:none

B. Number of workstations with Internet access in the classroom:none

C. Connection speed used in the classroom:dial-up modem

D. Number of years our classroom has been connected to the Internet:1

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

First of all, we needed to make arrangements for the interviewees. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we could only plan online interviews at the beginning. Yet fortunately, the pandemic situation in Taiwan has gradually improved. After contacting Ms. Zhang Shuqing of the Nanpu Community Development Association, we finalized the time and place for the face-to-face interview, and asked her to coordinate in the middle, to connect us with Mr. Wei Ziqiang and Zhuang Qianda. After the interview, how to collect the information we need within the limited interview time, answer our inner doubts, and at the same time leave a good impression on all interviewees, was another challenge for us.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

Unite as one, coexist with the environment, and pursue continuous progress.

6. How did your activities and research for this CyberFair Project support standards, required coursework and curriculum standards?

1. Language field: visit invitations, interviews, writing special topics, and expressing thoughts. 2. Social field: formulating the research direction of the subject, interviewing the subject figures and data integration. 3. Comprehensive activity areas: Integrate various data such as interviews, Internet and writing, and jointly complete the production of special web pages. 4. Information science: data search, web design.

1) What information tools & technologies did you used to complete your CyberFair project?

The project was completed through the aids of the Internet, video camera, camera, mobile phone, laptop, and computer software.

2) In what ways did you act as "ambassadors" and spokespersons for your CyberFair project both on-line and in person.

In order to have a deeper understanding of the development concept of Nanpu community, we interviewed members of the Development Association (Mr. Wei Ziqiang, Ms. Zhang Shuqing) and the elderly (Mr. Zhuang Qianda) who participated in the restoration of the water canal to clarify the direction of the website. We collected Internet data and interviews to understand the reasons for the construction of the Nanpu Water Canal, and how and why the villagers of the Nanpu community worked towards sustainable development through communication and with consensus.

3) What has been the impact of your project on your community?

1. Interviews with people: From the interviews with local elders, we learn more about the amazing power of community solidarity and cooperation, and how difficult it is to strike a balance between the economy and the environment after the community is rebuilt. 2. Field inspection: After actually visiting the Nanpu community and experiencing the beauty and charm of it, we feel that the local community residents want to work hard to maintain the community environment and try their best to achieve sustainable development. 3. Inheritance of experience: After dialogues and in-depth understanding, we see the wisdom of life accumulated by the experience of the elderly in the community, and the timely and clever use of it is a model for the new generation of young people to learn. 4. Continuous progress: The renovation of the Nanpu community does not stop because of awards. Thoughts on the premise of coexisting with the environment continues. Through the promotion of friendly agriculture and mutual cooperation among residents, it will continue to develop. Reflection, problems, practice, and change are to maintain the positive cycle of continuous progress in the Nanpu community.

4) How did your project involve other members of your community as helpers and volunteers?

1. The leader of community reconstruction—Mr. Wei Ziqiang: With the aura of studying in the United States for a master’s degree, but because of his love for the Nanpu community, he decided to give up the annual salary of one million dollars and lead the residents of Nanpu community to cultivate friendly agriculture and assist in the renovation of the century-old watercourse. Through his interviews and sharing, we understand the course and changes of Nanpu community since its development. 2. Member of the Community Development Association—Ms. Zhang Shuqing: Assisting us in arranging interviews and conducting local tours. I also shared some stories I have heard in the association over the past few years about repairing the water canal, and how the development association has adopted various operation methods to unite the community as a whole. 3. The elderly dredging the canal—Mr. Zhuang Qianda: He shared the consensus reached by the whole community at that time, and decided that the whole village should be put on fallow for one year through the process of restoring the canal with a construction method that does not damage nature. He also shared with us the difficulties, dangers, hard work and pressure during dredging.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

After the in-depth interview and research, we have a better understanding of the reasons why Nanpu Community was selected as the 'Gold Medal Agricultural Village.' Just as Mr. Wei Ziqiang mentioned in the interview that when they won the award, they also asked the organizer why. The reviewer said that we don’t have many large-scale construction projects like other communities. 'You did something by doing nothing.' This is their spirit of rebuilding a sustainable community with the most environmentally friendly belief. This allows us to see their love for their land, that they value and protect the environment, and the fact that there is no you and me but only one community in the village. They have made great effort along the way. What we see is not only their love for the land, but also the saying that Mr. Zhuang Qianda has been talking about: 'For future generations and grandchildren!' Their selfless dedication is connected among the villagers and between the villagers and the land with love.The villagers and the children and grandchildren on this land are also connected. It is really touching!