Community Development Work in Tibet and Himalayas

This is a recent section of THDL in which we aim to provide a profile of development initiatives aimed at benefiting communities in Tibet and the Himalayas, as well as disseminate associated information.

Project Reports

Canada Fund Solar Cooker Project

Details

Villagers unload a solar cooker in the presence of village leaders.
Villagers unload a solar cooker in the presence of village leaders.

1,787 solar cookers were provided to a total of 1,787 Tibetan and Monguor households in villages and monasteries. Approximately 10,000 individuals benefited: 41 Tibetan villages (1,427 households); 7 Monguor villages (188 households); 4 Tibetan Buddhist monasteries (160 monks); and 2 Tibetan schools (around 250 students and 27 teachers) in Qinghai, Sichuan, and Gansu Provinces, and the Tibet Autonomous Region. The project was implemented by 1 Monguor and 39 Tibetan students in the English Training Program, Nationalities Department, Qinghai Normal University, Xining City; Dr. Limusishiden in Huzhu Mongghul (Tu) Autonomous County, Qinghai Province; Mr. Zhu Yongzhong, Director, Sanchuan Development Association, in Minhe Hui and Mangghuer (Tu) Autonomous County; and Snowland Service Group, in Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. The Canada Fund provided 280,814.43 RMB. The local contribution was 35,295 RMB. Benefits from solar cookers include less organic material (which is a natural fertilizer) collected from the environment and burned as fuel; reduction in soil erosion, because bushes and other organic material will remain in place and not be collected and burned; less air pollution from burning organic material; more girls will attend school because their duties as fuel collectors will be reduced; health benefits to women and girls that include less exposure to smoky kitchens, reduced labor demand for fuel collection, and less contact with dung; and introduction of appropriate environmentally-friendly technology to remote rural areas.

Royal Netherlands Embassy (Beijing) Stone School Buildings Project

Details

Students in front of newly built teachers' quarters at the Beizangmo School.
Students in front of newly built teachers' quarters at the Beizangmo School.

The Royal Netherlands Embassy in Beijing provided 563,290.79 RMB out of a total budget of 803,036.79 RMB to assist two Tibetan schools. In Gangca Township, funds allowed for 6 classrooms, 1 reading room, 2 teachers' offices, 1 video teaching room, 8 student dormitory rooms, teaching materials, training stone builders, 40 metal double beds and school gate, and 85 spoons for students. At the Beizangmo Village Tibetan Primary School, Wendu Tibetan Township funds allowed for the construction of 6 teachers' quarters, 2 teachers' offices, and a school gate and the purchase of 20 desks and chairs. The buildings were built by local Tibetan stone builders using local labor. The public school buildings are some of the first in Amdo to be built of local stone by local Tibetan builders.

Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany (Beijing) Bridge Project

Details

Mongghul easily cross a new bridge provided through support from the German Embassy.
Mongghul villagers cross the new bridge.

Local Mongghul in Shdara (Chi: Dala) Mongghul (Chi: Tu) Township, Ledu County, Haidong Region, Qinghai Province, PRC built a bridge with 78,00 RMB of support from the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Beijing. Careful monitoring, supervision, and organization, in addition to the villagersb significant and active participation in providing labor, sand, and stones needed for construction and the local governmentbs financial support translated into a project with good cooperation from all sides and success. Many residents of neighboring villages came, of their own volition, to the project sites and contributed unpaid labor work, wheat, and tools. Mongghul residents invited their relatives and friends from far away to work on this project to finish the project in a timely manner and to supply high-quality sand and stones. Personal sacrifice to benefit the local community was evident in many villagers carrying rocks and sand on their backs to the bridge and dam site. Some stones were hauled from 10 kilometers away and subsequently pounded into gravel-size pieces with hammers in order to provide the project with gravel. Several local men and women residents over seventy years of age joined the work, demonstrating the importance everyone attached to the project. In total, the local labor contribution may be valued at 45,730 RMB. Local villagers' participation in projects from inception to completion characterizes projects we have done over the years. This approach provides constant reminder to the villagers of who funded the project and who provided the labor. We also encourage villagers, in response to significant outside donor support, to contribute something to their own home community, e.g., build or repair a road leading to their home community, build or repair a village school enclosing wall, etc. The high quality bridge and dam that now stand as a testament to the German Embassybs contribution have made a remarkable difference in the lives of local Mongghul villagers. This is a sterling example of Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany funds assisting local people to help themselves improve their lives.

British Embassy (Beijing) Water Project

Details

Khaso Villagers at One of the Water Taps.
Khaso villagers at one of the water taps.

Prior to project completion, the 48 Tibetan households (288 residents) in Khaso Village relied on water from a single 5 meter-deep well 3.1 km east of the village. Well and pipe were 30 years old. Even though the well has never yet been dry and the water is exceptionally clean and clear, this water often did not reach the village because the single pipe that came from the well was buried just below the earth surface. In summer, rain uncovered the pipe and it froze in winter. Also, air entered the pipe and then water did not flow through the pipe. Finally, concrete inside the well chipped off and sometimes small pieces of concrete clogged the pipe. Villagers tried to solve these problems by heating the pipe when it was frozen and covering the pipe with earth when it was exposed. A great deal of time was spent on, for example, heating the pipe in winter when it was frozen.

In winter, water is more important than grass. Weak livestock were unable to walk to the spring to drink. Before this project was completed, livestock then easily become progressively weaker and died. In 1999 there was a drought that was so serious that, on average, 60-70 head of livestock (half yaks, half sheep) died per household. On average, each yak can be sold for 700 RMB and each sheep can be sold for 250-300 RMB; thus each household experienced a loss of 29,100-33,950 RMB.

To fetch water is women and girls' work. This explains why, before the project was completed, most children who went to school are boys b girls were kept at home to work and fetch water. Women and girls had to fetch water five times a day. One roundtrip required about one hour. Each family waters about 50 weak livestock in their yards. Women carried the water in plastic buckets holding about 25 kg on their back. Villagers feel this caused genuine injury to their backs. Furthermore, to reach the well entailed a walk along a narrow mountain path upon which rocks occasionally tumble. This made fetching water a dangerous undertaking.

The completion of this project solved these problems. Now, there is a tap in the north of the village and a second tap in the southeast of the village making obtaining water a simple and convenient task.

Global Routes Tibetan Village School Library Project

Details

Books in the Awuju Tibetan Primary School library.
Books in the Awuju primary school library.

Global Routes provided 4,920 RMB that allowed the creation of a library at the Awuju Tibetan Primary School in Awuju Tibetan Village, Jinyuan Tibetan Autonomous Tibetan Township, Hualong Hui Autonomous County, Haidong Region, Qinghai Province. The project was completely finished August 27, 2004. Of the 4,920 RMB, 4,350.10 RMB bought English, Tibetan, and Chinese books. 200 RMB paid a carpenter to make bookcases. The remainder of the money was spent on transportation fees, library stamp (chop), copies, and film. Each villager from Awuju Village contributed 20-30 RMB, for a total local contribution of 800.00 RMB; this was spent on wood and other materials for the bookcases. 422 English, Tibetan, and Chinese books about science, mathematics, history, and geography were purchased. Tibetan, Chinese, and English dictionaries were also purchased.

Gray Tuttle Supported Mill Project Project

Details

Khajiarima Tibetan villagers have a new mill.
Khajiarima Tibetan villagers have a new mill.

Prior to the Gray Tuttle-supported grain mill, residents of Khajiarima Village, Maba Township, Tongren County, Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, China obtained flour for bread and noodles, the staple foods, by transporting their grain to distant locations for milling. This was a great hardship on these mountain people, requiring much of their time; it was physically exhausting; and it was very expensive for them. The grain was packed in bags on the village donkeys and mules and transported to a mill whose owner makes a living from the mill. This trip required one day. The mill owner charged a high price (5 RMB per 100 kg of grain ground) and also took 5 kg of the resulting grind as an added charge. Sometimes villagers had to wait for several days at the mill because many other people were also waiting to mill their grain. A second mill is in Gulang Township, Jianzha County. It is also a busy mill and, in the past, villagers had to sleep in the open with their donkeys and mules until it was their turn to have their grain milled. When it snowed and the steep rocky track was covered with ice, the track to and from the village was impassable; families had to borrow flour from others, for they could not reach the mills. According to local custom, Tibetan women were responsible for the grain grinding and might have been away from home for several days.

The problems related to not having a mill and noodle-making machine for the villagers may be summarized below:

The project provided a new mill and noodle-making machine to the village. All the problems above have been solved.

Royal Netherlands Embassy (Beijing) Solar Electricity Generating Panel Project

Details

Zhaxijiangcuo's family receives a solar panel.
Zhaxijiangcuo's family receives a solar panel.

Two remote Tibetan nomad communities in Sichuan received a total of 146 solar electricity generating panels with funds provided by the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Beijing. Gongbucaireng (Carter), a student in the English Training Program of Qinghai Normal University and originally from the local area, supervised the project. Before this RNE-sponsored project, it was difficult and inconvenient for women and girls to cook meals and do housework in the dark. When Carter monitored the project, he talked to fifty year old Yabu, who said, "Now we do not need to bring the livestock bank to our tents as early as before. Now our yaks and sheep have more time to eat grass. Before we went to bed around 7 p.m. but now we have longer more pleasant meals and go to bed at 10 p.m." Yabu's fourteen year old nephew chimed in, "Now Mother can knit plenty of gloves and socks for me so that when I herd yaks in winter, my hands and feet will be warm." In another home, forty-two year old Tserangzhoma confided, "We never had any electric lights before and we had other problems, but due to our remote location, nobody concerns our problems. This project means solutions to some of my problems. Now I can do a lot of work at night that I don't have time to do during the daytime. I can also cook supper and breakfast more easily and conveniently. I want to say thanks to the Royal Netherlands Embassy for supporting this project." At another home, Korga, a twenty-three year old monk, reported, "Now I can read scriptures and write at night. I really like listening to the radio. Before, I didn't have money to buy batteries and I had little chance to listen to the radio but now, I can listen to the radio whenever I want. I want to say thanks to the Royal Netherlands Embassy for making this possible." On August 7, 2004, Carter was at Dorji's home in Tseri Village. He received a solar panel from The Bridge Fund in 2002. Dorji said, "From seeing this project implemented and your (Carter's) talk with the villagers, we understood how important it is to educate our children." Before the project was implemented, Tseri Village had no students but presently, six children are attending school.

German Embassy (Beijing) Tibetan Village Irrigation Project

Details

Irrigating a previously unirrigated field.
Irrigating a previously unirrigated field.

The German Embassy in Beijing provided 47,000 RMB for materials that, plus labor by local villagers that may be valued at 60,000 RMB, allowed for the construction of a concrete-stone irrigation ditch that replaced the old ditch that was dug in the soil and frequently broken by water flow and by the diggings of pikas. This required people to spend much time in repairing the ditch. The water eroded the gullies it flowed down when the ditch was broken and fields were damaged when struck by the water from the broken ditch. Four villages took turns to irrigate their respective fields and each village had a specific amount of time to irrigate its fields. If the ditch broke, then it was possible for that village to have inadequate time to irrigate its fields, resulting in lesser crop yields. These problems have been solved by the project: people spend less time irrigating (repairing broken ditches); damage to fields from water rushing out of broken ditches has been eliminated; and erosion of soil from breaks in the ditch has been eliminated. Additionally, villagers will realize larger crop yields and consequently, families will have more disposable income

David Mahon Tibetan Solar Cooker Project

Details

Ms. Jiayangtso's new solar cooker.
Ms. Jiayangtso's new solar cooker.

Mr. David Mahon, a New Zealander who has lived in China since 1984, provided a grant of 2,200 RMB that, with the villagers' contribution of 2,255.90 RMB, allowed for the purchase of 30 solar cookers that benefited 150 Tibetan villagers in 30 households. The project has had a very positive impact on the villagers by reducing the time women and girls spend in fuel collection. Significantly, the amount of money villagers will spend on coal has also decreased.

Eric Miller & Where There Be Dragons! Solar Cooker Project

Details

Ms. Wendi Tsu and her solar cooker.
Ms. Wendi Tsu and her solar cooker.

Mr Eric Miller and Where There Be Dragons contributed 6,529.57 rmb (1 US$ = 8.26 rmb) which allowed for the purchase of 38 solar cookers for 38 households in Honri Tibetan Village, Huangnan Prefecture, Qinghai Province, PRC. Two hundred local Tibetans benefited. In summer, every other day, one girl or woman per household spends on average 3-4 days per week collecting dung. This is an all day activity. To reach this grassland requires four hours on foot. Dung is collected and piled up and women return home. This effort in total requires at least ten hours. The following day, the woman or girl returns to the grassland, puts the dung in bags, loads them on donkeys, and returns home. In winter, the demand for fuel increases so daily trips to the grassland are required. The girls' and women's hands are red and very painful in winter from handling the dung. In spring and autumn, on average, one girl or woman per household spends six hours everyday collecting firewood. This is done by walking two hours to a forest, spending around two hours using a sickle attached to the end of a long pole to cut tree branches, loading the branches on donkeys, and then spending another two hours to return home. Because of the amount of labor required to collect dung and wood, some families do not send one or more of their daughters to school. Rather, they keep them at home to collect dung and wood. The 38 solar cookers purchased with Mr. Miller and Where There Be Dragons' donation has significantly improved these conditions in Honri Tibetan Village. Specifically:

Poverty Alleviation and Environmental Protection: Ten Solar Cookers for a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery

Details

Yama TashiKhyil Monastery monks with solar cooker.
Yama Tashikhyil Monastery monks with solar cooker.

In this mountainous area of the former Tibetan region of Amdo, the Tibetan people struggle to gather dung and wood for fuel for heating and cooking. The monks in remote monasteries find it increasingly difficult to gather wood from the forests due to government regulations. Furthermore, according to Buddhist tradition, monks are not allowed to carry back-pack baskets full of yak dung. The monks have to rely on their families to help them collect and carry wood to the monastery.

The use of solar cookers as a partial substitute for firewood has helped reduce this burden on both the monks and their families. The use of solar cookers has significantly reduced the use of firewood in the local area.

Yama Tashikhyil Monastery was originally the meditation hermitage of Zhapkar Tsokdruk Rangdrol, the well known Tibetan yogin in the Nyimpapa tradition. His meditation cave is still used for retreat and solitary meditation practice. The 23 monks in this beautiful and remote monastery live simply and maintain their Buddhist practice with dedication and integrity.

Canada Fund Potable Water, Solar Electricity Generating Panels, & Solar Cookers

Details

Village women with home water tap in Losang Yaka.
Village women with home water tap in Losang Yaka.

The Canada Fund provided 115,866.20 rmb for the 26 households in this village for a project that provided each household with running water, a solar cooker, and a solar electricity generating panel. Prior to project completion, women and girls in each household spent one to two hours on each single roundtrip for water that brought the household two buckets of water. Two to three trips were made daily and this, in total, required three to six hours daily, depending on the amount of water in the water source and the length of the queue. In winter, the water supply was markedly reduced in the water source and the time required for a single trip increased to two to three hours. This situation has now changed with tap water in every home. In spring, every village household repairs the adobe roof of their home. This was commonly done in turn prior to project implementation, and other village households contributed to buckets of water the endeavor, which was considered the best sort of contribution, given the difficulty of obtaining water. During harvest time, women had no choice but to get up well before dawn to begin the daily trek for water, or else do so after dusk because they were busy during daylight hours working in the fields. This has now changed with tap water in every household. Women and girls no longer need to worry about providing water for their homes. Furthermore, each household now has cultivated an approximately half-mu vegetable plot that has much improved the diet of the villagers and some villagers have planted and watered poplar trees. Women and girls, particularly, report that they are able to wash more frequently--not only themselves but also clothing, thanks to the increased and easy access of water.

Before having solar cookers, straw, grass gathered from neighboring mountains, and dung were main fuel sources. Commonly, while women and girls were herding livestock, they did so with a basket strapped to their backs and, during the course of herding, they collected whatever fresh dung was produced by their livestock. This was unpleasant work and the fresh dung made the baskets very heavy. Thanks to the solar cookers, women and girls no longer collect dung from livestock while herding. In the pre-solar cooker days, women and girls, after the annual harvest (October) and until the onset of the Tibetan New Year, went out in the morning with a donkey and a bag and headed for the mountains. After a day spent collecting dung and putting in the bag, they returned at dusk leading a donkey carrying the bag of dung. In sum, villagers estimate they spend two months less of total time collecting fuel than they did before they had solar cookers.

Before having solar electricity generating panels, families usually went to bed after supper not longer after dusk because there was little to do and the families wished to not burn lamp oil and candles in order to reduce household expenses. Now, with Canada Fund provided solar electricity generating panels, there are more activities families can engage in. For example, several village families have small black and white television sets powered by the panels and in every household with pupils, the children can easily read and do their homework. Certain village families report that they are "happier" than before because now they often stay up later at night spending time talking to one another in the light of the solar powered lights than in the past, when they retired after eating supper. Now, with solar powered electricity, village household save 4-50 rmb annually that was spent before the project on candles, oil, and matches. Additionally, it was challenging for women and girls to cook in the dim light of candles and oil-burning lamps before having solar powered lights. Consequently, women and girls did their best to prepare and cook before night's darkness came to the village. Now, with solar powered lights provided by the Canada Fund, women and girls can cook at the time that is convenient for them. In total, the village contributed 6,626 days of labor, i.e., the equivalent of one person working 6,626 days or 6,626 people working one day.

Agape Class, Bet McMahan, Barbara Winn, Janice and Ed Swab, Jim and Marcia Pleasants, Lila Bendall Class, Tommie and Ann Little Solar Cooker Project

Details

Karmogya using her solar cooker.
Kharmogyel using her solar cooker.

The Agape Class, Bet McMahan, Barbara Winn, Janice and Ed Swab, Jim and Marcia Pleasants, Lila Bendall Class, and Tommie and Ann Little provided 2,880 rmb that allowed for the purchase of 18 solar cookers for the eighteen poorest households in Nyamo Village. In addition, two solar cookers were given to nearby Danma Tibetan Primary School. The school has eight teachers and 120 students. The solar cookers help the school because students can drink hot water for lunch along with bread that they bring from home. This is better than students going to a nearby polluted river and drinking this water--unboiled--with their bread. Villagers that received the solar cookers will spend much less time collecting fuel--wood, bushes, and straw. The environment will benefit and so will many girls and women because it is the traditional task of girls and women to collect fuel.

The Bridge Fund Xunhua Tibetan Middle School Computer Project

Details

The computer lab at Xunhua Tibetan Middle School.
The computer lab at Xunhua Tibetan Middle School.

The Bridge Fund contributed 221,000 rmb and the Xunhua Tibetan Middle School contributed 15,000 rmb that allowed for the purchase of 41 computers that currently benefits 638 Tibetan students and 77 staff members. This key Tibetan middle school has students from Qinghai (Xunhua Salar Autonomous County, Haidong Region; Henan Mongolian Autonomous County, Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture; Tianzhun Tibetan Autonomous County, Haixi Mongolian and Tibetan Autonomous County; Tongde County, Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture; and Qilian County, Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture) and Gansu (Xiahe, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture). Each of the schoolbs students and 55 teachers are scheduled to use the computers two hours weekly. Since implementation, students have learned how to open the computer, shut it down, type, and use Tibetan, Chinese, and English language programs. In addition, English instructors are using the "Reader Rabbit"? English instructional program and PowerPoint to teach English. The scanner and Photoshop are being used to scan photographs in order to compile a photographic history of the school and the CD creator program, in conjunction with the schoolbs digital video camera (part of the schoolbs contribution), is being used to record school life. All examinations in Tibetan, Chinese, English, mathematics and so on are now composed on the computers. The computer room is being managed by Mr. Wandijia who has a BA degree in physics from Qinghai Normal University and who has had extensive experience in operating computers while working at Qinghai Normal University on a computer project. This computer project has had a very positive impact on the studentsb educational experience and we sincerely thank The Bridge Fund for funding it.

Second-Hand Clothes Distribution

Details

Tibetan children from poor families receiving clothing in Tongren County.
Tibetan children from poor families receiving clothing in Tongren County.

3,603 clothing items (including childrenbs toys) were distributed in sixty-seven farming and nomad communities in Tibetan areas of China. A total of 1,405 (687 women and girls; 718 men and boys) Tibetans benefited. Sixty-seven Tibetan students (33 young women; 34 young men) implemented this project. They paid to transport the boxes of clothing from Xining City to their home areas. Not only did the students, who were required to write an application and a final report on the project, gain experience in doing micro-projects, they also provided much-needed clothing to very impoverished communities.

Solar Lighting and Libraries for Tibetan Communities

Details

Local Tibetans in Larima town receiving solar panels.
Local Tibetans in Larima town receiving solar panels.

The German Embassy in Beijing provided 71,780 RMB that, combined with a local contribution of 9,500 RMB, provided solar lighting to 95 impoverished and marginalized Rashi nomadic households. This project was carried out in the Tibetan pastoral region in the remote district of Larima Nomad Township. In addition to the solar lighting portion of the project, five small libraries were established at local schools benefiting 1,000 students.

Yak Loan for Impoverished Old People in Golok

Details

Recipients of the yak loan project in Golok.
Recipients of the yak loan project in Golok.

The German Embassy provided 68,040 RMB to purchase 60 milk yaks for very impoverished old people in the Skymdb Area. Following well-established local rules, the yaks will be loaned to "keepers"? who will, in turn, provide the owners (the elderly people) 7.5 kg of butter and 5 kg of cheese per year for each milk yak. For example, if an owner entrusts three yaks to a keeper, the owner will receive 27.5 kg butter and 15 kg of cheese in a year. Furthermore, the keeper keeps the yak calves produced by the loaned female yaks, but they must always retain the original number of yaks. For example, if one of the original milk yaks dies, the keeper family must replace it with a new milk yak. The benefits of this project will increase every year as the number of calves produced by the original milk yaks increases. Each yak can produce one calf every two years. After four years, this project will effectively increase the herd sizes of twenty families by ten percent (60 yaks in an average family + 6 yaks produced in 4 years). The keeper families are poor, and increased herd size will alleviate the problems associated with poverty in this area such as lack of food, clothing and medicine. Faced with extreme poverty, many nomadic families move into county towns to survive. By increasing the herd size of the poorest families in Suorima Township, not only will this project improve the lives of its participants, but it will also help preserve a traditional Tibetan way of life. The sustainability of this project is also worth noting. The original 60 milk yaks will continue producing income for their beneficiaries for many years.

Waga Gongma Village Running Water Project

Details

Ms. Rinzin DrC6lma (Rig b�dzin sgrol ma, b. 1983) is very pleased with the running water project.
Ms. Rinzin DrC6lma (Rig bdzin sgrol ma, b. 1983) is very pleased with the running water project.

The Royal Netherlands Embassy provided 86,170 RMB that piped water from a clean spring to 40 Tibetan households (270 villagers). Before the project, Villagers fetched water from a stream 200-700 meters away from the village, spending much time and energy. Since November 20, 2005, every village home has had a tap in their courtyard and a bountiful and clean supply of water. Villagers enthusiastically participated in the project. The villagers contributed labor, sand, stones, 7,420 RMB in cash and enthusiastically transported sand and stones by tractors and carried sand and stones on their backs to the water box sites. They also dug ditches for the plastic pipes and poured concrete. In total, the local labor contribution may be valued at 65,100 RMB. This project is a wonderful testament to the Royal Netherlands Embassybs good will and has made a powerful positive difference in the lives of local Waga Gongma villagers.

Danma Tibetan School Dormitory and Cafeteria

Details

The new dormitory.
The new dormitory.

This school project for remote Daowei Tibetan Autonomous Township, Xunhua Salar Autonomous County, Haidong Region, Qinghai Province was awarded a Canada Fund grant of 230,000 RMB (excluding interest) to increase access to basic education and provide more comfortable accommodation for Tibetan children. There was a local contribution of 47,920.74 RMB. The project removed the need for many children to trek to and from home daily by building ten dormitory rooms and a student cafeteria. In addition, nine young unemployed Tibetan villagers were trained in construction techniques by involving them in the construction work and now they have obtained basic building skills. The cafeteria consists of a dining hall and kitchen and thus the studentsTongde > Amdo > will have hot meals in sanitary conditions that will result in less disease spreading among the students than was previously the case when students drank cold water from the river near the school that they ate with bread brought from their homes. Readers costing 8,000 RMB (1,147 items) were purchased, based on the students' interest. Xunhua Education Bureau provided 15,000 RMB for additional construction expenses and bought 40 students' beds. Now that students are accommodated in the school, students spend more time on study because they no longer have to trek to and from home daily. The number of girl students will increase from 39 to 57 by March 2006. About 45 girls will board in the school from March 2006. This means that more girls will have the opportunity to gain an education now and in the future. They will thus have many more opportunities available to them as a result of receiving an education. Also, these educated women and girls can be positive models that encourage other village women and girls to enter school and get an education. The buildings were built by a local Tibetan construction group with kiln bricks but in a Tibetan style, and local villagers are very enthusiastic about it.

Jiangza Tibetan Village and Detsa Monastery Running Water Project

Details

Ms. Lhamo (b.1949) now has running water in her courtyard.
Ms. Lhamo (b. 1949) now has running water in her courtyard.

Mr. Brownbs contribution of 84,000 RMB and a local contribution of 95,389 RMB has provided running water to 298 impoverished Tibetan villagers and 25 monks. Clean spring water was piped to the village and 25 monk quarters. Since November 15, 2005, every village home and monk quarter has had a tap in their courtyard and a bountiful and clean supply of water, liberating residents from spending a good deal of their lifetime hauling water from the river. The big burden of fetching water for girls and women has been eliminated. They now have more free time that they can use in more productive ways. Because fetching water was very difficult work for this village, one adult from each family had to stay at home to fetch water. But now that the village has a water tap in every home yard, this is no longer the case. Consequently, this means that at least 500 RMB has been added to each householdbs annual income because of the added time a family member can earn cash income outside the home. Also, villagers have plenty of water to wash, clothes are washed more frequently, personal hygiene has improved, and villagers are healthier. Before the running water project villagers could not grow vegetables near their home. Villagers spent, on average, 200 RMB per year. With running water, they can grow vegetables and save this 200 RMB.

Saji Shrine Improvement Project

Details

Saji Shrine after project completion.
Saji Shrine after project completion.

The Bridge Fund provided 89,372 RMB that allowed for the completion of Xiajon Shrine located in Saji Village, which has 196 families (2,118 residents). Although the shrine had been built, it had not been painted. TBF funds paid for painting and decorating the shrine, which is home to the mountain deity, Ani Xiajon (Grandfather Xiajon), who has the highest rank of all the mountain deities in Rebgong. The importance of the shrine is emphasized by the local Laru Ritual, which is held in summer in approximately 30 villages in the area of Longwu Town. During this ritual, the gods are appeased in the hope of ensuring safety to the villagers and their livestock and in the hope of having bumper harvests. This ritual features many archaic practices, such as body piercing; dances that are seen nowhere else in Tibetan areas; and performers b both male and female b wearing colorful clothing and hats. This ritual increasingly attracts both Chinese and foreign tourists and professional photographers. Saji Village holds the first Laru performance. Because this Laru is the first and because Saji Village is very near the center of Longwu Town, it attracts many tourists. Consequently, the shrine has been viewed and appreciated by literally thousands of visitors. Every year for the Tibetan New Year, a television program is shown by Qinghai Television Station that is set in each prefecture in turn. In 2002, Qinghai Television Station chose the Saji Village Shrine to film the New Year TV program. In the beginning of July they filmed the program in the courtyard of the village shrine. Several months later, VCDs of this program were commercially available throughout Tibetan areas. The Bridge Fund's contribution to the Saji Village Xiajon Shrine encouraged the appreciation of local traditions, further inculcated a sense of pride in centers of local culture, encouraged the improvement of countless other village shrines, and sends a message that being Tibetan is an attractive alternative to the numbing ordinariness of modernity.

Water Cisterns for a Tibetan Village

Details

Villagers at a village household water cistern supported by the Canada Fund.
Villagers at a village household water cistern supported by the Canada Fund.

Donglaka Tibetan Village is located on Donglaka Mountain at an altitude exceeding 3,000 meters above sea level. The communication in this area is inconvenient; the means of transportation mainly depends on livestock and human-pulled carts. Because of aridity and local climatic conditions explained by local geographical conditions, the water source is limited for humans and livestock. Before the project was completed, the nearest water source was 3 km away and the volume at the source was around one bucket per hour. The potable water supply is increasingly declining. After discussion with villagers and the village committee, 48 households built an underground water cistern filled by channeling rainwater into the cistern, to solve the difficult condition of potable water supply. 171, 942 RMB (Canada Fund = 66,390 RMB in cash; local contribution = 105,552 RMB) allowed for cistern construction of 48 water cisterns--directly benefiting 280 people. Each concrete rainwater storage cistern was 2.8 meters in diameter and 5 meters deep with a capacity of 30 m3. Since the first rain on the 12th day of the 4th lunar month (2001), it has no longer been necessary to drive livestock far from the village to water them. This means that both people and livestock are saved 2 hours daily. Particularly women comment that their lives are much easier now.

Brag mar Tibetan Primary School

Details

School children in a new classroom.
School children in a new classroom.

178,761.23 RMB (141,131.23 RMB (Comité Catholique contre la Faim et pour le Développement (CCFD)) + 16,000 RMB (government) + 21,180 RMB (villagers) + 450 RMB (Kevin Stuart) allowed for the construction of a school with four classrooms, four teachers' quarters, a storeroom, a toilet, and a Tibetan style gate. Enrollment increased from 17 to 45 after school completion and is expected to grow further. Because the new school has an adequate number of classrooms and sports equipment, children are eager to attend the school and parents feel that school is a good place to send children.

Coats for Tibetan Elders

Details

Nine of the fifteen elders who received coats.
Nine of the fifteen elders who received coats.

A donation of 825 RMB purchased 15 coats for 15 impoverished village elders in years of age from Awuju Tibetan Village, Jinyuan Tibetan Township, Hualong Hui Autonomous County, Haidong Region, Qinghai Province.

Solar Cookers for Five Tibetan Villages

Details

Ms. Dorji's (b. 1935) new solar cooker boils water in 16-17 minutes in January.
Ms. Dorji's (b. 1935) new solar cooker boils water in 16-17 minutes in January.

The Lillian Kirby Tuttle Fund provided 7,600 RMB that bought 80 solar Cookers for 80 impoverished Tibetan Households from Zhurmer Nang Village, and Jiangza, Zhengga, Mine Yaga, and Mine Maga villages. Local villagers contributed 4,000 RMB (total project value = 11,600 RMB). Prior to project implementation, village women and girls walked 1-1.5 km twice a day to collect donkey and mule dung from a mountain and cut branches off trees growing along a river's banks. In winter, they spent 5 hours a day collecting fuel. Now that they have solar cookers, villagers collect fuel once every 2-3 days.

Solar Cookers for Mine Yaga Tibetan Village

Details

Ms. Dorji's (b. 1936) new solar cooker can boil water in about 20 minutes in March.
Ms. Dorji's (b. 1936) new solar cooker can boil water in about 20 minutes in March.

Solomon Rino provided 1,500 RMB that bought 16 solar Cookers for 16 impoverished Tibetan households (96 people) in Mine Yaga Tibetan Village. Before the project, almost all village women had to go 1 km to the mountains to collect mule and donkey dung and a half-kilometer to the nearest river to cut branches off trees growing along the banks. They spent six hours a day collecting fuel in the winter. Now that they have solar cookers, they do not have to collect fuel every day and they no longer spend scarce cash on coal purchase. The cookers boil water quickly, even in winter. Recipient village households each contributed 51 RMB towards solar cooker purchase. This represents a contribution from the donor of 15.62 RMB per beneficiary, or 1.93 US$.

Mine Yaga Tibetan Village Running Water Project

Details

Before the project, Mine Yaga women fetched water from a polluted river 100-600 meters from the village.
Before the project, Mine Yaga women fetched water from a polluted river 100-600 meters from the village.

The British Embassy in Beijing provided 88,832 RMB that piped water from a clean spring to 68 Tibetan households (320 villagers). Before the project, Villagers spent much time and energy fetching water from a stream 100-600 meters from the village. Since June 2005, every village home has had their own tap and an ample amount of clean water. Villagers contributed labor, sand, stones, 2,272 RMB and labor that may be, in total, valued at 70,200 RMB. Two village women commented on the project: Ms. Lausang said: "I'm now sixty years old and I have fetched water in buckets for more than forty years. I have fetched water nearly my entire life. But now we don't need to haul water anymore. Young village women are really lucky." Ms. Dormacuo said: "I'm forty-two. Before this project, the first thing I did every day was fetch water. After two trips to the river, I began preparing breakfast. Now my biggest daily-work burden has been eliminated. This water project is just like a dream come true."

Mine Maga Tibetan Village Running Water Project

Details

Mrs. Lamo (b.1938) is taking water from the water tap in her home yard with her husband (Mr. Jamtsu, b. ~1935).
Mrs. Lamo (b. 1938) is taking water from the water tap in her home yard with her husband (Mr. Jamtsu, b. 1935).

The Canadian Charity Ball provided 91,000 RMB that piped water from a clean spring to 58 Tibetan households (280 villagers). Before the project, villagers fetched water from a stream branching off the main river, which is unclean and untreated. Since October 20, 2005, every village home has had a tap in their courtyard and a clean, bountiful supply of water. The villagers contributed labor, sand, stones, 880 RMB in cash and other things needed for the project. Villagers enthusiastically participated in the project, transporting sand and stone by tractors to the water box sites, carrying sand and stone on their backs to the concrete protection wall, digging water pipe ditches, and pouring concrete. In total, the local labor contribution was worth 88,480 RMB. This project is a wonderful expression of the Canadian Charity Ball's good will and has made a powerful positive difference in the lives of local Mine Maga villagers.

Sumba Village Running Water Project

Details

Ms. Regu (b. 1934) is very pleased with the running water project.
Ms. Regu (b. 1934) is very pleased with the running water project.

The Canada Fund provided 179,292 RMB that piped water from a clean spring to 70 Tibetan households (330 villagers) and bought 145 solar cookers for 100 households and 45 monk homes. Before the project, villagers fetched water from a river 1-1.5 km away from the village, spending much time and energy. Since January 2006, every village home has had a tap in their courtyard and a solar cooker. The running water project supported by the Canada Fund significantly helped the local Sumba villagers who now use water from taps in their own home yard to obtain water, which is very clean and in ample supply. The running water solved the inconvenient and time-consuming task of fetching water from two local rivers. It also relieved village girls and women of a great burden because fetching water was mainly their task. Collecting fuel is also a main responsibility of village girls and women. Girls and women in this village had to go 2 km on the mountains to collect donkey and mule dung and 1 km to the riverbank to cut branches off trees. This solar cooker project greatly reduced the fuel-collecting burden for girls and women. The villagers enthusiastically contributed labor, sand, stones, and 15,660 RMB in cash needed for the project. Villagers' labor contribution may be valued at 138,500 RMB.

Basic Literacy and Life Skills Training in Tibetan Villages

Details

The elementary class in Danma Village consisted mostly of women.
The elementary class in Danma Village consisted mostly of women.

This literacy and life skills training project was funded by the Canada Fund in Beijing with a contribution of 48,150 RMB. The classes were held in nine Tibetan villages in Daowei Tibetan Township in order to improve rural Tibetan villagers' Chinese language skills and life skills. Two textbooks that concentrated on teaching literacy in the context of basic law, health care, business knowledge and math were published based on villagers' Chinese ability. Eighteen college graduates and 12 middle school students taught the textbooks to the villagers for two months. Daowei Tibetan Township Government and the Literacy Office were involved in implementing the project. After the project, students could read and write simple Chinese and better understood basic laws and health care.

Duora Tibetan Primary School

Details

Duora Primary School was built with Canada Fund support.
Duora Primary School was built with Canada Fund support.

The Canada Fund contributed 250,610.42 RMB to build a two-story Tibetan traditional-style stone building consisting of 4 classrooms, a library, teacher's quarter and teachers' office, as well as readers and play equipment. The local contribution was 67,330 RMB. Local villagers worked with the construction group and thus learned basic Tibetan traditional-stone building skills. 64 students (39 girls) and 8 teachers benefited directly from the project and now have classes in greatly improved conditions. Now there are adequate rooms and various readers for the students and the school has become the center of village activity.

Solar Cookers for Six Tibetan Villages

Details

German Embassy supported solar cookers for six Tibetan villages.
German Embassy supported solar cookers for six Tibetan villages.

The German Embasssy provided 15,100 RMB that purchased 109 solar cookers for 550 residents of 6 impoverished Tibetan villages. Prior to project completion, backbreaking work was required to obtain firewood and yak-dung. In summer, every other day, 1 girl or woman per household spent 3-4 days per week collecting yak-dung from a grassland. To reach this grassland required 4 hours on foot. Dung was collected and piled up and then the woman returned home. The following day, she returned to the grassland to bring the collected dung back to her home. This effort required at least 10 hours in total. Girls and women's hands were red and very painful in winter from handling the dung. In spring and autumn a girl or woman per household spent 6 hours daily collecting firewood. This was done by walking 2 hours to a forest, spending 2 hours using a sickle attached to the end of a long pole to cut tree branches, loading the branches on donkeys, and then spending another 2 hours to return home. Because of the amount of labor required to collect dung and wood, some families did not send one or more of their daughters to school. Rather, they kept them at home to collect dung and wood. This project solved these problems. The solar cooker project's launch has brought considerable comfort to women and girls and great benefit to the local environment. We extend sincere appreciation to the German Embassy for bringing a better life, especially to women and girls, to the residents of these impoverished Tibetan villages.

Honri Tibetan Village Water Project

Details

Water tap shelter at village center.
Water tap shelter at village center.

The German Embassy contributed 14,300 RMB and WWF-China (Dr. Christoph Imboden) contributed 30,000 RMB. The local contribution may be valued at 10,000 RMB. The project brought running water to 380 Tibetans and 3,150 head of livestock. Prior to the project, Honri villagers obtained water by, in winter, going to a distant mountain foot and hauling back ice and waiting for water to dribble into a bucket from a tap in the village--it took 1 hour to fill one bucket--that meant there was conflict between villagers over the water and people had to wait hours before filling their buckets. After project completion, there are three taps in the village that provide an ample supply of clean water that is piped from a spring 2.2 km east of the village. Livestock also have an ample supply of drinking water.

Improving Karang Township Central Tibetan School

Details

Stone student dormitory financed by the Finnish Embassy in Beijing.
Stone student dormitory financed by the Finnish Embassy in Beijing.

The Finnish Embassy's 266,005 RMB built 10 new Tibetan-style stone dormitory rooms and cafeteria-kitchen for students at the Karang Central School. The local education bureau contributed 82,342 RMB for tables, school surrounding walls and leveling the schoolyard. Before the project 40 percent of the schoolchildren had to make a long daily trek between their homes and the school, but now there are only few students whose homes are near the school who return home after classes; others comfortably stay in the new Tibetan traditional-styled buildings to study. The traditional Tibetan style stone buildings are the first examples of such construction in the local area outside of a monastery. Using local stone builders, the buildings attest to the value of using local stone in building. Comparable buildings at local monasteries and temples are more than two centuries years old. Additionally, local young villagers, by participating in the construction, learned the rudiments of traditional stone building.

Expansion of Lade Tibetan Boarding School

Details

All the Lade School students benefit from the Canada Fund's contribution.
All the Lade School students benefit from the Canada Fund's contribution.

The Canada Fund contributed 212,344.47 RMB to build new classrooms, student dormitory rooms, teacher quarters, a cafeteria and toilets, and to purchase desks and quilts for students. The local education bureau and villagers provided additional funds and labour worth 108,960 RMB. This project significantly improved school conditions: Before the project there were no grades 4, 5, & 6 in the school, but now there are grades 2-6; before the project students who did not dropout after Grade 2 had to trek to the next nearest school--Changmer Township School--17 km from the village, but now students no longer need make this trek; before the project there were 65 students in the school (including 32 girls), but now there are 133 students (including 52 girls); before the project there were 5 teachers (1 woman) and 1 cook, but now there are 10 teachers (2 women) and 3 cooks; and before the project the school lacked adequate desks and other classroom equipment, but now there are enough desks and chairs for all students and the Guide Education Bureau provided teachers' desks, teaching equipment, and beds for the new dormitories. The students now have more time to study because they no longer must daily trek to and from their homes and teachers have more time to prepare classes. 1,372 Tibetan villagers benefit indirectly from this project.

Tibetan Primary School Library and Solar Lighting

Details

Students read books at night under solar lighting.
Students read books at night under solar lighting.

Good Works contributed 16,200 RMB and the local contribution was 690 RMB. This allowed for the purchase of 1,500 books and teaching material items, and 6 solar electricity generating panels brining immediate benefit to 265 Tibetan primary school students and 9 Tibetan teachers in a remote area in Sichuan, 180 km south of the seat of Serda County, which is the nearest town. Students are able to use library dictionaries, access information supplied by the books, study, and do homework in the library at night with solar panel lighting; teachers can use library reference materials for better teaching preparation; the library provides a quiet environment for students to study; students' families spend less money on candles because students now have access to the solar-lighted library; and students are able to read comic books for fun when they are tired from studying other subjects. This is a model project for rural schools without electricity. The project also contains an important training element because students learn how to manage a library.

Tibetan Village Irrigation Project

Details

Concrete irrigation channel.
Concrete irrigation channel.

The Canada Fund in Beijing contributed an amount of 268,256 RMB to build irrigation channels 5.6 km in length to irrigate 900 mu of farmland for Muhong Tibetan Village. Villagers contributed labor that may be valued at 158,260 RMB. The project greatly increased crop yields and reduced the shortage of food in the village.

Pigsties for Muhong Village

Details

A new household based pigsty.
A new household based pigsty.

The British Embassy in Beijing provided 95,508 RMB to build solar heated pigstys for Muhong Village households. Local villagers contributed labor and wood worth 24,000 RMB. The villagers rarely ate pork and sanitation was poor because pigs roamed around the house yard before the project. Now the villagers have plenty of pork to eat and can sell pork for cash. Village sanitation is improved because the pigs are confined to the pigsties.

Niga Town Solar Electricity Panels Project

Details

Mrs. Doplo (b. ~ 1938) with her Good Works sponsored solar panel.
Mrs. Doplo (b. 1938) with her Good Works sponsored solar panel.

Good Works provided 60,000 RMB and local recipients provided 6,000 RMB that allowed for the purchase of 143 solar electricity generating panels benefitting 790 impoverished Tibetans on the grassland of Niga Town, Shiqu County, Ganze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. The project successfully provided bright lighting, provided clean air (previously, flame based fuels created smoke), reduced illness from breathing smoke from burning fuels, increased local people's income by reducing the money they formerly spent on fuel for lamps, and made life more convenient for women who are less hurried during the day time--now they can do some of their work at a more leisurely pace under the light at night.

Rizang Tibetan Primary School Dormitory

Details

Rizang schoolgirls in front of their new dormitory rooms.
Rizang schoolgirls in front of their new dormitory rooms.

The Canada Fund's 135,000 RMB helped build a toilet and 12 dormitory rooms; and bought student readers and play equipment. The Tongde Education Bureau, Gabasumdo Township Education Bureau, and local villagers contributed 69,777.16 RMB. Some local villagers worked with the construction group and learned basic construction skills. Beneficiaries include 161 students (71girls, 90 boys), 9 teachers and 2 cooks; 90 young people aged 16-35 from short-term, annual literacy training; and (indirectly) 1,730 villagers. Before the project, there were inadequate dormitory rooms for the students; school sanitation was poor, which contributed to illness among students; and students had nothing to read besides their textbooks. Now there are adequate living quarters for students, who also have a new library. School sanitation has greatly improved.

Appropriate Reading Materials for Tibetan Children

Details

The <i>Tibetan Children's Newspaper</i> provides interesting and relevant content to Tibetan children.
The Tibetan Children's Newspaper provides interesting and relevant content to Tibetan children.

A British Embassy grant of 83,364 RMB financed 7,580 subscriptions of the Tibetan Children's Newspaper to 1,268 Tibetan schools in China. There was a significant local contribution of 80,000 RMB in postage. Many Tibetan students want to study Tibetan, but textbooks that satisfy their needs are very limited. Under such circumstance, providing copies of the Tibetan Children's Newspaper is very helpful because it provides content that is close to the lives of Tibetan children, easily understandable and encourages children to read and write more in Tibetan.

Xerthang Tibetan Village Running Water Project

Details

Ms. Yinzhe (b. 1935) with her Good Works assisted water system.
Ms. Yinzhe (b. 1935) with her Good Works assisted water system.

Good Works contributed 91,392 RMB, villagers contributed 51,275 RMB, and the Hualong County Government contributed 6,200 RMB. Thirty-seven families (337 Tibetans) now have tap water in their courtyards. This pipeline originally planned to tap a mountain spring source 3 km from the village, but later experts from Hualong Water Department decided that this water source was not reliable. Therefore, the plan changed to tap a spring 5 km from the village. The original plan changed and the prices of the materials also changed. The original budget was inadequate for the project. For the reasons above, the local beneficiaries were willing to make this project possible and each household agreed to contribute 200 RMB that purchased additional plastic pipes for the additional distance. Now, each household receives water via a series of small plastic pipes, metal pipes and taps and each household has a freeze-prevention well in order to guard against pipes freezing in winter. This project solved the main problem of this village: drinking water. It is now very clean, reliable, sufficient, and convenient. This project relieved village girls and women from the time-consuming burden of fetching water from a river 1.5 km from the village. Villagers have spare time to work on other things to increase their income, e.g., some villagers worked for a road construction project near the village and earned additional income. Village women can now spend time that they used to spend on fetching water on other work such as weeding fields to improve crop yields or having more richly deserved rest time. The number of students in this village increased. The children who were kept at home to fetch water now attend schools. Before this project only 12 village students went to the township school. Now, 25 attend, including 16 female students. Villagers can also wash their clothes whenever they want to and the project has improved sanitation and personal hygiene. Additionally, this project created a convenient situation for village construction work--building packed adobe courtyard walls and repairing adobe roofs. Villagers can water vegetables in their courtyards and thus grow more vegetables, which grow more quickly and bigger with less fertilizer. This saves the villagers money that they formerly spent on buying vegetables. In addition, this project has eliminated the dangers villagers faced when they fetched water during rainy and snowy weather.

Xianao Village Solar Electricity Generating Panel Project

Details

Mrs. Tong uses electricity provided by her solar panel funded by Good Works.
Mrs. Tong uses electricity provided by her solar panel funded by Good Works.

Good Works provided 26,070 RMB and 30 local households provided 3,000 RMB for purchasing 30 solar electricity generating panels that immediately benefited 150 Mongghul and Tibetan people. Xianao Village, located in the deepest part of a valley with a population of about 250, is known as one of the most remote, inhabited locations and the poorest village in the township. Xianao and three other villages are Mongghul-Tibetan villages and are a minority in this region of Gansu, which is predominantly Han Chinese. Most Xianao residents are illiterate. Project goals that were realized were to prevent eye diseases from dim light and smoke; increase disposable income from money spent on candle and oil purchases for lighting prior to project implementation; to allow butter produced by local households to be consumed or sold rather than used as a lighting fuel; to ensure radio broadcasts could be heard to increase awareness of the outside world; to provide entertainment from radio and tape recorders; to ensure that students could comfortably do homework under electric light at night; and to provide light for villagers and especially women, to prepare food conveniently after dark. "My goodness, I never dreamed about having light here in this place. Is this, I mean, really true? Is there such an organization, such people, who would just give things to people like us in the world? Thanks to Good Works for helping us," Mrs. Ye said in a surprised and emotional voice.

Zangchujo Tibetan Village Irrigation Project

Details

New irrigation pipe sponsored by Good Works brings water to village fields.
New irrigation pipe sponsored by Good Works brings water to village fields.

Good Works contributed 113,700 RMB and the local contribution was 84,650 RMB. Each household who benefited from this project provided 150 RMB for a total of 7,400 RMB. These funds were spent on an irrigation expert (4,500 RMB for the expert spending 100 days at the project site). The remaining 2,900 RMB will be spent on maintaining the irrigation system. Furthermore, the villagers provided one laborer per household for a total of 50 laborers who each worked for 100 days. If one person working for one day is valued at 15 RMB, this represents a local contribution of 77,250 RMB. In addition, villagers provided such local materials as stone and sand. This project greatly benefited 55 Tibetan households (360 people). Before project implementation, the village irrigation system was very poor; most of the system was an earthen ditch. Water sank into the earth in the channel. When the water reached the intended fields, the amount was very limited and insufficient to improve the land. The old irrigation system was only useable for a limited period of time in summer. At most, the land could only be irrigated twice. While it was understood that autumn watering was beneficial, villagers were afraid that the earth channels would freeze and cause the fragile system to collapse. Because of the limited amount of water, the crops dried after several months. Each year the villagers could not obtain enough grain for food. In addition, the original irrigation system required extensive repairs each year before the villagers could irrigate the land. This was an onerous task for the villagers and it limited the time villagers could spend collecting caterpillar fungus, which is the main income source for local residents. Repairing the channels thus negatively affected the cash income of the village. Now, the system is concrete-rock channels and metal pipes across ravines. The villagers obtain more water for their fields. The water is of such quantity that they can irrigate thirty mu of additional land. Before, the villagers spent forty days to irrigate all the land and sometimes more than that during dry seasons. But currently, they can finish this task in twenty days. This saves much time and they can use this saved time on other activities that improve their living conditions. The village situation has now changed after Good Works sponsored this irrigation improvement project. The new irrigation system has created a sufficient, reliable and safe irrigation system for this Tibetan village.

Health Care and Solar Lighting for Nomad & Ascetic Communities

Details

Women recipients of Good Works sponsored solar panels.
Women recipients of Good Works sponsored solar panels.

Good Works contributed 176,900 RMB of which 59,170 RMB was spent on health care and 115,197 RMB was spent on solar panels. The health care portion of the project purchased equipment and Traditional Tibetan Medicine for a local Tibetan-staffed health clinic and purchased Traditional Tibetan Medicine for Yaqin Monastery Health Clinic. The project benefits 11,870 Tibetans annually. The solar energy portion of the project provided solar electricity generating panels to 123 Ashe Xuncha Ma nomad households and two school dormitory rooms for students, and provided 105 panels to impoverished Yaqin Monastery nuns and monks. In addition, the project established 5 small libraries in local schools.

Bon-skor Tibetan Primary School Library

Details

Students and a teacher in the new library.
Students and a teacher in the new library.

A grant of 3,800 RMB from the LKT Fund, plus a local contribution of 813.20 RMB, allowed for the purchase of 487 books and the establishment of a school library that immediately benefited 300 Tibetan primary school students and 9 Tibetan teachers. Prior to the project, the school had no library and few books, consequently students were limited in what they could learn. Moreover, both teachers and students lacked essential references for teaching preparation and to expand their range of knowledge. Mr. 'brug-lha, the 31 year old headmaster, confided, "The teachers and students in our school are all nomads and of course this is a remote, nomad area. Our school is 200 km from the county town and because of this, there is no regular communication between the school and the outside. Nomads do not understand the benefits of education as much as do outside people. However their ideas are changing now. Two years ago when I became the headmaster of this school all of the students thought that study was useless. There were around fifty students in the school. They didn't know much about the outside world. Now the library has given teachers and students the opportunity to read about the outside world. We are really grateful and want to say thanks for your support." Tshe-dpa'-rgyal, a twenty-six year old Tibetan teacher at the school, said, "I have taught Tibetan for the students in this primary school for more than five years and during this time, we were unable to get a library like the one we have now for students and teachers. Now, we have a resource of a lot of knowledge, and it is easier for our teachers to teach the students, especially the young students because we have books with pictures. The library books really have improved our poor conditions, and I really appreciate the support for this project."

Solar Cookers for Aguan & Adai Tibetan Villages

Details

Ms. Zhoma (b. 1935) boils water on her German Embassy sponsored solar cooker.
Ms. Zhoma (b. 1935) boils water on her German Embassy sponsored solar cooker.

The German Embassy provided 16,350 RMB and each recipient household 50 RMB for a total local contribution of 6,500 RMB. These funds were then used to purchase 145 solar cookers for the poorest households in Adai and Aguan villages, benefiting 1,015 people. Before this project the villagers collected yak dung and bushes for fuel. Female members of the families spent much of their time collecting fuel and some families kept their children at home to collect fuel. Certain families used straw for fuel. This created smoke in the kitchen and caused smoke-related illness. The situation has now changed, thanks in large part to the German Embassy supported solar cookers. The solar cookers created convenient conditions for the villagers. Village elders said that the German Embassy provided them with a daughter-in-law (who historically and culturally collects fuel) because of the usefulness of the solar cooker. After receiving a solar cooker, Mr. Cairangben confided, "There are five people in my family. My mother is around 65 and my two children are still very young. I am disabled and unable to work. Therefore, my wife, Limao, does all the work in my family. She had to spend a lot of time collecting fuel and as a result, she could not finish other work. But now we have a German Embassy sponsored solar cooker, so my wife spends less time collecting fuel and can do other housework."

Solar Cookers for Luowa Tibetan Village

Details

Mr. Logojia cooks bread with his new solar cooker funded by the German Embassy.
Mr. Logojia cooks bread with his new solar cooker funded by the German Embassy.

The German Embassy provided 22,120 RMB. The local contribution was 790 RMB. These funds allowed for the purchase of 158 solar cookers that immediately and directly benefitted 620 villagers. Villagers were very worried about fuel, especially during harvesting when villagers are extremely busy and lack time to collect fuel. Villagers then drink unboiled water and often get stomach pains. Collecting fuel is a very difficult and time-consuming task; women get up very early in the morning to collect wood, yak dung and tree roots needed for cooking and heating. This work is particularly difficult during the winter. At most a village family earns 2,000-3,500 RMB annually. Some families have only 1,500-2,000 RMB a year. Because of this, the villagers must work very hard. The solar cookers will free up much time for villagers and give them a chance to earn more money and give more children a chance to go to school. This project has also reduced the amount of smoke women and young children inhale as a result of working many hours in smoky kitchens.

Solar Cookers for Navi Tibetan Village

Details

A solar cooker sponsored by the Lillian Kirby Tuttle Fund in Niva Tibetan Village.
A solar cooker sponsored by the Lillian Kirby Tuttle Fund in Niva Tibetan Village.

The Lillian Kirby Tuttle Fund provided 3,100 RMB and local recipients contributed a total of 1,500 RMB (50 RMB per recipient). This allowed for the purchase of 30 solar cookers immediately benefiting 300 people. Navi Village is a farming village and locals' income depends on their crops. They do not have crops to sell, and their harvest just barely meets their basic subsistence requirement. In addition, the local forest station forbids them to collect firewood from the forest, so getting fuel requires a great deal of time for them. Buying coal costs about 600 RMB per year, and the coalmine is many hours from the village. After using solar cookers for about four months, the villagers estimated that they burn 1/3-1/2 less fuel than before. They also use solar cookers to boil water, cook various foods, bake bread, boil milk, etc. They also can wash their clothes more regularly because it is easier to wash with warm water. Ms. Lhamodkar (b. 1932) confided, "Women have to get up early in the morning to search for dung and tree branches, and have to do it everyday. As a result, they have gotten used to it and no longer think about the difficulty of getting fuel. I never really thought about it until my family got a solar cooker. My life is easier than before. My son and daughter-in-law spend most of their time in the fields, so I'm often alone at home. Cooking was difficult for me. I often didn't make a fire and try to cook. Instead, I just ate something to put in my stomach. But now this has all changed. I can now cook on the solar cooker. It's not very difficult. My granddaughter is now older and I thought her future would be collecting fuel, but now she does go to school. I think her going to school and her future are very different from my life."

New classrooms in Thuwa Tsang Village sponsored by the Heinrich BC6ll Foundation

Details

New classrooms in Thuwa Tsang Village sponsored by the Canada Fund.
New classrooms in Thuwa Tsang Village sponsored by the Canada Fund.

Thuwa Tsang Tibetan Village School received 99,979 RMB from the Heinrich BC6ll Foundation provided to build three classrooms, two teachers' quarters, and one library. The local villagers contributed 12,875 RMB in labor and transportation costs for local building materials. The total value of the project was 112,854 RMB. Now, Thuwa Tsang Village has six classrooms, four teachers' quarters, a computer room, and a library. Costs of three classrooms, two teachers' quarters, and one computer room were covered by the Canada Fund. Villagers said that before this project, older students had to get up early in the morning to walk to the township school 6 km from the village on a daily basis, which negatively affected studentsb study. Some students qualified to attend the township school dropped out after they finished Grade 3, especially girls. This problem has been solved by now having classes through Grade 5. Upon graduation, students will be older and more likely to attend classes in the Hualong Middle School located in Hualong County Town.

Anne Thurston Solar Cooker Project for Reguo Tibetan Village

Details

Ms. Yongji (1935) is delighted to have an Anne Thurston sponsored solar cooker.
Ms. Yongji (b. 1935) is delighted to have an Anne Thurston sponsored solar cooker.

Anne Thurston contributed 900 RMB. Each of 10 recipient households contributed 50 RMB per recipient household for a total project value of 1,400 RMB. Ten impoverished families from Reguo Tibetan Village, Jinyuan Tibetan Township were selected. Solar cookers were delivered to the village on January 27, 2005. Recipients use the Anne Thurston sponsored solar cookers and women and girls spend much less time in collecting fuel. The solar cookers boil meat, potatoes, noodles and water and are used to bake bread.

English Training Program

Details

Sixteen senior middle school students, twenty junior middle school students, and fifty primary school students participated.
Sixteen senior middle school students, twenty junior middle school students, and fifty primary school students participated.

Solomon Rino contributed 1,500 RMB for an English Training Program targeting village Tibetan children (volunteer teacher support = 600 RMB; local contribution; total project = 2,164 RMB). The Training Program began July 16, 2005 and ended August 2, 2005 for a total of 15 days. Two Australian volunteer teachers taught for eight days, and two American volunteer teachers taught for seven days. They were assisted by Mr. Chengling Gongbo, an English student in the English Training Program for Tibetan students at Qinghai Normal University. This program greatly benefited 16 senior middle school students, 20 junior middle school students and 50 primary school students. In total, 86 students from all the Tibetan villages in Jinyuan Tibetan Township benefited from the project.

Sanitation, Water, and Irrigation Project

Details

New latrine in Reguo village sponsored by the Canada Fund.
New latrine in Reguo village sponsored by the Canada Fund.

The Canada Fund provided 249,695.20 RMB, local villagers contributed 18,850 RMB, and the Hualong County Government contributed 30,000 RMB for a total value of 298,545.20 RMB The project targeted three natural villages and built 100 toilets and 9 garbage collection centers; improved irrigation for Zangdong Village; and created a water system for Reguo Village. Mr. Caihangjian (b. 1944) of Awuju Village said the new latrines created a very convenient situation for elderly villagers and young children. Before the project, villagers had to go a half km to relieve themselves in the daytime, while at night it was just outside the courtyard door; consequently, the entire village was unclean and smelly during hot days. Now, thanks to the new latrines, the village is much cleaner and human waste may be easily moved from the latrines to fields and used as fertilizers. A sufficient supply of clean and reliable water was provided for Reguo Village. Now, the villagers have tap water in their home yards. This water project released women and from the time-consuming task of fetching waterba traditionally female task. More girls will attend school as a result of this project. Sanitation and personal hygiene has also improved because villagers were unable to wash their clothes frequently before the project, but now the villagers are be able to wash their clothes frequently. Mr. Hangjia (b. 1933) from Reguo Village said that before the water project, Reguo villagers almost never washed their clothes; therefore, other villagers called them "Reguo Seru" or bdirty Reguo.b But now the villagers are able to wash their clothes frequently and this unattractive name no longer applies. The irrigation project in Zangdong Village increased crop yields by irrigating 380 mu. Before the project, the irrigation system required many repairs each year but now, after project implementation, villagers can spend the time they spent previously on the repair of the earth irrigation ditches, on other activities. Water in the original irrigation system was limited, because water sank into the earth and caused erosion. The villagers formerly spent a half month to irrigate their land, but now they only spend about a few days to irrigate their land. Contradictions between villagers over the limited irrigation water supply have also been eliminated.

Sangthuher Tibetan Village Water System Project

Details

Ms. Caimao (b.1932) easily obtains clean water from a tap just outside her home.
Ms. Caimao (b. 1932) easily obtains clean water from a tap just outside her home.

The New Zealand Embassy in Beijing provided 60,437 RMB, the local contribution was 23,375 RMB, and the Hualong Water Department contributed 2,000 RMB for the systembs design fee for a total value of 85,312 RMB. Now, the water system brings a plentiful supply of water from a clean spring to each of the 26 households (235 Tibetans). Fetching water is traditionally a task of women and girls who fetched water from a small stream. One roundtrip required one and a half hours. Most families made three roundtrips daily. Many school-aged children were kept at home to fetch water. This was especially true for the girls. Furthermore, villagers rarely washed their clothes and personal hygiene was poor. Arguments between family members occurred frequently over who should fetch water. The narrow path from the water source to the village made water fetching a dangerous task. Now, thanks to the New Zealand Embassy sponsored water system project, villagers can wash their clothes and themselves frequently. The cash income of this village has increased; enrolment of village students in local schools has also increased.

Thuwa Tsang Tibetan Primary School Construction Project

Details

Thuwa Tsang Tibetan Primary School Construction.
Thuwa Tsang Tibetan Primary School Construction.

Thuwa Tsang Tibetan Village School was sponsored by the Canada Fund with a grant of 98,027 RMB to build three classrooms, two teachers' quarters and one computer room. The local villagers contributed 13,000 RMB in land and labor. The project total value was 111,027 RMB. The school is now a kindergarten-Grade 5 school and the Township Education Office will hire more teachers. Education quality will improve with the addition of these teachers, a better learning environment, and reduced time of walking to and from the school. Dropout rates for children reaching grades four and five will be reduced and illiteracy in this village will be decreased.

Tibetan Primary School Library

Details

Tibetan primary school students read books provided by the German Embassy.
Tibetan primary school students read books provided by the German Embassy.

862 books and teaching materials directly and immediately benefited 300 Tibetan students and 9 teachers with the German Embassybs contribution of 10,400 RMB and a local contribution of 719.42 RMB. The schoolbs library has been much improved by this donation of books and, now, both teachers and students have essential references for teaching preparation and are able to expand their range of knowledge. The school was built in 1989, and has six grades. It has 237 students and 7 teachersball are local Tibetans. Except for the Chinese and English languages, all subjects are taught in Tibetan. Most students live far from the school because their homes are in a nomad area 20 km from the school; consequently, they board at the school. Karmo-Tso, a 14-year-old Grade Five student, said, bNow I can read a lot of different books in the library and learn new words by using books with pictures. I am really interested in looking at pictures to learn new words, because my hobby is drawing and it is very easy to learn the words while looking at the pictures. Ibm eager to go into the library. I go there to read the words and look at the pictures whenever I have finished my homework.b

Solar Cookers for Bon-skor Tibetan Community