Help Build a School and Educate Poor Children in China

Funding Proposal: Construction of Permanent School Building

I. Project Summary

Litang Social English's mission is to teach English to Lithang's youth so they can:

1) communicate with people internationally, 2) become aware of world issues through the reading of international newspapers, books, and articles, 3) strengthen their employment prospects 4) travel or work abroad and build new bridges with people from around the world. Greater education will allow the Litang people to be world-class citizens and to greatly expand their intellectual power.

 

Litang Social English Training Programme is seeking support for the construction of a permanent school building with attached volunteer accommodation and traveler hostel facilities. The purpose of this project is to:

 

1.        Teaching

2.        Secure permanent space for youth to learn in a safe environment and interact with volunteer teachers and travelers interested in cross-cultural exchange and education.

3.        Provide accommodation for volunteers that encourages proximity and positive exchange

4.        Provide attached hostel facilities for travelers, and thereby generate income for the maintenance of the school. This will ensure long term project sustainability.

 

Leadership

This project will be managed by Renchin. Mr. Renchin is a Khampa Tibetan man born to a very remote Tibetan nomadic family; he has spent his childhood with yaks since he was 8 till to the age of 23. He went to India in 2002 and got his first and last opportunity in his life to get some education. He studied Tibetan and English in India for five years and he studied Chinese for three years after he was back home to China in 2008. He worked in travel trading company in Guangdong province for one year and has one year's working experience in travel agency in Lhasa.  He is now very aware of the importance of getting education and he really regrets that he wasted his childhood without getting any opportunity to go to school; he is very courageous and devoted to provide an educational opportunity to his fellow village children who are now wasting their lives as Renchin did due to their poverty and lack of the culture of learning in their village and family.

He wants to start his project to strengthen and guide his village children through the medium of education to develop their own lives in a way that benefit selves and others.

 

II. Objectives of the Project

A. Teaching

a. English

b. Tibetan  

C. Mandarin Chinese

B. Permanent School Facilities

Currently, in this region, much of the rentable space is subject to commercial market fluctuations and inflation related to a growing tourism industry and an influx of new businesses coming from other regions in China. As such, suitable space is expensive and prices can rise without adequate notice. The construction of a permanent school is very important as it can ensure long term project viability and can empower Khampa people to manage the education of their youth.

C. Hostel Facilities for volunteers and travelers

- (2) 8 bed dorm room for travelers

- (2) 2 bed dorm rooms for travelers

- (2) 1 bed private room for teachers

 

 

Also, very importantly, the construction of a school will provide space for foreign volunteers and travelers. Their presence will allow income to be generated in support of school maintenance and programme support which will empower Khampa people to manage and sustain the project.

 

III. Geographic and demographic overview

B. Geographic and Human Introduction

Litang is a small, predominantly Tibetan town in western Sichuan province with a population of approximately 85000 people. All of Lithang's population is ethnic Khampa people - one of three regional Tibetan groups - who-ho live according to their ancient traditions herding yak, sheep, and horses. The town lies on the eastern edge of the Tibetan plateau, at 4000 meters above sea level, and was the birthplace of the 7th Dalai Lama. Lithang's people are very warm and friendly.

C. Current conditions

a. Economic

Approximately 5% of the population is involved in government employment with an additional 25% involved in commercial / business activities. The majority of people are involved in subsistence agriculture, 40% through crop production and an additional 30% are nomadic herders. The nomadic herders in particular face economic hardship and lack the resources to provide education and opportunity for their children.

 

B. Human

Access to health and education for people supported by subsistence agriculture is very limited and opportunity for improving community and individual living conditions is also limited. Without education or access to alternate forms of employment, significant social problems also exist, particularly amongst the youth including unemployment, drinking, violence and detachment from cultural traditions. As such the Khampa people face a deterioration of social values and cohesion and the ability to manage and maintain cultural traditions.

 

c. Communication

While some people in urban areas have some access to television, newspapers and internet, people in rural areas usually have no access to modern communications. As such access to news and learning facilities are very limited with resulting implications for participatory involvement with social development processes.

 

IV. Structure

A. Type of the building (Tibetan style) (view details in the budget and the drawing of the building)

B Specific Interior design programming

a. Office

b. Classroom

c. Common space

d. Teacher rooms

e. Traveler rooms

f. Kitchen

g. Washroom

V. Services

a. Language teaching

b. Hostel

c. Tours

VI. Benefits of the project

 

1. Direct Outcomes and Benefits

1.        Provide education, focus and opportunity for Khampa youth

2.        Enhance future employability and social participation

3.        Develop and maintain pride in traditions and allowing the means to preserve and protect significant cultural characteristics.

4.        Provide access to news and build awareness of social, economic and cultural issues at local, national and international level

5.        Enable participation in the modernization and social development process.

6.        Enable youth to have access to information that will allow them to be involved in improving the living conditions of their community as future leaders.

 

2. Indirect Outcomes and Benefits

1.        Wider community awareness and education through encouraging students to pass on their knowledge to villagers who have no access to news and education.

2.        Peace of mind for parents in the knowledge that their children have opportunity to help themselves and their families through enhancing employability.

3.        Provide a base for cross-cultural exchange and mutual learning for Khampa people and international and Chinese teaching volunteers and travelers to build mutual awareness and understanding.

4.        Through the presence of international volunteers and travelers build international awareness of the unique characteristics of Khampa cultural traditions and in turn encourage Khampa youth to take pride in those traditions.

5.        Enable Khampa people to manage the pace of social change and preserve and protect cultural traditions.

 

VII. Budget

Land for construction of the school has already been purchased at a cost of Y 84 650 RMB. (Approx $13 000 USD) This money was raised entirely by contributions of Khampa people involved in the foundation of the programme. The completion of the school including construction materials and labor costs is approximately Y 236, 568 RMB (approx $36500 USD). For a full breakdown of the budget, please see attacked document in appendix below.

                                                     

VIII. Project Phases

If the project budget is approved and funding provided, the construction of the school facility may be completed within six weeks. This timeframe allows sufficient time to arrange for volunteer teachers to move to the facility and prepare for a placement at the school.

 

The construction and preparation process consists of the following phases:

 

Phase 1: Purchasing locally sourced construction materials and hiring local builders

As displayed in budget, materials have been priced and sourced from local providers in Litang and will be available upon payment. The estimated time for material to be provided is 1 week.

 

Phase 2: Construction

Utilizing the services of local Khampa people the construction of the school building structure may be completed within 3 weeks following provision of materials.

 

Phase 3: School preparation and decoration.

Following construction of the building structure, local painters and decorators can complete the interior preparation of the school within 2 weeks. 

ITEM(S)	UNIT		UNIT PRICE		QTY	TOTAL(CNY)	TOTAL(USD)	LOCAL CONTRIBUTION
land	M2					\80,000	$12016	\80,000
Stone for base	Truck load		50		22	\1,100	$165.22	0
Brick	Piece		4.5		6,000	\2,7000	$405.54	0
Construction labor	Day		197X6		8	\9,456	$1420.29	0
Cement	Bag		42		50	\2,100	$315.42	0
Sand for Cement	Truck load		400		1	\400	$60.08	0
Pillar(big,)	Piece		200		17	\3,400	$510.68	0
Pillar (small)	Piece		150		14	\2,100	$315.42	0
Pole for roof (big)	Piece		200		18	\3,600	$540.72	0
Pole for roof (small)	Piece		150		14	\2,100	$315.42	0
Wood for roof	Piece		30		270	\8,100	$1216.62	0
Wood lock for roof	Piece		10		196	\1,960	$294.39	0
Wood lock for eaves	Piece		4		168	\672	$100.93	0
Wood blocks for roof	Piece		25		28	\700	$105.14	0
Board for roof	M2		44		18	\792	$118.96	0
Plastic for roof	M2		27		18	\486	$73	0
Stones for eaves	Piece		12		84	\1,008	$151.40	0
Carpenter	Day		10X5		160	\8,000	$1201.6	0
Glasses	Piece		14		2,000	\2,8000	$4205.6	0
Entrance door			1		1,400	\1,400	$210.28	0
Nail	Kg		10		9	\90	$13.52	0
Sub Total:						¥182,464
Interior(labor)
Board for wall		Piece	20	230		\ 4600	$690.00	0
Oil pint		day	250	8		\ 2000	$690.15	0
Board for floor		Piece	20	180		\ 3600	$690.30	0
Ceiling		Piece	18	184		\ 3312	$690.45	0
Curtain		Piece	200	14		\3,192	$478.80	0
Cables/Wires		Piece	17	14		\ 238	$35.70	0
Tables		piece	260	8		\ 2080	$312.00	0
Chairs		Piece	140	18		\ 2520	$378.00	0
TV		Piece	1600	2		\ 2800	$420.00	0
Bed		Piece	420	14		\ 5880	$882.00	0
Blanket		Piece	85	14		\ 1190	$178.50	0
Mattress		Piece	350	14		\ 4900	$735.00	0
Pillow		Piece	15	14		\ 210	$31.50	0
Kitchen Utensil
Stove		Piece	858	1		\ 850	$127.50	850
Class room facilities
White board		Piece	200	1		\ 200	$30.00	200
Sets of desk and chairs		Piece	180	20		\ 3600	$540.00	3600
Office facilities
A sets of Table and Chair		Piece	600	1		\ 600	$90.00	0
Desk Computer		Piece	3000	1		\ 3000	$450.00	0
En-suite room facilities
Basins		Piece	100	2		\ 200	$30.00	0
Water heaters		Piece	1600	1		\ 1600	$240.00	0
Commode		Piece	600	2		\ 1200	$180.00	0
Lights		Piece	100	12		\ 1200	$180.00	0
Cables/Wires		Piece	17	14		\ 238	$35.70	0
Sub Total:						¥54,104
TOTAL:						¥236,568		0
Total local contribution (already paid)						\84650		\84650