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Sponsors Wanted!

A FUTURE FOR TIBETAN GIRLS

Background on the program

In 1999 the Women's Federation of Ganzi Prefecture asked us to help one hundred girls who were unable to enter middle school because of poverty.  At that time they had fifty girls each in Derong and Dawu counties who had benefited from primary school scholarships, but now those monies were exhausted.  At the same time, we also received a request from administrators at the Litang Middle School.  They were facing a similar dilemma for some very gifted students.  While we are focusing on these schools, the challenge of getting a proper education is region-wide.

In 2006 the government started reducing the tuition for junior middle school, so we decided to shift our emphasis to senior middle school, grades 10-12. Most of the sponsored children are those who we have known for three years already because they participated in our Junior Middle School program. We respond to special requests from schools and Women's Federation officials to help children who have suffered severe hardship such as loss of a parent.

Where does the program operate?

As of spring 2006, we are drawing our sponsored girls from five counties of Kham. (See map). They are:

• Derong, the southwestern-most county of Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, which itself lies in the western half of Sichuan Province.  There is an extremely limited bus service to Derong and the access road is bad and often closed by mudslides. Thus, Derong is economically disadvantaged, even compared to other Tibetan areas. 

• Daofu (Dawu) County, a town surrounded by apple orchards on the northern route through Kham.  Of all our program areas, the Dawu county town is the most easily accessible, yet the county has many rural areas unreachable by road where poverty is endemic and children face academic challenges. Kham Aid assists has been involved with primary and junior middle schools here for many years. 

• Litang County, a high grassland where yaks are plentiful.  The seat of Litang county is nicknamed "High City", because it is one of the highest permanently inhabited towns in the world at 4019 meters above sea level.  Because of the harsh environment, many families find it difficult to meet even basic living expenses, let alone send a child to school.

• Batang County, a fertile agricultural area lying near the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, on the southern route through Kham.  The Batang county town has both senior and junior middle schools, making it an education center in southern Kham. Yet the remote rural areas are still very poor.

• Xinlong (Nyarong) County, identified as a "national poor county" by the government.  Xinlong is not located on any major thoroughfares, is poor in arable land, and economically backward compared to the rest of Kham, although it is quite beautiful.

The schools:

• Ganzi (Kandze) is a small town, sharing its name with the prefecture its located in, north-west of Daofu. This picturesque settlement, is surrounded by snow-covered peaks and is home to two monasteries. It is an important trading town, where you will notice Tibetans from the surrounding area come to exchange goods.  It is the home of North Kham Middle School as well as a small medical vocational school.

• Kangding (Dartsendo), is located 368 km west of Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, and is the capital of Ganzi Prefecture. Although Kanding is quite urbanised, at its altitude of 2500 meters, snow-capped mountains are easily seen from this center. An interesting mix of cultures, this town is home to Tibetan, Yi and Hui minority people, as well as Han Chinese. It has several large schools offering different curricula.

• Guza, is situated just outside of Kangding, and is home to three Colleges (incorporating Senior Middle Schools), including a business school and medical college. Currently, Kham Aid assists girls at all three institutions here.

• Luding (Chakzamka), approximately 50 kilometers from Kangding, this town is situated in the Dadu (Ngul-chu) River Valley. Although also belonging to Ganzi Prefecture, the majority of this town’s residents are Han Chinese

• Qionglai, located 100 kilometers west of Chengdu, Qionglai is known for its abundant natural gas resources and its 900 year-old Sakya Buddha Pagoda. Though not belonging to Ganzi Prefecture, many Tibetan students hope to continue their education at the Senior Middle School here.

What are the children like?

Jin An was born in 1990 in Gombo Township of Derong County. Her parents are farmers. To reach school, she has to walk for two days over mountains. She writes, “It is very far from my home to school. There is no public road, so we have no choice but to walk the route ourselves. But because you are paying my tuition, when my family and I walk to school, we don’t feel at all tired. I am very grateful to you!”

Tseren Chucuo was born in 1991 in Demutong Village of Yagong Township, which is 100 kilometers from Derong Junior Middle School. Her parents are nomads. She writes, “There are eight people in my family, but there is no-one who has a job. So the family is very poor … (but) it is you who have taken me from a dark place to a bright classroom. I am truly touched. I don’t know how I should thank you”.

Yong Zhen was born in 1992, and is from Gexi Township of Dawu County. She has two sisters. Her father tries to find work in the cities, and her mother is very ill and cannot leave her bed. Much of the money Yong Zhen’s father earns must go towards her mother’s medicine. Yong Zhen graduated from primary last year as the No. 1 student in the whole county. Now she’s in the first grade of Junior Middle School and also No. 1 in the whole grade. She hopes to further her education at Senior Middle School but fears she may have to drop out before she has this opportunity.

Danzi Zhaba was born in 1990. His hometown is Lu Village, of Wanri Township of Dawu County. There are nine people in his family, including four school age children. His parents are both old and often sick. Danzi’s family is unable to pay any of his school fees. Half of his tuition fees are borrowed from relatives; the other half is still owed to the school. Danzi was elected an “Outstanding Student” in 2003 for his remarkable performance. His scores are ranked No. 3 in the whole grade. He hopes to become a doctor. [note: most of our sponsored children are girls, but we do occasionally sponsor boys as well, if requested by the school or the sponsor].

Costs

Costs vary from place to place and from child to child, depending on the school, entrance exam scores and the distance she must travel from home.  To ensure fairness to sponsors and to minimize the administrative cost of tracking grants, we charge a standard fee of $600 per child per year.

Where does my money go?

Your donation pays for tuition, books, transportation, food and lodging in a school dormitory for one academic year. It pays the cost of sending a Kham Aid representative to the school once a year to check on your sponsored child and take her photo which will be sent to you. It also pays for staff time to collect, translate, and forward your girl's annual letter to you and to answer your questions by email or phone.

Who will be sponsored?

Girls are selected by local officers of the Women's Federation and school recommendations according to academic talent and need.

What does a sponsor get?

You will receive a photo of your sponsored child and an annual letter which will be translated into English by Kham Aid Foundation staff.

Can I write to or visit my sponsored child?

Yes, you can.  Please see these Scholarship Program policies.

Can I send gifts to my sponsored child?

We discourage sponsors from sending gifts to our offices in China or directly to schoolchildren because packages are often held up in Customs and the paperwork needed to release them is prohibitively time-consuming.  Hand-carrying gifts, too, is very burdensome for our small staff.  If you would like to give your sponsored child a gift, we suggest adding an extra $20 to your annual payment. This will allow her to purchase clothing, medicines, and other personal items that she and her family badly need.  

Who is checking up on the children to make sure they're in school?

Kham Aid Foundation sends a representative at least once annually to visit the children and monitor their progress. This is very important, because it's not uncommon for children to drop out due to health or family reasons.  When we uncover such problems, we try to find solutions that allow the child to return to school.

What happens after the children complete their three years?

Kham Aid Foundation does not currently have a university scholarship program.  Most graduates from grade 12 enter the workforce following graduation. In order to continue beyond grade 12, students must take an exam to qualify for a university such as Southwest Nationalities Institute.  In the past few years China has adopted a system where university students must pay the cost of their own education. Student loans are virtually impossible to obtain.  This makes university education unaffordable for our girls, although a few manage to win scholarships or are lucky to have sponsors who agree to continue funding their education.  Parents will sometimes sell the family home in order to pay for college for their son or daughter although this may leave them destitute. 

Timing: 

IMPORTANT.  Sponsorship money can be received at any time during the year, but girls must start school at the beginning of the academic year in August. If we receive your sponsorship form by July 1, we can select and notify the girls before they go home to their rural villages for the summer. Otherwise, you must wait until autumn of the next year before hearing from your sponsored child.

More information

See letters from our kids and a sponsor visits his child.

You can also write to education(at)khamaid.org.

How to sponsor a child

Download a CHILD SPONSOR FORM, fill it in, and mail, email, or fax it to Kham Aid Foundation. 

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