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School receives two new washing machines 
from Kham Aid Foundation

Boys' and girls' washing machines.

by Dana Isherwood

Dec 5, 2002

Last May, a KAF team visited the Batang Tuanjie Minzu Primary School. We interviewed the headmaster of the Tuanjie Minzu Primary School. He put together a grant request for a variety of things including one for a washing machine for the students. Many of the students board at the school. They washed their clothes by hand in the river. Not a big deal you say. True--until winter comes. So we bought two washing machines and I went to the school to inspect them. One is for the girls and one is for the boys. On Saturday morning, the teachers hook them up and the kids do their laundry. The headmaster told me that the school has become famous because of these washing machines. Families want to send their children to the school--after all, if it has washing machines, it must be a good school. A sixth grade student wrote in a thank you letter:

The youngest boarder among us is only nine years old, and washing clothes in the freezing cold winter is a big problem. In winter the river bank is icy and the water is so cold it pierces your bones, and you get so frozen that you can’t even keep a grip on the clothes. Now we no longer have to worry about washing clothes, since every week under the teachers’ guidance we do two rounds of laundry. Now we have clean clothes to wear, we students feel and look much better.

Reading this, I feel better, too.

other small grants to schools | other kham aid education programs | how to donate | kham aid home