Project Number: FCAPN79
Final Report for Library Book Project for Two Impoverished Tibetan Monastic Schools to
the German Embassy What?
Library books directly benefiting 500 Tibetan students.
Where?
Tsanga Monastery Primary School is situated in the southwest of Bya mdo Township, 5 km from Bya mdo Township Town, 112 km from Guinan County Town, and 206 km southwest of Xining City, the provincial capital. Waja Monastry Primary School is situated in Waja Village, 12 km from Hexi Township, 15 km from Guide County, 170 km from Xining City, Qinghai Province, PR China.
When?
October 2013
Contribution: German Embassy = Local Contribution = TOTAL PROJECT VALUE =
64,000RMB 41,850RMB 105,850RMB
by ____________________________
Friendship Charity Association 31 October 2013
Dear German Embassy, We respectfully report on the successful completion of the Library Book Project for Two Impoverished Tibetan Monastic Schools in Guinan County, Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, PR China. With support in the amount of 64,000RMB from the German Embassy (May 2013), and 41,850RMB provided by the local communities, this project was successfully completed. Tsanga and Waja monastic schools are supported by its surrounding villages. Local monastery teachers teach at these schools, and students are mostly monks. The government approved school establishment, but has never supported it financially. Teachers do not receive salaries. Neighbouring villages also support a teaching program at the school for monks and village students (non-monks) every summer and winter holiday. Well-known Tibetan professors are also invited to give speeches to local monks and students. Prior to the project, these two schools suffered from a lack of library resources. Each school had vacant rooms for a library, however they lacked books. It was understood that more reading materials would give teachers and students the opportunity to read more, increasing their general knowledge and encouraging and reinforcing literacy. Furthermore, because of the isolated situation of these schools and being in the monasteries, getting government support and external assistance was difficult. Consequently, instructional methodology remained of limited quality. Students were eager to have more books to read beyond their textbooks, which were usually on one subject - religion. Teachers wished to have reference books for teaching preparation and books with modern social content. Unfortunately, the local communities and schools could not afford library books and the local government did not provide financial support. These two monastic schools eventually approached FCA for external assistance. With the support of German Embassy, this project brought adequate reading resources to the local students. This library book project benefited these communities in many ways:
enriched students’ education and give them a broader view of the outside world improved local teachers’ teaching methodology via access to a broad range of library resources enabled students and teachers to use dictionaries, illustrated storybooks, and other suitable books improved students’ level of study beyond boring, dry textbooks allowed students to spend more time on study with the starting point in library books
This library project has provided a good example of reading resources to surrounding communities and monastic schools. Finally, we thank the German Embassy for supporting this great project. Sincerely,
Nangchukja Director Friendship Charity Association www.friendshipcharity.org 2
Photographs Related photos may be viewed at: www.flickr.com/photos/friendshipcharityassociation/
Local monastery. 3
A library. 4
Monks chanting. 5
Local monastery. 6
Books before the project. 7
Books provided by the project. 8
Books in bookshelves. 9
A local monk reads in the new library. 10
A local lama reads in the library. 11
Books in shelves. 12
Books in shelves. 13
Books in shelves. 14
Chinese books in the library 15
Chinese and Tibetan history books. 16
Tibetan alphabet wall poster. 17
Tibetan books. 18
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A monk reads in the library. 20
A monk reads in the library. 21
INTERVIEWS 1.1.Interview One
Rabjay, a local monk, said, “In the valley of our school, there are fourteen other schools. Most don’t have a library. We are lucky to have this library book project. I am very confident that our students will use the resources very well.”
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1.2.Interview Two
Yarkha, local monastery abbot, said, “Most monasteries in this area lack librares. They rarely have books with contents about the modern world. This is a problem all across Tibetan areas - not being able to understand the outside world. If we read books focused on religion only and not other cultures, our community and people will continue to be isolated. We are thankful for having such a reading resource with many books.�
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PROJECT IMPACTS
The average number of hours spent reading increased per student, Chances of students' scores on standardized tests will increase, Teachers are better equipped to prepare for class, Students develop a wide knowledge base. The positive experience of engaging in self-guided reading positively impacts student literacy. Realization of how to use dictionaries and understanding stories from illustrations and pictures.
PROJECT ACTIVITIES 2013 May June August September Sep - Oct October
Activities Received funds
Participants FCA, villagers, leaders.
Held a project meeting, library regulation informed The headmasters and the teachers will decide the books FCA, villagers, according to the levels students and purchase them in Xining leaders, expert. Purchased bookcases from local carpenter FCA, villagers, leaders, expert. Placed books in bookcases in the schools’ libraries FCA, villagers, leaders. Final report FCA, villagers, leaders, expert.
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LETTER OF APPRECIATION (translation) Dear German Embassy, On behalf of all the students and teachers, we want to thank the German Embassy. Secondly, this library book project brought us a great study environment and resource. Thirdly, library resources are diverse and enable students to read about topics beyond Tibetan Buddhism. Because of all these benefits, we again sincerely thank the German Embassy for giving us this library book project. Sincerely, Waja Monastic School (Stamp)
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LETTER OF APPRECIATION (Original)
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LETTER OF APPRECIATION (translation) Dear German Embassy, We are thankful to the German Embassy for bringing this library book project to this isolated part of the world. This library project brought many benefits: Students are now able to read not only Tibetan books, but also many Chinese and English books well. Such resources will provide an environment for students to learn other cultures and more about the outside world. We are truly grateful to you for granting us this great gift. Tsanga Monastic School (Stamp)
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LETTER OF APPRECIATION (Original)
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PROJECT SUSTAINABILITY Friendship Charity Association (FCA) and the schools are responsible for the sustainability of this project. The local village will report to FCA should project-related problems arise in the near future. Meanwhile, FCA will visit the project site once a month and will discuss problems, should they arise, with local villagers. To ensure this project is sustainable, the following library regulations will be observed:
School headmasters will be responsible for library maintenance and operation. They will work with village/monastery leaders and a village library committee, consisting of students. This committee's member names should be listed with the schedule and signed by committee members to show their agreement.
All the committee members and students should have library cards with the school stamp created by the library committee members. The card should have students’ name, card number, birthday, and home village name.
The school library will be open daily 12:30-2:30 p.m. and 5:30-7:30 p.m. excepting holidays.
Students from below grade three may not take books out of the library or borrow them; they must read books in the library.
Students or teachers may only borrow one book at a time. Loss and damage must be paid for by the responsible individual.
Students and teachers must maintain silence in the library. They may not chew gum.
When the library is closing, the library monitor will make sure that books are not being taken without being borrowed.
The library monitor position is one of extra responsibility, not extra privilege.
Friendship Charity Association (FCA) will monitor the project after implementation. If regulations are not being enforced, the donor (s) will be informed, the books confiscated, and another library site at a different school chosen.
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BACKGROUND
T
sanga and Waja monastic schools are located in the local village's administrative monasteries. Tsanga Monastic Primary School currently has 73 Tibetan monk students and Waja has 40.
The monks live in adobe houses, which are yarded by adobe walls. The monastery does not receive income for the monastery as a whole; instead, monks generate income individually by chanting in village homes and receivinf donations for prayers they recite. However, this system has changed recently. At present, no monks are allowed to chant for any homes outside of the monastery. Deprived of this income, the monastery and every monk is suffering from a severe financial shortfall. Now each monk only stays in the monastery to study and practice religion while their parents or relatives support them. The schools have winter and summer holiday program whereby an English teacher and Chinese teacher are invited to the monastery to teach the students. Well-known Tibetan professors are invited to give speeches to local monks and students. With such guidance, having a library in the schools provides a better study environment for the students. Since the schools do not charge tuition and all the monk teachers are volunteers, many impoverished families, as well as orphanages, send students. Students from nearby villages go home for meals, whereas, boarding students eat food provided by the local monastery committee at the school. The local monastery committee has income from grassland, sheep, and yaks. Local community volunteers herd the livestocks. FCA has implemented four library book projects for four primary schools since 2005. Related final reports are at: http://www.thdl.org/community/pdfs/guinanlibrary.pdf; and http://www.thdl.org/ community/pdfs/germanlibraryproject.pdf
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FINANCES Donor Contribution = 64,000RMB Receipt No.
Item
Detail
Total RMB
1
Books
Xinhua Bookstore
25,576
2
Books
Xinhua Bookstore
849.40
3
Books
Wenhui Bookstore
6,000
4
Books
Sanfeng Bookstore
1,573
5
Books
Xinhua Bookstore
2,622
6
Books
Yuecai Bookstore
9,748
7
Books
Huisijie Bookstore
8-9
Books
Xihai Bookstore
1,410
10 – 11
Books
Sanfeng Bookstore
1,573
12 – 17
Books
Xinhua Bookstore
9,637
18
Books
Xinhua Bookstore
1,035
19 – 20
Books
Zangting Bookstore
656
21
Bookcase
Five bookselves per
1,050
22
Transportation
600RMB per truck
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Management
FCA management fee
TOTAL
651
600 1,020 64,000
Local Contribution = 41,850RMB
Item Library Renovation
Details Painting and floor repair / 20,000RMB per library Bookcase Five bookcases* 250RMB Transportation 600RMB per truck TOTAL LOCAL CONTRIBUTION TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET
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Total RMB 40,000 1,250 600 41,850 105,850
Expenditure 1. Receipt
32
2. Receipt
33
3. Receipt
4. Receip
34
5. Receipt
6. Receipt
35
7. Receipt
8. Receipt
36
9. Receipt
37
10. Receipt
38
11. Receipt
39
12. Receipt
40
13. Receipt
41
14. Receipt
42
15. Receipt
43
16. Receipt
44
17. Receipt
45
18. Receipt
46
19. Receipt
47
20. Receipt
48
21. Receipt
49
22. Receipt
23. Receipt
50
Project Map:
Guinan County 51
Project Site
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