October updates!

Please click the below image for the short clips from the October visit.
The clips begins with words from Sherap, the founder of the school and ends with some beautiful music.


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SHORTER VERSION
If your computer is not fast enough for the above link!!!

Instead, please click the below clip which only has the first 1 minute of Sherap's word.

[Scroll down for more short footages]



*transcript of Sherap's words in mandarin Chinese as shown below:

我叫西珠嘉措, 是拉卜愣寺上續部學院的一名僧人
I am sherap Gyatso, I am a monk from the Upper Tantric College of Labrang
因為我的老家就在卓尼縣康多鄉卡加村
my family home is in Kajia village, Kangdu of Choni
就在這個山區裏頭,因為在你們的幫助下
and it’s inside this mountain area,it is because of your help
所以就我就可以把這個學校建起來了
it enables me to build this school
而且我就這一次我就把這一些籌到的衣服
also this time, I have got these clothes
還有就這一些書本,還有就把這一個學校的這一些規模的這一些
also these books, also the extent of this school and all these
都是你們幫助下才能把建起來的
could only be built together with your help
所以我就..代表..我學校...就非常感謝你們..好嘛..對..
therefore on behalf of my school...we feel very thankful to you all
希望你們以後有機會,就要在夏天的時候就在這一個地方的藍天白雲
hope in the future you will have chance,during summer time when this place has blue sky and white cloud
很好的草原,也有好多的花,也有好多的樹林
very good grassland, and also with many flowers,and many woods
希望你們到..親自到這邊來瞭解瞭解這個地方
I hope you can come for a visit and get to know this place
謝謝
thankyou

Children books

Reading

clothes

Singing

17-19 Oct to Grassland School

A last minute one person trip to the grassland school took place over the weekend. It was already snowing!

Some books donated from HK back in March were brought along to the school. At the same time, clothes donated from HK via Shanghai and Beijing were also distributed.

A more details report about the trip as well as Sherap's thankyou message will be uploaded very soon.

Thank you letter in English translation

This letter was originally written in Chinese , recieved on 11 August from Sherap, the founder of the grasslandschool.

Below shows the English translation:

-----------------------------------------------

感谢信,
Thank you letter,

我是西珠小学的筹建人，西珠嘉措，我是从大山里走出的僧人，深感没有文化的痛楚，因此在家乡正在筹建一所希望小学。
I am the founder of Xizhu Primary School, Sherap Gyatso (Chi. Xizhu Gacuo). I am a monk who came from the mountain, and I deeply feel the pain of not having any cultural cultivation. Therefore I hope to build a Hope School in my hometown.

我是一名普通僧人，没有稳固的经济来源，虽有鸿图之志，却举步为难，庆好有社会各界爱心人士的捐助，才得以解困。
I am an ordinary monk without a sustainable income. Even though I have such an ambitious will, it feels very difficult to proceed. Therefore it was fortunate to receive donations supported by the kind hearted people all around in the society.

现在已初步建成七间房子及学校围墙，并且整平将要建设的十间教室地基。现有四十二名农牧民孩子，可以正常地走进教室学习文化，以后他们能更多地了解外面的世界。你们的无私捐助非常重要，没有你们的捐助，就没有我们的今天，更不会有孩子们的明天！
Presently, a classroom building with 7 bays (3 rooms, 2 classrooms) together with the school fencing wall has been built. On the other side, the foundation of the 2nd building with 10 bays has also been prepared. There are now 42 children from the villages able to go into the classrooms and learn about culture. Soon after, they will be able to understand the outside world. Your selfless donations are very important. Without your support, our “Today” wouldn’t have been possible, let alone “Tomorrow” for these children.

在此，我代表这里的孩子们谢谢你们的爱心！我深深地感谢你们对我贫困地区的帮助！
Here, on behalf of the children, I send my gratitude to you all for your kind heart! I deeply thank you for your support toward our impoverished region.

祝愿：你们身体健康，生活愉快，
Wish for your health and joyous life,

扎西德勒！西珠嘉措
Tashi Delek! (May everything be well)! Sherap Gyatso
------------------------------------------------------------------

Thankyou letter and the update school picture!

Just recieved Sherap's e-mail Thankyou letter in Chinese which his friend translated for him.
There are also some photos including the finished fencing wall and the finished foundation work for the 2nd school building.
(The English translation will be uploaded soon)
-----------------------------------------

From: 4 <>Subject: 感谢信(西珠嘉措)To: m Date: Monday, August 11, 2008, 3:26 PM



感谢信

我是西珠小学的筹建人，西珠嘉措，我是从大山里走出的僧人，深感没有文化的痛楚，因此在家乡正在筹建一所希望小学。
我是一名普通僧人，没有稳固的经济来源，虽有鸿图之志，却举步为难，庆好有社会各界爱心人士的捐助，才得以解困。
现在已初步建成七间房子及学校围墙，并且整平将要建设的十间教室地基。现有四十二名农牧民孩子，可以正常地走进教室学习文化，以后他们能更多地了解外面的世界。你们的无私捐助非常重要，没有你们的捐助，就没有我们的今天，更不会有孩子们的明天！
在此，我代表这里的孩子们谢谢你们的爱心！我深深地感谢你们对我贫困地区的帮助！

祝愿：你们身体健康，生活愉快，

扎西德勒！西珠嘉措

Dinner Menu - Aug 2

Appetizer

prosciutto with lychee rocket salad/Lychee rocket salad
warm scallop royal salad/ Warm royal salad

Pasta

penne with halibut in mushroom and leek cream sauce/penne with mushroom and leek cream sauce

Vegetable

asparagus with lump fish caviar/asparagus with soy bacon

Main Course

roasted pork loin stuffed with apricot and pine nuts/squids and prawns in bell pepper/portobello mushroom and tofu steak

Dessert

roasted pear and tomato toast

Tea or Coffee

Thankyou Thankyou!

We did it! We rasied HKD$43,610 (Dinner + Silent Auction)

It was a fun and unforgettable evening especially the wonderful food and the exciting silent auction.

Thank you to everyone who have helped to make this happened.

Applause to all 44 diners and the lovely helpers!

Let me write more soon.

Dinner

contact: meikei_hui@yahoo.com

Silent Auction - Call for item donations

Grassland School updates:

Fencing wall construction + picnic (2007 June)

Grassland School updates

(following phone call with Sherap early July 2008)

Last batch of funding
Sherap spent the last batch of funding on fencing wall (construction is completed). The total cost was RMB 76,000, with RMB15,000 payment outstanding. (Not paid to the builder yet as retention)

2nd school building construction
Now he is preparing for the building of the 2nd school building. The foundation has been laid. Parts of the building materials are ready. These are such as certain portion of timber. This 2nd school building is slightly larger than 1st building. (Need further clarification from Sherap)

Summary of outstanding Building materials for the 2nd building.
- Self-made sundried hollow brick.
- Cement (for the brick bonding)
- Roofing material (roof tiles, I also ask him to check insulation cost)
- Apparently labor cost has risen.
- Also certain building material cannot be found from nearby town (Hezuo合作, Lingxia临夏) but need to buy from Lanzhou兰州.

Building Cost - Sherap couldn't give me any rough figure of how much $$ he will need to complete the building of this 2nd building. (Need further info from Sherap)

Fresh water supply
A spring on the upper slope of the village is used as the new water supply. Government has provided pipe to each household awhile ago. (end of 2007) Villagers do the pipe work (dig into the soil to install the pipe work) themselves to connect to the spring (water source). This water supply works most of the time apart from winter time where the pipe froze. In these situations, the villagers collect water from the old spring, which we saw in out last visit.

foundation work, 1st school building (2006 summer)

1st visit (2006 Spring)

School construction (2006 Summer)

1st school building completed (2006 Autumn)

School Opening (2006 Autumn)

School visit (2007 April)

School visit (2007 April)

Cancellation of the up-coming trip

Due to the recentsituation in Tibetan area, the team has decided cancelling the trip to grassland school via Xiahe which was originally scheduled to take place this Saturday.

It’s therefore the book collection will continue slowly. A trip maybe rescheduled a few weeks later depending on the situation. Please be reminded that it maybe also not the best time to post books to Sherap at this very moment.

Best regards,
Maggie

Types of Book!

Below shows examples of the types of book which are aimed to collected this time:

Tibetan language Children books

朋友介绍下刚找到国外一个研究生办的组织

Tibetan Art and Literature Initiative (TALI)

http://www.talitibet.org/projects.html

他们找经费在国内(青海)出版一些藏文的儿童书

由藏族的艺术家做设计插画

派发到国内藏区的小学

已经联系上他们

需然上一次出版的两本已经没存货

想订想买也买不到

但是他们说年中再出的几本新的故事书

可以把"草原学校"也列在派发的名单上

这真是个好消息 !

Through a friend, I was introduced to:

TALI: Tibetan Art and Literature Initiative

(http://www.talitibet.org/projects.html).

TALI publishes Tibetan language children books inside China (Qinghai) and then distribute the books freely to Tibetan primary school in Tibetan area. Eventhough the last 2 children books they published last year are all out of stock, they are very please to include the grassland school into the distribution list when they have a few more books which are scheduled to be published later this year.

What a good news!

In the meanwhile, we will try to collect children books (story books/ picture books) from anyone (English/ Chi) and bring some to the school during Easter.

Pictures from TALI at other tibetan school in China

Simple children books! learn Eng, pic books for word...

Someone who have experince doing such project has given the following comments:

"Many thanks for your message. I am glad you are undertaking this important task. My congratulations to you and all friends involved in helping this school...

...Finally, regarding sending books from HK, I think they may want to have certain simple books to learn English, for example, like picture books with words. Maybe you can find bilingual Chinese-English ones. Dictionaries may be useful as well. Science or geography picture books could be also useful. But it is hard to say without knowing exactly the curriculum they follow. I usually send the books in English from here and they open them, take a look, close the boxes and let them arrive to their destination. I have not had trouble with this yet. I did not write any letter either. As long as the books are for children it should be OK."

A call for Book donation

Happy belated Losar (tibetan word of Tibetan new year)
also Happy belated CNY of rat! and Happy 2008!

It's been a while for this site to be updated.
Finally I have almost completed my research study at uni. Will surely update the site very soon.
In the meanwhile, please find the following the latest happening!
6 people from HK will be visiting the grassland school Easter next month. And we would like to take this opportunity to call for book donation. Adding more personal touch to what you can participate. Demo Shi! Tashi Delek!