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News & Updates Update 8.24.08
News & Updates Update 8.24.08
| Update 8.24.08 |
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| Written by admin |
| Sunday, 24 August 2008 08:49 |
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Here are the Tibet projects I am working on now: 1. $1,000 donated to help poor Tibetan children in the Xining area. A report on this project will be posted in the not-too-distant future. 2. Help has been provided for a young Tibetan woman with her studies. In the report below, they call her Emily, but of course that's not her real name. I met her last year (12/07) in Kham (Eastern Tibet, Szechuan Province). This report is written by her Australian English teacher: I have been teaching here in ETP (English Training Program) since 2005. For most of this time I have been funded by an Australian organization, Australian Volunteers International. I was first Emily's teacher in 2006, when she was in grade two. At this time I was teaching her class Integrated English Skills (a class based on culturally appropriate texts, most of them written by past students). Even in grade 2, Emily had already shown strong dedication to her studies, and was one of the top students in her class. Since then Emily has entered the Dazhuan program of ETP, which is the equivalent of a college diploma or associate's degree. Emily is now in her first year of Dazhuan studies, and will graduate from the course in Late 2009 (receiving her degree early 2010). As I believe Emily has told you, the fees for the Dazhuan program are expensive. Grade one and two students in our program are fully funded, by NGO and Embassy donations, but all Dazhuan students must find their own tuition. This cost is often more than an entire household earns in a year (in some students' areas, yearly average income can be as little as 400rmb). Thanks to your help, Emily's family won't need to take out a bank loan (which often incurs crippling interest charges) which would need to be paid off for many years to come, or even worse, she wouldn't be able to attend school at all... Emily and the other girls in her class live in dormitories on the university campus. Usually 6-8 girls share one dorm. I don't know much about her family's living situation in Ganzi. As far as I know, her father and brother are the sole income generators, and the rest of her family are responsible for the herding and housekeeping duties. It is likely that Emily is in a similar situation to most ETP female students - as the only educated young woman in her community. Many girls are still kept at home to work, rather than go to school. This trend is changing, but slowly. In the Dazhuan program, Emily studies: writing, anthropology, world literature, development, geography, plus Chinese and Tibetan subjects. She studies really hard, and you're right - she's a sweet, honest and lovely young woman. Her likely employment prospects after graduation are: teaching in her hometown or another school in Ganzi, working as a translator or NGO employee, or working in the tourism industry. If you are interested in helping other students or communities, there is (of course!) so so so much that could be done. There is one particular small project that I thought you might be interested in - Gawangjyid (Maybelle), a recent Dazhuan graduate, is searching for a private donor to help an ill woman in her village. From what I understand, this woman has quite severe epilepsy which has destroyed her family and is getting worse. I had asked Gawangjyid to do some research into the expense of epilepsy treatment, and she has a proposal ready with more details than I can give. 3. This project below written by Gawangjyid (Maybelle) has already been funded. $191 for medical treatment of the epilepsy and an additional $134 for living expenses. Stay tuned for further developments: Proposal: Diagnosis and Hospital Fee for Dorji Tsomo Project Manager: Gawangjyid (Maybelle) Gawangjyid is from Yehe Village, Cuozhou Township, Jiantsa County, Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, China. She did her Associates Degree in English at Qinghai Normal University Nationalities Department's English Training Program. She graduated in 2008. Introduction to Dorji Tsomo: Dorji Tsomo is from Yehe Village, Cuozhou Township, Jiantsa County, Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, China. She is 37 years old and she suffers from almost daily seizures. Her family doesn't have any history of fits or convulsions. Her convulsions started when she was 14-15 years old and have become more serious over the years. They are now seriously affecting her life, and that of her family members. She is becoming a danger to herself. Family back ground (including education, cash income, agricultural and herding practices): There are seven people in Dorji Tsomo's family. Her mother, elder brother (a monk), younger sister and her live in the home. Her other siblings (one sister and three brothers) have married out into different households. Dorji Tsomo and her mother are illiterate. Her brother can read and write Tibetan, because he is a monk and he learnt Tibetan in the monastery. Her younger sister is studying in Gansu Medical School. Her family has two mu1 of land on which they plant wheat, barley, and potatoes. Each year they can produce three hundred jin2 of barley, wheat or potatoes, per mu. This amount of produce is not really sufficient to feed four people. Her family has 29 sheep, but they don't sell the wool for cash income. Instead they keep the wool to make quits or clothes for the family. Dorji Tsomo's siblings and relatives give the family some money each year (sometimes this is as little as the spare change in their pockets). Together they estimate that it comes to about 400 rmb (58USD). Except for this stipend, they don't have any income. With this money her family purchases the following items each year: One set of clothes for the members to share One small packet each of tea and salt Some candles (they don't have electricity) Assorted vegetables One sack of barley A little wheat To purchase a set of clothes for each family member would cost about 500rmb (73 USD) which is simply impossible. Therefore they each wear one set of clothes for three or four years until they become very old and worn-out. The cost of diagnosis and treatment for Dorji Tsomo is prohibitive due to the family's impoverished living conditions. Project goals: The overall goal of this project is to save Dorji Tsomo from her debilitating sickness, which in turn will improve living conditions for her relatives and community members. The immediate purpose of this project is to diagnose and hopefully cure Dorji Tsomo's illness. Problems: During the fits, Dorji Tsomo chews her own tongue. This is not only painful, but it is susceptible to serious infection. If she gets an infection, her family will not have money to pay for treatment. During her fits, Dorji Tsomo's whole body becomes stiff, which makes her weak. She has no energy after a fit and feels tired and lethargic for the next one to two weeks. As fits have increased in frequency over time, she has become weaker and weaker. People say that nowadays she seems 'like an elderly hospital patient'. In addition, because of the fits, she can't get married. She can't survive by herself outside of her family. If she went out to earn money, fits would occur which she couldn't manage alone. Therefore she can't do any construction work or other common income-generating labor. Though she can do some housework, all other types of employment are not optional for her, as she never knows when a fit will come. This is not only affecting Dorji Tsomo's living standard, it is also extremely demoralizing for her as a human being. Usually she is a 'normal' person, living a normal life. But because of the fits, not only she is at a disadvantage, but her family also experiences difficulties. Effects on her siblings: Because Dorjis Tsomo can't survive by herself, her siblings have to take care of her as well as their family responsibilities and work. They must buy medicine (a Chinese medicine that has not been effective for the three years she has been using it), clothes, and other essential items for her. Sometimes they must take turns in accompanying her in the case of a fit occurring. Her mother stays with her all the time. If a fit happens when she is in the field, they must put a small cloth into her mouth to prevent her chewing her tongue, and then carry her home. As her mother is too weak to do so, at least one of her siblings is required stay with her every single minute. Hence the siblings are also prevented from doing many other necessary tasks or jobs which could otherwise improve their living condition. Moreover, all of her siblings are farmers, which means that their cash income is very low (the three households earn an average of 2000rmb (292USD) per household per year). They have problems and difficulties with their own lives, with the added burden of a very ill sister. Effects on her mother: Dorji Tsomo's mother is 69 years old now. Previously she was a healthy old woman when compared with the other village women her age. However her health has worsened in the last seven years due in some part to Dorji Tsering's illness. Caring for Dorji Tsomo every time a fit happens causes her mother a lot of worry. Her mother frets about Dorji Tsomo's future, which has contributed to her own heart condition. Dorji Tsomo's mother now experiences frequent anxiety attacks which leave her distressed and in pain. Effects on the family: Due to Dorji Tsomo's fits, not only can she not help her family's financial situation, but also her siblings aren't able to earn much money. As mentioned above, this is because they need to stay with her at all times. Fits happen at any time, anywhere and there is no sign as to when they will arrive. Dorji Tsomo's condition is a significant drain on resources - individual and family, emotional and financial. Effects of village stigma: Because of Dorji Tsomo's fits, people in the village and the neighboring villages look down upon their family. They give Dorji Tsomo negative nicknames. People have named her and her family 'fit's family'. This stigma is debilitating to Dorji Tsomo and her family's confidence and aefects her daily life in a constant, negative way. The family now lives on a hillside in the herding area which is three kilometers away from the village. This is partially because they can't afford to live in the village, and also to avoid people's derisive comments. Beneficiaries: Though the money goes on one person to cure her sickness, around 45 people benefit from this project. These are Dorji Tsomo, her family, her siblings and relatives. Time Frame and proposed activities, STAGE ONE: The first stage of this project will take approximately three days this time. Dorji Tsomo will travel with a sibling to Xining, the provincial capital, where she will undergo tests at the Hospital. Once a diagnosis has been made, appropriate medication will be purchased which Dorji Tsomo can use in her home. Thus concludes stage one of the project. Note: The following tests have been recommended by three Western-trained doctors who have read information about Dorji Tsomo's history and a doctor at the Red Cross Hospital in Xining. While, of course, it is not completely certain that epilepsy is the cause of her convulsions, all symptoms point to this. As a result, the anti-epilepsy medicines below have been included in the budget. Should these estimates change, the donor will be immediately consulted with as to the best possible course of action. One day: Dorji Tsomo and her brother travel from their home to Xining. One day: Do all the tests and purchase medicine. One day: Return home. Detailed Budget STAGE ONE Item Price per item in RMB Number of item Donor Contribution in RMB Total cost in RMB Tests: Registration 10 1 10 10 CT Scan 237.5 1 237.5 237.5 Blood test 207 1 207 207 EEG 55 1 55 55 Phenytoin (anti epilepsy medication) 2.5 (one bottle) 1 (bottle) 2.5 2.5 Sodium Valpoate (anti epilepsy medication) 12 (one bottle) 1 (bottle) 12 12 Carbamazepine (anti epilepsy medication) 5 (one bottle) 1(bottle) 5 5 Transportation: fee 200 (bus, then taxi for two people) 2 ( From the village to Xining and return) 400 400 Miscellaneous expenses: Hotel 50 (per person) 4 (two nights for two people*) 200 200 Food 30 (per person per day) 6 (three days for two people*) 180 180 Total 1,309 1,309 Total Cost in USD 191 USD Proposed activities, STAGE TWO: Assuming that Dorji Tsomo's diagnosis goes well, and that she responds to the initial treatment with anti-epilepsy medications, she will need approximately three follow-up tests over the coming year. This is because the dosage of the above anti-epilepsy medications requires some fine-tuning over time. This will require the following activities to be undertaken: - Three return journeys to Xining for two people - Six nights' food and accommodation for two people. - Hospital fees and costs (the project manager anticipates this to be less, as the scans will not need to be performed with each consultation) - Medicine costs (as one can see above, the cost of the medications themselves is very reasonable) A detailed Budget of STAGE TWO has obviously not be completed as of yet. Should Dorji Tsomo's diagnosis and initial treatment go well, a second budget would be submitted for funding consideration. |
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