Sichuan Quake Relief (SQR)

About 220 secondary school students from Qipangou in Wenchuan have been relocated to Chengdu and will spend at least the next 18 months in the provincial capital separated from their parents while their hometown is being rebuilt.

The students, most of whom are from the Qiang ethnic minority, are aged between 12 and 15. They have 22 teachers and administrative staff who look after them. The parents are either back in Wenchuan rebuilding homes, or have moved to the coastal cities to look for work.

Because of an insufficient supply of teachers, classes often have more than 50 students. The education fees are covered by the Wenchuan government but the students generally need about 600 RMB a month for food and basic living expenses. There is a government subsidy of 300 RMB for this and the rest comes from family members, if they have it to spare.

Sichuan Quake Relief Projects for the Qipangou Students

Basic warm winter clothing

The children do not have sufficient winter clothing. We aim to supply each child with at least two sets of long johns (winter undergarments). Other warm clothing would be put to good use to here.

One set costs 25rmb. 220 x 50rmb is 11,000 RMB.

Minimum target for winter clothing project: 11,000 RMB.

Library Books

They have a small library in place but they need more books.

500 children’s books: 3,500 RMB.

Weekend support projects

Separated from their family, the children are stuck in the Chengdu school at the weekends and have very little by the way of leisure activities to break their study routine. As the teachers have to mind them all the time, they haven’t been able to take a day off since the earthquake.

SQR and members of the local community plan to organise day trips, sports days, and fun informal educational projects for groups of these children. If your company or school would like to help cover some of the costs of these weekend activities, please email us at peter@sichuan-quake-relief.org.

Costs involved would be small, generally covering expenses like bus travel, lunch, fun educational projects, and entrance tickets into places they would like to visit, such as the Panda Base, the Moon Bear centre, cinemas, parks etc. Please also get in touch if you’d like to help arrange these activities.