How can an International school take meaningful action on the issue of global water

deficits?

Our School and Gui’de

• Jim Gourley first went to Gui’de, discovered the Gui’de high school and the Chung Mu elementary school

• We began a cultural exchange with the Gui’de High school

• No defined relationship with the Chung Mu school.

• We focus our service projects around helping the elementary school and the local village.

Chung Mu General Information

What have we done?

• New Bunk Beds and re-painting the room

Building new pathways

The Program

10 Steps to address the issue of water deficits

1

Ask the locals what their main concern is

• It’s important not to assume we know what their main concern is.

• They could have more urgent needs that need to be dealt with.

• We asked the local Tibetans in Chang Mu, their answer: The water box is not working and they were having water issues

• We went away, not really understanding the full extent of the situation

• September 2007, we were unable to use water when we visited.

• Suddenly the problem became more real. • We began to investigate the problem

2

Visit the site of the problem

• Go physically see what the problem is, rather than just relying on what the locals say

• Later when the decision needs to be made whether we should help or not it’s important to have photographic evidence.

• We went to see the problem and saw the extent of the damage.

• It was clear that the water box was completely broken as well as the pipes were damaged.

• We took pictures of the women and how it affected them

• We also took pictures of the damaged pipes.

3

Ask ourselves …. Can we help?

• It’s important the before you start the project, make sure the issue isn’t too large for your school to deal with

• you don’t want to make a promise you can’t keep.

• There may be some administrative problems, make sure your allowed to start your project

• A trained civil engineer was present.• She was incredibly active in helping start this

project- started raising funds immediately• Local NGO’s • Everyone was in agreement

4

Investigate why this area was prone to water deficits and how this affected the locals

• In order to begin to address the issue of water deficits, it is necessary that you understand what their real problem is and why they have this problem, because:

1.It will help you decide whether you can help solving the problem or not.

2.It will help you find a solution that is permanent.

The problem in Chang mu was:• During the summer, there was annual

flooding that destroyed the water box and pipes that transported the water to the villagers.

• The locals got the polluted dirty water instead of clean water, although the actual water source was a clean natural spring.

• During the winter, the water box and the pipes connected from the water box to the villagers got frozen, which led to interruption of water service.

• The water box and pipes damaged by the flood during the summer were even more destroyed during winter.

• The flood in 2007 was so severe that it broke the water box completely, so it became an urgent issue.

• Conclusion: They had a good source of water, but the transportation and access was the issue.

The extent of the problem:• Villagers’ health was affected., because the

river downstream they used was polluted.• Women were affected, because the task of

fetching water fell on the women’s shoulders.

• Children’s school attendance was affected, because some children had to fetch water.

• Income levels were affected, because they could use the time more beneficially by other employment.

• Agriculture was affected, because they could grow safer vegetables and crops.

5

Talk to NGOs, experts about this issue

• You don’t have the qualifications to completely solve this problem on our own.

• But NGOs and experts can act as a bridge between your school and the project.

• Instead of looking for global or international NGO’s, try to find a local one.

• We contacted the local NGO and the development officer Luke helped us.

• Later on, another NGO officer Simon helped us a lot.

• Next is a clip of Simon talking about the advantages of talking to the NGOs.

6

Plan… how we can help resolve the problem

• You need to plan:• How your school can help to fix the problem.• A detailed outline of the funds that need to be

raised and the ways to raise them.• What physical action that needs to be taken.

• One of the most effective and important jobs we can do is raising awareness in our community and do some fundraising.

• Next is a clip of Simon talking about how an international school can help by raising funds.

• INSERT CLIP OF SIMON TALKING ABOUT HOW AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL CAN HELP BY RAISING FUNDS

• We talked to the NGO representative Luke who had already discussed with experts on a new design for the water box that will be able to withstand the annual floods.

• Our plan was basically to fix the broken water box, build the basket as the protective barrier, bury the pipes much deeper.

• INSERT ANIMATION OF WATER BOX

• Luke compiled a list of resources and financial needs.

• We began to plan how we were going to raise these funds.

• We wrote a proposal together as well fundraising around the school.

7

What resources do you need?

GET EM!!

• Make a list of what resources are needed -> for fund raising

• need experts’ help• Once this list is finished you know what you

need to get so get them!

Project BudgetDonor Contribution

Items Quantities Unit Price/ Cost

Total RMB

Cement 30 tons 1 Ton = RMB 320 (Guide)

9600

Pipe (75 mm) 1500 m 1m = 1.52kg1Kg = RMB14.5(Lanzhou )

33,060

Pipe (32 mm) 700m 1m = 0.32kg1Kg = RMB14.5(Lanzhou )

3,248

Pipe (25mm) 900m 1m= 0.21kg1Kg = RMB14.5(Lanzhou )

2,740.5

Iron Bar 1 ton RMB 3500(Xining)

3,500

Water Design Expert

1 RMB 2000 2,000

Skilled CementWorkers

4 1 = RMB 50 perday for 30 days

6,000

Connections Unknown App. RMB 2,200 2,200

TransportationFee

Unknown App. RMB 4,000 4,000

Administrative Fee

Unknown App. RMB 1500 1,500

Labor MachineFee

Unknown App. RMB 2000 2,000

Total (DonorContribution)

69,848.5

• Our project manager helped us• We contacted big companies with our

proposal• A company agreed to fund 50,000 RMB• Our school funded a part• NGO (project manager) bought the resources.

8

Take ACTION!!raise awareness in your community

• Awareness of the project and the problem in school community ->

- Raising fund- Sustaining the project

• Posters, assemblies, displays, demonstrations, newsletter articles, movies

• Sharing experiences and the importance of the project in assemblies

• Movies for visual impact• Photo displays- Show relationship- Progress of the project- On going promotion of awareness• We appealed to organizations such as the Parent

Faculty Organization to see if we could in some way get a sponsor from a company.

9

Don’t just sit there!! GO HELP!

• Fundraising, may be the most significant contribution an international school can make, but it’s important that you also go physically help.

• This allows you to come into more contact with the local people.

• As well as being able to see where the funds are going

• You’ll find its extremely rewarding and fun.

• We went to the site and collaborated with the locals to dig and move the rocks.

• We, as the students, could all see the site of the problem, how it is dealt with, and the progress of the project.

• It can be a good experience for students to have better understanding of the project and the local people’s tradition or customs.

10

Has the issue been properly addressed? Follow up!

• Keep in track of the progress of the project• Evaluate the success of the project(Change in the villagers’ life, how many people,

and how they are affected.)• Get feedbacks from the local people

• We had a teacher who was keeping in contact with the project manager.

• We heard the general outcomes form the NGO.

• We also interviewed the people who directly benefited from this project.

CONCLUSION

• The ten step program works!!

• Filter and Pipeline fixed 90 households are now on the system 29 of them are new taps

• Water sanitation and improvements to health• Promotion of gender equality • Reduced amount of time and labor especially

for women• Increased income• Increase children’s school attendance