Daiqian Running Water Project
Shem Women's Group & CIEE Study Center in Shanghai, China
The Shem Women’s Group is an NGO that serves the needs of villages on the Tibetan plateau and has a history of working with international donors to fund small scale development projects; providing solar cookers, electricity, potable water, education and basic survival equipment, that benefit many impoverished communities, with a particular focus on the improvement of women's lives. They advance their work through training local women on the creation of sustainable projects who then return to their home villages to implement the projects. The organization sought a Ping Matching Grant for a running water project in the village of Daiqian, in Zhaxixiulong Township, Tibetan Autonomous County. Previously, the women in this village regularly traveled great distances, once or twice a day, to get potable water. Providing a ready source of running water allowed the village's young women to spend their time on more other pursuits, including attending school and acquiring technical and professional skills.
CIEE students initially participated by working alongside the villagers in installing the new water system. They also helped the project manager evaluate the success of the project. The Ping Matching Grant has established a working relationship with the NGO, thus allowing future CIEE students to participate in projects based in other Tibetan villages.
Photo courtesy of Shem Women's Group
Photo courtesy of Shem Women's Group