Shem Women's Group
Shem Women's Group, an NGO that serves the needs of villages on the Tibetan plateau, 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 locals on the creation of sustainable projects; the locals 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. As things now stand, the women in this village need to travel great distances, once or twice a day, to get potable water. Providing a ready source of running water will allow the village's young women to spend their time on more worthwhile pursuits, including attending school and acquiring skills that will allow them to get good jobs.
CIEE students initially participated by working alongside the villagers in installing the new water system. They will also help 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.