Courage to Hope: Construction of the new school begins
A few months ago, I shared a story about Cheng Liu Elementary School, which has around 400 students, of which one-third of them belong to HIV/AIDS infected families. This school is one of the best in the area in terms of academic standards. However, the physical condition of the school building is abysmal. The windows on the north side of the building are completely closed while those on the south are missing glass panes. Upon my return to the U.S, I couldn’t stop dreaming about the photos that I took of this dilapidated school building.
A few months ago, I shared a story about Cheng Liu Elementary School, which has around 400 students, of which one-third of them belong to HIV/AIDS infected families. This school is one of the best in the area in terms of academic standards. However, the physical condition of the school building is abysmal. The windows on the north side of the building are completely closed while those on the south are missing glass panes. Upon my return to the U.S, I couldn’t stop dreaming about the photos that I took of this dilapidated school building.
{mosimage}A total of USD $90,000 is needed to rebuild this school and so far, the East Asia and the Pacific office along with local supporters have been able to provide USD $20,000 towards the rebuilding of this school and supporting 600 elementary school students, from HIV/AIDS infected villages, who have had to drop out of school due to dire financial circumstances.
On May 5, 2005, the construction of this school building was started and will be completed by September, 2005. The first phase of the construction process includes building 12 classrooms which will cost 580,000 Chinese Yuan (which equals about USD $70,000) and funding for this has been raised by Global Ministries’ partner Zhecheng Succor (HIV/AIDS) Society, in Henan, China.
{mosimage} This construction can be considered a milestone in Henan, an HIV/AIDS infected area, where international cooperation has become highly visible in supporting HIV/AIDS affected farmers and their families living in these poor rural areas. This region is no longer subject to isolation due to the large degree of cooperation and funding provided by our partners.
Rev. Xiaoling Zhu, Executive for East Asia and the Pacific
The foster home for children affected by AIDS in Henan Province, China The small loan program for farmer families living with HIV/AIDS in Henan Province, China God is Love: A report from Rev. Xiaoling Zhu on his visit to Shuangmiao Village in Henan Province, December 2004 Global Ministries’ Child Sponsorship Program Video – Courage to Hope: Responding to AIDS in Rural China