Construction of the first stage will be completed in the summer 2006 and first 50 orphans will be taken in. Below is the description of the infrastructure that needs to be build, the teaching program for the first year, the staff required, steps to ensure good health, and total budget required.

Infrastructure

The following buildings will be constructed to host 50 children and required staff:

Buildings

Children’s houses - Children live in family houses with their surrogate mothers . Houses will be built like traditional family houses with living quarters, two rooms for children and one room for a mother. Children will have a private study place in their rooms. Three houses will be build to accommodate 50 children.

Classrooms and office space - The first group of 50 children will be divided into two classes of 25 each. One building will host two classrooms and office.

Staff accommodation - Five people will share one house; each person with private living quarters 25m2 in size.

Kitchen and dinning room - Kitchen and dinning room with total capacity of 100 children will also serve as a performance and meeting place.

Other buildings - Outside toilet, guardhouse and garage with combined size of 61 m2 will also have to be built. The fence around the school property is currently being constructed; built in traditional Tibetan style using stones and earth. A good fence is essential for protection from wild animals and thieves.

Architectural style

All buildings will be constructed in traditional Tibetan architectural style. Traditional building materials of soil and wood will be replaced by cement to ensure longevity of the buildings and protect the environment.

Building enhancements

Simple toilets will be built inside the houses as is traditionally done in monastic settlements and villages in more prosperous areas. Washrooms and solar heated showers will also be constructed in every house. One of the causes of poor hygiene and resulting health problems is simply lack of places where people can wash, especially in cold winter months.

Climate conditions in this area are difficult; winters are cold with strong wind and temperatures of minus 20 and below. It is difficult to imagine that children can study well if they have to constantly struggle with cold; it becomes very difficult even to hold a pen and write in freezing temperatures. Therefore all children’s houses, classrooms, offices and staff quarters will be insulated and equipped with energy efficient double-glazed windows and passive solar heating. This will ensure the optimal use of whatever heating method is in place.

In addition, funds permitting, active solar heating will be installed in all buildings. Solar collectors with water will be placed on roofs and heated water circulated in the cement floors, keeping the heating mass warm. This represents an additional cost of 400 Yuan per m2 but requires no further cost to operate.

Each family and staff house will have a garden with trees, flowers and a greenhouse. It will provide a pleasant living environment and a source of healthy food as well as a learning experience for the children.

Although the above-mentioned enhancements present a higher cost, they are well worth implementing. They will ensure optimal living and studying environment for students and teachers. Another equally important reason is introduction of new technology and ideas to the area.

Curriculum

The first year curriculum will include the following subjects:

Tibetan language, Chinese language and mathematics;
English language;
Learning about nature;
Ethics;
Art - drawing, music and dance.

Additional subjects such as history, geography, computer use, science etc., will be introduced in the following years.

Strong vocational training program will be implemented, teaching children skills relevant to the local community and useful for the life in their homeland, including greenhouse farming, growing medicine plants, animal herding, environment protection, handicraft arts, working in tourism, etc. Vocational training will allow students to appreciate their homeland, to learn how to use its resources effectively and sustainable in order to create a good life for themselves and others.

Budget

At the moment, more than 30 children who live in very difficult conditions are waiting to be admitted to the Shechen Charity Orphan School. Therefore construction will start in time to reach completion in August 2006, even if total funds are not raised. If this is the case, the quality and extent of the building will be scaled down.

Please note that construction costs in remote area are higher than in more developed region. Most of the construction material has to be transported from Chengdu or Kanding, a two days drive across high mountain passes.

All amounts are in Euros.

Construction