“Shepherd Boys + Supporters” caring Activities

We launched the “Girls & Ecology” project which aimed at helping more local girls to go to school, establishing sex equalities in local communities & the sense of environmental protection in the minds of future mothers of Caochi. The Association, as the medium between local females & the outside supporters, after finding sponsors for needy local female students, will transfer the subsidy to the students or their parents under the supervision of local village Committee & schools. The students or parents will produce evidence of receipt.The student can then continue with their studies.

In May 2004, according to our investigation in Caochi community, there’re 60 girls in the village while among the 43 students in school, only 12 were girls. Less than 20% of the village girls go to school.The ratio of male & female students were 2.5 : 1. The villagers did not attach much importance to girls going to school. In most village communities, parents were of the view that it’s more important to let boys rather than girls go to school.

In the same year, the Association registered & numbered basic information of girls at school in Caochi & introduced the “Girls & Ecology” project to the girls’ parents.In the project, the supporters sponsored the girls’ learning expenses. The girls often wrote letters to the sponsors to describe the changes in the villages’ ecological environment & traditional culture & development problems of the local communities.At present, Zhang Yijun & Chun Tao are sponsoring two girl students in the Caochi school.

Fig 1 At last, I can go to school!

Fig 2 The girls