Qiaotou Kindergarten Cousin's Program

Qiao Tou Kindergarten

The Qiaotou kindergarten was established in Baojing in 2003 in order to help Kindergarten    children who were born in violation of the one-child policy.  Some of the children are from two-children families that did not have the 5-year space needed for the second child, and some are from single parent homes.  The children are thus denied many of the benefits the government allows for children born within the one-child policy.  The fines required of these families are crippling in light of the financial hardships they already face.  In every case, the children are denied an education they deserve due to factors outside of their influence.   

After negotiation with the government, all kids in the kindergarten will upon graduation be allowed to go to a local public school without fine or punishment.  The school has also gained permission to expand to include children from the deep mountain regions of Baojing.  Currently there are 80 students and 5 teachers. The students study Chinese, Music, Art, and Math everyday and are served milk in the afternoon.  With the arrival of the first American volunteer in spring 2006, an English class will also be launched.   

The kindergarten is still lacking in many supplies, however.  The walls are bare, and there are few school supplies.  Some of the most urgent needs include: maps, English books, dictionaries, general school supplies, warm winter clothes, milk money, used computers, and money for electricity for heating.  Electricity for the school for one year would cost about 6000 RMB (750 USD).  Because the students come from financially burdened families and many live far from the school, providing lunch for the students (One lunch for a student would cost about 3 RMB, or about 0.35 USD) would encourage parents to send their children to school.  Long-term goals also include providing boarding for students who live in the mountain regions, costing about 18000 RMB (2250 USD) a year. 

The Cousins’ Program, an idea posed by EAFI, is approved to implement at the Qiaotou kindergarten.  This would consist of an exchange between American students and Chinese students and would be linked with three other Baojing schools, one middle and two elementary.  The basis of the program is to create a pen pal system, preferably over the Internet… This would allow an English and Chinese learning exchange.  Broadband would cost about $100 USD annually.  It would also consist of a summer cultural camp that includes visiting the two cities.   

Benefits   Like many policies born of necessity, the one-child policy has created a sub-group that has been affected negatively.  The children who are left out under this policy are unfortunate victims, their fate having been decided even before their birth.  By increasing their opportunities for a standard education, the opportunities that should be afforded every child can be extended to those presently left out.  The gift of education is more than a one-time gift… it is a gift that can affect and alter an individual and his or her family for generations.   

Join Us   Because EAFI is a non-profit organization, the staff is composed solely of volunteers.  Thus, any donations will be put completely towards the Baojing trainees’ expenses.  Also, as a non-profit organization, donations for EAFI are tax deductible.