(2010/05/20) Overseas China Education Foundation (OCEF) partnered with HELP, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the living conditions and education in ecologically fragile areas, to build a water-storage pond, two bathrooms, and two solar-powered water heaters for Weimin Elementary School, Qiaodi County, Sichuan, in April.

The $9,300 project ($5,280 from HELP and $4,020 from OCEF) not only solved the urgent problem of drinking water shortage for the school, but also provided a sustainable and environmentally friendly solution to satisfy the water needs of the teachers and students in the long term.

Water shortage remained a long-time issue local teachers and students were grappling with because of the school's unique location at an altitude of over 2,000 meters. Teachers and students had to share a single water pipe with local villagers for drinking water and their daily water needs were barely satisfied. Such a dire water shortage posed severe threat to the health of the kids. This year, the harsh drought in Southwestern China has worsened the situation.

Weimin Elementary School is located at Qiaodi County, Xichang, Liangshan Yi-Ethnic Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan. The 305 students attending the school come from the surrounding four villages, mostly from poor families, and live on campus due to the extremely poor transport conditions.

Project photos can be found at https://www.helppanda.org/shownews.jsp?autoid=76. The project report is available at https://www.helppanda.org/shownews.jsp?autoid=80