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本帖最后由 rlsrls08 于 2009-1-8 09:38 编辑
标题: Local Health Center Builds School in Tibet
地址: http://www.evanstonroundtable.com/rt_010709/news.html
来源: The Evanston Round Table 爱文斯顿圆桌报
翻译: rlsrls08
译者注：“爱文斯顿圆桌报”是美国伊利诺州爱文斯顿市的地方报纸。主要报道当地新闻。
Local Health Center Builds School in Tibet
 
Students and teachers of the Heartwood Foundation Tibet School that opened August 2008. Photo courtesy of Heartwood
Heartwood Center, a holistic health center located at 1599 Maple St., has recently expanded its mission to promote women's health by creating a school for girls in Tibet. The vocational boarding school that opened this past August currently provides room, food, clothing and education for ten girls ages 14 to 20 in the city of Yushu.
"I am so happy about this school," says Asang, a meditation instructor at Heartwood Center who escaped from Tibet in 2000 shortly after his sister and her baby died during childbirth.
"Asang's family story illustrates both the tragedy and the opportunity in this difficult situation," says Nancy Floy, Heartwood's executive director, who is married to Asang. "We believe the hope for Tibet lies in education."
Tibetan women in the Nanchen region, high in the Himilayas, typically have six to ten children, yet the region has one of the highest mortality rates for infants and mothers during pregnancy and childbirth. In the fall of 2000, Asang left Tibet, driven by a mission to help prevent Tibetan women like his sister from suffering a similar fate. After a treacherous month-long journey, Asang made his way to Dharamsala, India, where he studied at the Dalai Lama's school for Tibetan refugees. It was here he met Ms. Floy during her trips from Evanston to the Dalai Lama's school to provide health-care services for the women who had escaped. They married in 2006 and expanded Heartwood's mission to include helping Tibetan women.
"Launching our school has really been a grassroots effort," says Ms. Floy. "We started with no money. We simply placed a money box in the foyer of the Heartwood Center with a note explaining our desire to open the school."
Within just five months, Asang and Ms. Floy raised the $6,000 needed to open the school. With local connections in eastern Tibet and the support of the Chinese government, the school officially opened in August of 2008. Although it is unlikely that Asang will be allowed back into Tibet any time soon, he keeps close tabs on the girls and their two teachers by phone.
"I speak to the girls at least four times a week," says Asang. "They are so happy to be learning, they often continue their studies long after their teachers have gone home for the day."
The girls learn sewing, weaving and other handicrafts, as well as business and computer stills. The students cook for themselves as they learn Chinese, English, math, reading and writing. Teachers also provide health-care information, especially the use of birth control.
The school recently had three visitors from America, including a female doctor who spent several days teaching the girls about healthcare.
Future plans for the school are already under way. The Heartwood Foundation has been applying for grants in hopes of raising money to expand the school.
Ms. Floy says she believes the girls are ready to open a store to sell their wares. Although the focus of the program will remain on girls, she and her husband are considering ways to help boys as well.
"These girls have boyfriends, brothers and cousins who would like to be a part of our program, too," says Ms. Floy. "They have told us they want to open a motorcycle repair shop. Ideally, we would like to raise the funds to open two small shops, one for the girls and one for the boys."
There are several ways the Evanston community can get involved. Ms. Floy says they would like to find pen pals for the girls and are always on the lookout for people interested in going to Tibet to teach.
"If anyone is planning to travel to Tibet, we would love to know about it," says Ms. Floy. "A visitor from America is so thrilling and inspiring for the girls."
Asang teaches a meditation class every Friday night at the Heartwood Center, all proceeds from which go to the school's fund.
Asang and Ms. Floy are grateful for the opportunity to help young Tibetan women.
"The school is our way to create a local response to the situation," says Asang. "People ask me what they can do to help. Providing an education and a safe place to live for young Tibetan women is a tangible way to contribute."
"Our greatest wish is that our boarding school can help empower these young women and give them a hopeful future," adds Ms. Floy. "We are so happy to honor Asang's sister in this way."
To make a donation or to get involved, call Nancy Floy at 847-491-1122 ext. 11.
本地健康中心在西藏办学
位于枫树街1599号的全面健康中心-心木中心最近扩展了它们的业务：在西藏建立了一所女子学校，帮助提高西藏妇女的健康水平。该住宿职业学校去年8月份开张，为玉树（音译）市10名14-20岁的女子提供食宿衣物以及教育。
阿桑说：“我为学校感到高兴！”。他是心木中心的一个冥想教练。2000年在他的姐姐死于生孩子之后不久，他逃离西藏。
“阿桑家的故事刻画了困难环境中的悲剧和机遇。”心木中心的总裁，阿桑的妻子南茜说。“我们相信西藏的希望在于教育。”
喜马拉雅山脉南尚地区的西藏妇女一般有6-10个孩子，然而这里也是怀孕和分娩期间婴儿和妇女死亡率最高的地区之一。2000年秋天，受到帮助防止西藏妇女免遭跟姐姐相同命运的使命的驱使，阿桑离开西藏，经过长达一个月的艰难跋涉到达印度达兰萨拉。之后他在达赖喇嘛的难民学校学习，然后遇到了南茜。南茜当时从爱文斯顿来给学校的逃难妇女提供卫生保健服务。他们2006年结婚，并且将帮助西藏妇女加入到心木中心的使命中。
“办学校真是一件草根工作。”南茜说。“我们一开始没有钱。只能在心木中心的入口处放置一个钱箱，和一张帖子说明我们开办学校的愿望。”
5个月之内阿桑和南茜筹到了6000美金。在西藏东部的熟人和中国政府的支持下，2008年8月学校正式开张。尽管阿桑近期内不会被允许回到西藏，他通过电话跟那些女孩和她们的两个老师保持密切联系。
“每个星期我至少跟她们通四次电话。”阿桑说。“她们很喜欢学习。甚至在课后也继续学。”
女孩们学习缝纫，编织和其他手工，以及商业和电脑技术。她们自己做饭，学习中文，英文，数学，阅读和写作。老师也提供卫生保健知识，特别是如何节育。
学校目前有三个美国人，包括一个女性校长，她教了女孩们几天卫生保健知识。
学校其他计划正在进行中。心木中心已经申请补助，期望能够集资用来扩大学校。
南茜说那些女孩已经准备好开一个商店卖她们的手工制品。尽管项目的重点仍然是女子，但她和阿桑正在考虑帮助男子。
“这些女孩的男朋友，兄弟和表亲们也想加入我们的项目。”南茜说。“他们说他们想开一家摩托车修理铺。希望我们能筹到钱开两家店铺，一家给女孩们，一家给男子们。”
爱文斯顿社区可以通过几个方式参与。西藏女孩们需要笔友，也需要有人去西藏教书。
南茜说：“如果有人计划去西藏请告诉我们。来自美国的客人会让女孩们兴奋和鼓舞。”
阿桑每周五教一堂冥想课，所有收入捐给学校。
阿桑和南茜为能帮助年轻的西藏妇女感到荣幸。
阿桑说：“那所学校是我们建立本地对局势的反应的方式。人们问我能帮什么忙，为年轻的西藏妇女提供教育和一个安全的住所是有形的贡献方式。”
南茜说：“我们最大的愿望是住宿学校能帮助提高妇女权力，给她们一个充满希望的未来。我们很高兴可以用这个方式来纪念阿桑的姐姐。”
有意愿捐助或者参与的请打电话给南茜 847-491-1122 分机 11 |
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发表于 2009-1-8 09:32
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