User profile: chris

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Forums > Living in Kunming > Seeking small Chinese non-profit organisations

Hi kate008,

Yesterday I visited the Ringa Community Nursery (仁安幼儿园) near Shangri-la and think it might be of interest to you, or other readers for that matter.

This school for children from the six villages in the Ringa Valley is educating more than 90 children aged 4 through 6, teaching them to speak and write Mandarin Chinese, which will allow them to attend public school after the age of 6. Prior to this, most children in the Ringa Valley were unable to attend public school because they lacked the necessary Mandarin Chinese skills.

The nursery also teaches literacy in the children's native Tibetan, which helps them stay in touch with their own culture. Tibetan literacy classes are taught by local volunteers who work at the nearby Banyan Tree Ringha.

The nursery is hoping to add English courses next year, but is in need of funds.

Most young children in the villages around the Ringa Valley are raised by their grandparents because their parents are off working. The grandparents are often unable to look after the children, who frequently play in the road and engage in other innocent enough but dangerous play habits.

The Ringa Community Nursery provides a safe place for the children to play, as well as previously unimaginable education opportunities. It also teaches the children basic hygiene and health knowledge and provides one hot bath a week, something most of the kids don't have access to in their own homes.

I was quite impressed by the dedication of the two volunteer teachers at the nursery, one a Naxi girl from Lijiang, the other a Han girl from Zhejiang. Aside from a few Banyan Tree employees, the children were the only locals I encountered in the valley that could speak Chinese. Nobody from the valley has ever graduated from university before, but I could sense that some of the giggling kids I met at the nursery would change that.

For more information about the Ringa Community Nursery, check their bilingual website at www.ringa-kindy.org/

For information about how to donate to the nursery, go to www.ringa-kindy.org/page/help/support.php

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@Danmairen: Thanks for the kind words. Regarding CQ's population, you are correct. I leave out terms such as "municipality" or "prefecture-level city" when I feel their omission will not confuse readers.

@Ocean: More cars on the road is fine for me, as long as the sidewalks aren't full of electric bikes. Definitely not trying to "hang a goat's head and sell dog meat" but I did genuinely enjoy the Chongqingness of Chongqing. That said, I was certainly pleased to be back in Kunming afterward.

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Congratulations to GoKunming reader Michael Holmes, who is the winner of the Pullman Lijiang getaway.

Michael is studying bees at Yunnan Agricultural University, his harrowing tales of bee attacks and his dedication to scientific pursuits warmed our cold, cold hearts.

Of the more than 80 entries we received, there were several that would have won - had they sent their phone numbers as instructed in the giveaway rules.

Thanks to everyone who entered, we wish we had more vouchers to give away this time, but we're planning on more giveaways in the future, so watch this space.

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