Community Transformation in Rural China

04/16/09

IDEAS workers partner with local residents to provide a rural community with clean water and better access to education.

For Immediate Release

April, 2009 - CHINA:  In a small mountain village in the southern part of Sichuan Province, China (四川省), IDEAS workers are seeing transformation occur within the community. With the involvement of the local residents, IDEAS workers have helped to rebuild rammed dirt homes, put in a small water system, provide sponsorships for over 60 children, and have helped to rebuild two schools.  This is community development in action!

 
Earlier this year, the IDEAS team helped the community rebuild a school that was formerly a rammed dirt construction, with no windows and no electricity. All of that has now changed. The new school is made of concrete, with large windows to let the light in.  A large concrete area in front of the school enables the children to have a clean place to play, with a surrounding wall to keep animals out. An outhouse was also constructed for the school to model health and hygiene.

This school was built in memory of Andrea Rusk, an IDEAS worker who passed away in Chengdu in 2007.

The IDEAS team in this mountain village continues to work in partnership with the community in an effort to "meet needs and transform lives."