Special Delivery to the Tibetan Plateau
LWB Director Cindy Wu traveled to the Qinghai Tibetan Plateau last month to make a special delivery of warm winter items to two rural primary schools.
As we described in our blog, “The Tibetan Coat Project,” the headmasters of two primary schools there told us that many students in this very impoverished area come to school in the winter with chapped hands and feet due to the extreme cold, which can sometimes reach as low as -25 C! Down jackets are no match for this cold. The people of Tibet have found that their traditional Tibetan robe is the best protection against the harsh winters.
Thanks to some very kind and generous donors, every child at the school received a new Tibetan robe made from heavy wool, new shoes, and a mattress.
A Tibetan robe is called a zhuba. It is the most distinctive apparel that distinguishes the Tibetans from people of other ethnic backgrounds. Instead of buttons, a zhuba is held together by a sash at the waist. You might notice that many people wear their zhuba with only one sleeve. This is primarily due to the weather at the high elevations in this region. On the Qinghai plateau, temperatures can go from frigidly cold to sunny and warm in the space of a single day. Tibetans wear their robes with one or two sleeves depending on the temperature. The loose-fitting robe also makes an excellent quilt while sleeping!
Every child also received a new blanket and thick woolen mattress to put on their bed for the upcoming cold winter.
The kids were so excited to put the mattresses and blankets on their bed as most just have a plain board for sleeping.
The teachers and students wanted us to pass along their deepest thanks for the gift of warmth they received.
Cindy said that she had such a wonderful time meeting all the children, and she especially loved their smiles! She said that the students thanked her again and again for these new gifts, and it would never have been possible without the kindness of our generous donors.
