To most of us accustomed to the concrete jungle, waking up to the vast green fields filled with blooming flowers and yaks strolling by are indeed a breath-taking view to take in. However, the two-weeks expedition (18 July to 1 August) that Overseas Volunteering Expedition (OVE) spent in the splendour landscape of Shangri-La, Yunnan, China definitely wasn’t a holiday.
Situated at an altitude of 3000 m, Bulun Village is home to approximately 4000 residents, majority of who depend on the primary sector (such as construction and harvesting) for a living. Environmental awareness and literacy rate is low within the rural area. A year of planning was thus done by OVE to ensure that adequate help could be provided in order to ease the hygiene and environmental problems faced by the villagers. With two goals in mind: construct two furnaces for proper disposal of trash and conduct simple lesson plans for children, the team sets off for this trip.
Construction
Brick by brick, the team steadily built the two furnaces with reference to the design done by two engineering students in the team, Prabu and Teveryan.
“By putting my own hands to work, I felt the pain that everyday construction workers back home feel when working under the sun, and I would say the experience has cemented my appreciation for manual labourers both home and aboard” said Prabu, a third-year volunteer student majoring in Accountancy.
Cement has to be made from scratch with a concoction of sand, water and cement mix using shovels, before scooping them into metal buckets. An expert was present to guide the team in the construction, as many had little skill and expertise in the handling of tools and bricks.
With rainbow and vibrant colours being a favourite among the villagers, the Tibetan artwork was adapted into the final design painstakingly hand drawn and painted by the team.
The process was however, not without it’s obstacles. Despite unforeseeable changes in weather, as well as a shortness of breath due to a rapid change in altitude, construction managed to be completed ahead of schedule. The villagers were visibly excited about the furnace and their constant encouragement made the construction process an enjoyable one!
Lesson Plan
The children at the village are little balls of happiness, constantly full of energy and warming up to the team quicker than expected. Ranging from ages three to thirteen years-old, siple games and experiments were incorporated into the lessons that enables the children to gain better understanding of both the mandatory subjects such as math and science, as well as the more vital issues such as the environment and proper hygiene practices.
Cultural Exchange
The rich Tibetan culture and its vast resources and landscape are strikingly different in comparison to Singapore. The villagers shared with us their fables and customs, while the team performed skits portraying Sang Nila Utama and the transformation of our little island, as well as son and dance performances. The nights were filled with fun and laughter, with the villagers sharing their cultural games such as Five Stones and Tug of War, as well as traditional Tibetan songs and dance.
The past two weeks spent at the villagers’ home was definitely worthwhile and enlightening. It is the simple things in life that many of us tend to overlook while growing up in the city where material wants are more apparent. With the furnaces built and the lesson plans conducted, OVE hopes that an impact has been made, however small it may be. With the villagers’ heart-warming nature and ever-ready smiles, the friendship forged and memories made will be kept close to the hearts of many and remembered years down the road.
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