G O N G H E, Qinghai Province  

The evaluation of a literacy project in Gonghe, 145km west of Xining, provided me with the fifth opportunity to visit Qinghai. This literacy project targets illiterate Tibetan farmers and nomands in almost 400 villages located in north-western Qinghai. Together with Olli Pitkänen from FIDA (a Finnish development organisation that finances the project) and Philip Buys, the JHF project manager, we drove countless kilometers on some of the worst roads you can imagine, until our backs became completely molded to the jeep seats. Anyway, enjoy the photos! (view map of Qinghai)

Yes, again I have made it to the beautiful western province with its mysterious mountains. On this trip we had some amazing views, although our backs had to pay for it!

On we drive, through rivers, deserts, mountains...

After three hours driving through no man's land we are still not quite there yet.

Meeting the villagers is often a moving experience, they find it hard to believe that people from distand nations care for them and seek to meet their needs.

Mmmmh, we are just about to be served blood sausage, a Tibetan nomad specialty made of sheep blood. This was definitely the worst delicacy ever offered to me in my entire life, but we politely sucked a little on it (grrrh!). I just hope this township leader who served us will never go online and come across this website...!

On we drive, often forced to slow down by the sheep herds.

Sitting in on a literacy class. This and other teachers really enjoyed the Western teaching methods that were taught to him during the teacher training. Quote: "Before I only read the textbook to the students, now I give examples and check whether students understood what I taught them".

The students listen attentively - their curriculum is very demanding, some classes are held in the evenings after a long day working in the fields or with the herds.

Group photo with the now literate students, a bunch of Tibetan farmers, after having conducted interviews on how literacy is impacting their lives.

In these remote villages foreigners are a rare species. Can you find me on this photo...?

Goodbye Gonghe, maybe I can come again one day...

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