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Promoting Education, Art, and
Community Harvest |
PEACH FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER December 2017, issue No. 48 Translated By George Wang |
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Dear Friends,
In this year, the Peach student count
reached the milestone of ten thousand. It is your continuous support that
empowers these ten-thousand 
kids
to rise up from the mountains, transform themselves, and pursue their dreams. I would also like to
express my gratitude to the families of these ten-thousand students. Many of
you, struggling under dire hardship, persisted in providing education for your
sons and daughters.
In 2018, we will add another
fifteen hundred students. Please help us expand the donor circle. In doing your
year-end tax planning, please extend your charitable thoughts to the aspiring
students of Peach. Love begets love
and it reciprocates and multiplies. In the spirit of the holidays, we
appreciate your kind support.
Peach
Alumni Party at Kunming - On October 21, we held a
Peach alumni gathering at the Yunnan Minzu
University in Kunming. We invited 300 Peach alumni, college students or
graduates, to the party. The uncles and aunts from the visiting team were
surprised by the changes effected upon our Peach kids. Were these the same kids
that attended the summer camp just a few years ago? What had happened to those
timid, shabby, drab kids? Had college training morphed these hillbillies into
such confident, articulate adults? Education enhances one’s knowledge and
expands one’s perspectives. They are the poster examples of what education can
accomplish.
I invited a special guest, Mr. Hu,
who is the father of two Peach female students. I thanked him for his perseverance in
supporting the education of his daughters despite the adversities. Behind every Peach student, there are
family members who sacrifice themselves to make education possible. I cannot
express my gratitude enough to each and every Peach parent. Mr. Hu in a way
represents all those ten-thousand households forsaking their living standards
for the education of their children.
2017 Volunteer
Exploration Trip - During October 21-28, twenty
volunteers visited Peach students at Huize County of the Qujing city in Yunnan. They went to the schools, chatted
with students, visited the students’ homes, and rallied the family elders for
their support of education.
The volunteers
had one-on-one sessions with students. They made inquiries about the school and
family life of the students. They made sure that the students received their
sponsorship payments. Peach prides itself in our operational transparency. Our
goal has always been to do our utmost to assist poor students in their
education.
In
October 20-27 of 2018, the volunteer team will visit Ninglang
county of Lijiang city. You can register now. Ninglang is famous for its Yi people living in Xiao Liang Mountain, the unique
custom of “Walking Marriage” of the Mosuo people, and
the majestic scenery of Lugu Lake. You are cordially
invited to join us.
Staff
Home Visit Trip – Following the volunteer team,
Peach staff launched
the campaign of visiting the homes of 1500 students. This is an important task.
The visiting staffs are all hardy Peach alumni. Their mission is to work with
the local school teachers, meet Peach students, and visit the homes of the new
students. This is to ensure that our sponsorship goes to the most deserving
children. Over the years, we have encountered many school teachers who were
once Peach students. They understand Peach criteria and the targeted poor
students that we seek to sponsor. I am delighted to see the acceptance rates
for qualified students are trending up each year.
2018 Summer Camp –For
session #1 and #2, the volunteer teaching positions have been filled. We have
opening positions for volunteer teachers for session #3 in the Yuanyang County.
Please render your support and register.
Session A: 7/19
to 7/27/2018 at Yulong, LiJiang, Yunnan Province. Full
Session B: 7/28
to 8/7/2018 at Huize, Yunnan Province.
Full
Session C: 8/7
to 8/17/2018 at Yuanyang, Yunnan Province.
Open positions
for volunteers.
Winter
Camp – The winter camp is scheduled for
February 1-10, 2018. We invited 300
students who are either orphans or from a single-parent families. They are to
be taught by 50 Peach college students. These Peach college students are
excellent role models to their young siblings. They went through the same
hardships and made it to college.
By sharing their own growth experiences, these big brothers demonstrate
to their young siblings that Peach loves them, cares for them, and, through hard work
and staying in school, they can reach the rainbow of success too.
Amazon Partnership When you shop at Amazon (smile.amazon.com), Amazon donates 0.5% of the eligible purchase amount to PEACH Foundation. Do indulge yourself with some binge shopping on Amazon. Have a shopping spree and enjoy your good deeds. Thank you for your support.
Attached are one kid’s bio and one from Mr.
Hu, the father of two Peach students. Please share them with your friends and
family members.
Best Regards,
Ruth Jeng
President
PEACH Foundation
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I would like to donate ______to the Laurice children medical funds (at an average of US$20 per
child.)
I would like to send _____children
to attend Summer & Winter Camps (at US$125 each for one week, including a bedding set of $40)
I would like to donate ______ to
scarf and mitten funds (at US$5 per child.)
I would like to donate ______to
thermal-pajama funds (at US$5 per child.)
I would like to donate ______ to the
library funds (at US$20 per library)
I would like to donate ______to the Junhui writing funds (amount as you wish.)
I would like to donate ______ to the
foundation administration funds
I would like to donate ______to the
mini-loan for middle and high school students’ living expenses (amount as you
wish.)
I would like to donate ______to the
college loan funds (amount as you wish.)
I would like to donate ______
(laptop computer/ digital camera/ cell phone)
I would like to increase my
sponsorship to ___ high school students and ___ middle school students; the
yearly costs are US$300 for a high school student, US$150 for a middle school
student.
Donors in Taiwan please change the
amount to New Taiwan Dollars, payable to PEACH FOUNDATION.
Account No.: 50011068 and it is tax
deductible.
Address: 1098 Marlin Avenue, Foster City, CA 94404, U.S.A.
Phone: 650-525-1188 Fax: 650-525-9688
Email: staff@PeachFoundationUSA.org
Website: www.PeachFoundationUSA.org
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17510 Lu XX, 9th Grade, Female
When I was little, I always asked
my grandmother: where did dad go? And after taking a look at the sky she slowly
stated: he went to a very far place……
My grandmother is a self-reliant
woman. When I was very little, my father passed away because of illness. In the
fourth day after his 
death,
my mother returned to her parental home, she said: “I am still very young,
don’t want to spend a lifetime in you and your sister.” We depend on each other
for survival. Grandmother works from dawn to dusk doing manual labor, and this
brought her a lot of illnesses and often has headaches.
In my fifth year, my uncle was
imprisoned for drug addiction. Aunt told this to my grandmother and her chronic
problem reappeared. Maybe the shock was too big that she fainted, I helped her
out and gave her a glass of water. She shook her head, broke down to tears, and
said aloud: why the fate happens to be like this?
Our family has no income. Whenever
we have a holiday, my grandma, my sister, and I will go to the carpet
processing plant to collect garbage bottles. Squeezing one kilo gives you 3
RMB. We went every day at 6 in the morning, and get back at 8 o’clock at night.
When I and my sister were fast, we could earn 70-80RMB. We work one month in
each vacation, then when the school starts we have
enough for paying school material.
In prison, my uncle had a correct
attitude and he seriously corrected his mistakes, so he could leave prison in a
year and a half. But as he was an alcoholic by nature, he passed away only half
year after. When he died, he left behind a 6 year-old girl. After his death,
grandmother’s hair was whiter and whiter and her health was getting worse and
worse. I want to study hard and try even harder to pass high school, to let my
grandmother live a life without worrying about food and clothing.
This letter is from Mr. Hu, the father of two Peach
girl students.
Dear Peach
staffs and donors,
I am the father of Hu xx and Hu
xx. I am honored to attend this
convention in Kunming along with many Peach college students.
This is the first time that I have stood
in front of such a big crowd. I am so nervous that I can hardly speak. This
convention is a memorable experience to me. You are great people. You have
helped many kids and you have done a wonderful job.
Because of Peach, my life took a
different turn. With both of my daughters in college, I feel that I have
overcome a big obstacle. My daughters’ achievements are the result of your
encouragement and support. Both of
them have been sponsored by Peach up to now. It is you who lent the helping
hands during the most critical moments of our lives. You are great people.
You have been working hard in
helping the students. Thanks to you, many poor students could
stay in school. You even sent me money to help repair the blown-away roofs of
our kitchen and the pig barn. I shall never forget your kindness. Words can
hardly express my gratitude for Peach. From the bottom of my heart, I would
like to thank you all on behalf of my family. I am truly grateful to all of
you.