As Maovember 2021 nears, here is a quick recap on how last year’s 72,783.8 RMB / 727,938 mao in donations were spent by our partner, The Library Project. (See the posts following this one for details about the events that helped raise those funds.)
We requested our funds be spent near Tianjin, since WE Brewery and its corn toss tournament in that city is one of Maovember’s signature events, and in Shanxi province, as Grace Vineyard is based there and supported numerous events in 2020, including a wine lunch, wine dinner and grape-based beer launch.
Zhaidong School
In March, Maovember 2020 funds went to Zhaidong Primary School in Jishan County in southwestern Shanxi province. The school has 601 students and staff, covering K1 to Grade 6, from a community of 5,000 people within a 4-km radius. Many of the students are the children of parents who work in distant areas.
A Library Project field trip found a heavy focus on reading and a need to upgrade facilities. Maovember funded 1200 books plus tables, chairs, bookshelves, a globe, librarian training materials, delivery fees and more. The total cost was 38,828 RMB or 388,280 mao.
Lantian School
In late May, Maovember funds went to Lantian School in Yi County of Hebei province, the closest school to Tianjin we could find. This school has 1550 students and 59 teachers, and covers Grade 1 to Grade 6. Most of its books were bought 15 years ago and needed replacement, with Library Project reporting it only found 500 suitable ones during a field trip.
With space at a premium, Library Project suggested funding a dozen “little seed” reading corners through the school. Maovember funded 1360 books, plus shelves for each corner, teacher training, a post-donation report and more. The total was 33,969.2 rmb or 339,692 mao.
Sourcing Strategy
The Library Project takes many things into consideration when providing books and other materials, from school size to student age to specific psychological situations.
“As there is a large number of left-behind children in rural schools, we have increased the proportion of books on children’s psychological construction, child protection, and children’s psychological health,” reports The Library Project. “The proportion of the books is as follows: literature (48%), history and geography (8%), natural science (25%), art (10%), and children’s mental health and growth (9%).”
TLP also takes into consideration what proportion of books to include from STEAM – science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics.
Books are sourced via “qualified children’s book suppliers, publishers, and websites.” TLP also sources tables and chairs that are “safe, environmentally friendly, and suitable for transportation and assembly” and bookshelves appropriate for the height of children, using a bidding process for the final decision.
Thanks to everyone who supported Maovember 2020. We aren’t the biggest fundraiser but try to do a few good deeds each year while keeping to our core philosophy of fun events (usually involving a game and a food / drink special), of giving 100 percent of the funds we raise (we cover our own admin costs) and of using the money for visible results (like books!) Thanks also to The Library Project for putting those funds to work and for its high degree of transparency and honesty.
We will start posting updates about Maovember 2021 soon! Here are a few more photos from Lantian School in Hebei.
Maovember focuses on quirky events for good causes. Our 2022 partner is Library Project, which has furnished thousands of reading rooms in rural schools. Learn more about Maovember here. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.