Welcome to Phelex Foundation Website!---Tianzhushan Elementary School, Changyang County, Hubei

Tianzhushan Elementary School

Duzhong Saplings Farm

Facts about school:

Tuition and fees per year		Per capita annual income	RMB 450 ($54) in 1995
Number of teachers	4	Number of students	81
Location	Changyang County, Hubei Province (Click for Map)

School and project photos:

		*Duzhong [ latin: Eucommia ulmoides Oliv.] is a tree whose leaves and bark can be used as pharmaceutical medicine and whose gum can be processed as industrial material such as deep sea cable.

Project developments:

This is the first project that aimed at generating money for sustainable tuition aid for needy students.
In 1995, the Phelex Foundation funded development of Duzhong Farm in partnership with village. The total funding was RMB 21,038 by the Phelex Foundation.
To start the project, tuition aid was offered to 20 needy students (16 girls and 4 boys).
The project produced an income of RMB 2,700 of sapling sales in 1996, which funded the needy students to continue schooling.
Students learned to grow Duzhong seeds in science class, and the sprouts they grew were in better quality and quantity. At the end the students were able to provided Duzhong sprouts to the villagers, and the older generation by now realized that their children were farmers.
In 1997, Duzhong saplings were sold for RMB 7,000, and RMB 7,500. The money was used to support sustainable tuition aid program. (see the chart below) The school plans to provide free schooling to all children by 2002; and improve learning conditions.