THE CARE AND SHARE FOUNDATIONHomepage
UK Charity Commission Registered No: 1006644
Objectives
PROJECT
DENGKE INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP CENTRE
THE ORIGINSThe Care and Share Foundation was set up in 1991 by Dr Mel Richardson and colleagues Mr John Milton Whatmore and Captain Robert Watson following their key involvement in the highly successful, humanitarian, world record breaking Hovercraft Expedition to Tibet/China in 1990. Turning their eyes to the specific needs of deprived peoples world wide, ways and means were established to support and encourage selected projects in developing countries such as Africa, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, South America, Tibet/China etc.OBJECTIVES· To relieve poverty and sickness world wide with practical self-help projects·To enable and deploy appropriate technology and engineering in village and township situations ·To provide educational and travel scholarships for deprived people in developing countries to study in the UK, Europe or USA with a view to them returning with useful skills to their country of origin ·To harness the spirit of youthful idealism and adventure to good effect by providing travel scholarships to people willing to donate time and energy to helping those in need ·To support the development of materials and applied technology destined for deployment in developing countries · To help finance educational, scientific and medical
seminars in support of Third World development.
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
PROJECT DENGKE 95An Example of a Care and Share Foundation Sponsored ProjectHidden away on the Tibetan Plateau at a height of 3500m and 800 miles from Chengdu lies the small town of Dengke. Technically situated in China's largest Province of Sichuan, and strongly influenced by Tibetan culture, the people are warm and friendly but often struggling with a severe climate. Savage hailstorms, blistering sunshine and gale force winds frequently occur in 24 hour cycles creating 60degC temperature extremes even in late Spring. Indeed these were the conditions encountered by the World Record breaking Sino-British Hovercraft Expedition to China when they set up their first medical and scientific base there in May 1990 en route to the Source of the River Yangtze. Such was the goodwill created by the Expedition that the Governor of Sichuan Province and the Chinese Academy of Sciences left the Team an open invitation to return to this usually "closed area" to rekindle the ties of friendship and mutual kindness - a priceless opportunity! Some members of the original team, plus a few additions, took up this challenge by returning to Dengke in September 1992 and August 1995 under the leadership of Dr Mel Richardson. The outstanding success of these ventures (which included an unscheduled mountain rescue later to be featured in the Readers Digest, TV reports and an International Feature on BBC TV “999”). Thus by combining the scientific skills of Chengdu University of Science and Technology and Loughborough University of Technology etc., groups of engineers, doctors, students etc. undertook further field trials of "appropriate technology" (such as solar cookers, water purifiers and pumps) and studied health care enhancement possibilities. A whole new dimension in 1995 was added to the work of the Team by the inclusion of eyecare and forestry experts, the building of the World’s first “Yak proof” GRP plastic bridge, plus the possibility of feasibility studies on installing low cost satellite communications systems for the benefit of local doctors. The Projects all continued to express the spirit of exchange and collaboration intended by the special "twinning" arrangement between Sichuan Province (PRC) and Leicestershire County (UK). Thus at the end of September 1995, Dr Mel Richardson returned back to the UK with his 34 strong Team of International Volunteers having completed their tasks in Dengke Village, which is situated in a “closed” region of Ganzi Autonomous Tibetan Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China. In one of the World's most remote and demanding environments, the Team had (a) erected and field trialled a version of the World’s first GRP bridge (so villagers could reach their crops easily) (b) run fresh water to the Dengke village (which was without anything previously) and experimented with solar pumps (c) given 40 blind people eyesight (cataract surgery) (d) given 30 deaf people "solar" hearing aids (e) given medical help to 850 patients (including many lepers) (f) set up education classes in a local school and established a Friendship Centre (g) given Forestry evaluation help including satellite imagery data and GIS etc. Enormous goodwill was gained for UK, Leicestershire County, and Loughborough University, both with the locals and officials up to the Governor of Sichuan Province level. PROJECT DENGKE TEAM MEMBERS 1992-2002 PROJECT DENGKE SPONSORS 1992-2002 YAKAID
For several years in succession we have raised funds for ongoing
disaster relief in Tibetan Autonomous Regions of Far West China. Whole
towns have been devastated by both flooding and the worst snow and blizzards
on historical record. Many thousands have either died or are suffering
from severe frostbite/snow-blindness. Some reports have indicated that
up to 750,000 Yak have been crippled or totally wiped out. To many Tibetans
the Yak is everything - a source of food, fuel, and clothing. Take away
their Yaks and you have almost taken their whole life!
CURRENT PROJECTS Click below for information: PROJECT DENGKE FRIENDSHIP CENTRE AND ORPHANAGE
A Tibetan Yak   |
