Partner Organization: China Beijing United Charity Foundation, Stanford Rural Education Action Programme (REAP)

Project Duration: Jun 2016 - Oct 2018

Project Status: Completed

After the 2010 Yushu earthquake, there was widespread epidemic amongst adolescents as there was little education on disease prevention practices, basic hygiene and health education at school and at home. The result was a high incidence of infectious diseases in boarding schools. In order to combat this, the China Beijing United Charity Foundation spearheaded the Healthy Children Programme 2011. Over the next five years, the foundation distributed health products, rewarded healthy teachers and implemented education campaigns on health and hygiene in selected schools. The success of the programme led to the partnership with local education and health departments to implement a comprehensive health programme for schools including health check-up for students.

In order to expand the reach of the programme to Qinghai and the western region of China, the China Beijing United Charity Foundation and the Stanford Rural Education Action Programme (REAP) collaborated for a comprehensive scientific study evaluating the positive effects of the programme. In six months, the project compared the health of students who did and did not participate in the programme. The results of the study detailing the effectiveness, cost, operational flow and implementation model was used in consideration toward policy advocacy. The government and the relevant local departments were urged to take actionable steps towards allocating funds for medical check-ups in schools for the improved health of the students in poverty-stricken areas within the province. The Beijing Yifang Foundation contributed to the funding of the evaluation project of the healthy children programme.