Saturday, 24 May, time unknown

Dear all,

It is now 12th day after the earthquake hit Sichuan on May 12, 2008. The latest report from Ministry of Social Welfare: death toll: 60,560, missing: 26,221.

News from the front line Social Workers' Team

The team arrived in Mianzhu around 8:00pm on May 22. They settled down on the outskirt of the stadium of Mianzhu where 6000 relocated victims are accommodated. The stadium itself is a half-finished construction and it is actually an open space. Our team was granted a plot down the slop from the stadium. As it rained yesterday and today, the ground was wet and the tents are easily flooded. The team had to dig ditches around the tents.The local Coordination Office of Earthquake Relief lent the team a larger tent for the group work of counseling.

Yesterday, May 23, the team was divided into smaller groups and conducted need assessment. The team wanted to know what have been done by other volunteers? What do people need? What can we do differently to avoid duplication. This morning, the preliminary work stratigies have been outlined as follows:
1. The first group, consisting of 3 voluntary professors start will with children. They are setting up a spoken English training course for young children with lots of games and interactive activities. The idea is to attract children and establish closer relationship with them. During the group work, cases needing special attention will rise. More counseling work will be focused on that particular group of children

2. The second team consisting of the rest 6 people will focus on assessment of the need of the elderly and the rehabilitation of the community.

The living and accommodating conditions are quite harsh in Mianzhu. We are deeply moved that volunteers from all over China are extending help to each other. Our group was kindly lent a much larger tent by volunteers from Southwest University of Finance and therefore did not sleep in water last night. Our greatest appreciation and gratitude to them.

Peace,

She Hongyu