Village of Chuosuo, Kagong Township, Jiangda County, Chamdo City, Tibet Autonomous Region – Gongga Basong
This family is a typical Tibetan household—many children, limited income, and significant challenges in affording their education.
Gongga Basong is 14 years old this year and currently in sixth grade at Kagong Township Primary School. He is the eldest of eight siblings, with six younger brothers and one younger sister.
Despite his heavy responsibilities, Gongga Basong performs well in school. In his last exam, he ranked first in his class.
Family Financial Situation:
The family's main sources of income are herding and collecting caterpillar fungus (cordyceps). The harvested fungus can be sold for over 6,000 yuan. They own 29 yaks and 2 horses, but no sheep.
The children's father works as a village veterinarian and receives an annual subsidy of a few thousand yuan.
The mother holds an ecological protection post as a forest ranger.
Altogether, the family’s disposable annual income is approximately 20,000 yuan (~$2,800 USD).
Their house was rebuilt in 2021 after the original home was declared uninhabitable. Though they received some government subsidies under the hazardous housing reconstruction program, the construction still left the family in debt.
Due to the sheer size of the family, education costs have become a major burden. As the eldest child, Gongga Basong’s schooling was nearly cut short several times. His father considered pulling him out of school to help herd yaks and collect fungus in the mountains. However, his teachers and school principal intervened and insisted he stay. Gongga is both high-achieving and well-behaved.
Fortunately, through the support of Yingming Education Development Center, Gongga Basong has now been paired with a compassionate sponsor under a 1-on-1 support program. The center has also committed to keeping a close watch on his younger siblings, striving to ensure that none of them drop out of school.
After all, only through education can they expand their minds—and change the fate of their family.
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