Lu Mai and Prof. James Heckman Visit Nimu County, Tibet to Inspect "China REACH"
From June 21 to 25, 2019, Vice President Lu Mai of the CDRF and Prof. James Heckman, a Nobel Laureate in Economics, led a team to visit Nimu County, Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region to inspect the "China Rural Education and Child Health (China REACH) Program". This program engages local people to serve as home visitors and supervisors to provide early child development services to over 300 children aged from six to 36 months.
The pilot project of Nimu County has been performed in Tarong Town and Xumai Township for nearly a year. One county-level supervisor, four township- and town-level supervisors, and 32 home visitors were engaged locally. Home visitors visit families once every week to provide 60-minute parenting guidance to the family. The program is funded by China International Capital Corporation Limited (CICC). The CDRF takes charge of the overall planning, training support, and technical guidance. The Tibet Maternal and Child Association, as the local partner, takes charge of implementation and supervision.
Vice Chairman Lu and Prof. Heckman led the team to visit two families and observed the home visiting on-site. They held a meeting with all supervisors and home visitors in the Xumai Township Government.
On June 24, Prof. Heckman emphasized the significance of early childhood
development programs again at the meeting held by Baima Wangdui, the Secretary
of the CPC Committee of Lhasa City. He deemed that the annual return on the
investment in early childhood development is between 10% and 14%, which is vital
to the long-term development of children, families, and society.
Secretary Baima supported the pilot project in Nimu County. He held that Nimu County would pilot China REACH conscientiously to conclude successful experience for the reference of other counties in Lhasa City and the Autonomous Region as a whole. The CDRF will continue to cooperate with CICC and the Tibet Maternal and Child Association, and adopt measures step by step to ensure quality and expand the pilot project to four towns and townships in Nimu County.
