Summary

Two-year-old Jinmei comes to the Baby Bathing Station with her grandmother. Jinmei’s mother was injured in the earthquake, having her right leg removed, and was transferred to Shanghai for further treatment. Jinmei has not seen her mother for a month and feels pretty sad. She now stays with her grandparents in the tent camp.

Jinmei’s skin has gotten a heat-rash even though her grandparents wash her everyday. Since her grandmother found Save the Children’s Baby Bathing Station near the camp they stay, she has been happy because the Bathing Station is clean and provides bath kits especially designed for children with such necessities as soap, a towel, and baby powder. The Bathing Station could help to ease Jinmei’s skin problems.

Pictured Right: After taking a bath, Jinmei wears beautiful clothing  (Photo: Save the Children)

Zhou Jinmei's Story

Jinmei’s grandma said, “The child needs to take a shower twice every day, especially now that it is becoming hot. If she does not take frequent showers, her skin develops a heat-rash. Before coming here, I took her to my relative’s house to wash. In the camp, there is no space for children to have a bath.

Her mother was injured and had her right let removed. She was sent to Shanghai to receive further treatment. Jinmei’s father went back to Chongqing to work.  She is so upset because she has not seen her mother since the earthquake. I did not know how to explain what happened to her mother. We just told her that her mother left home to seek a job in another place like her father…

Our house was on the mountain area. The earthquake was so horrible. It made two mountains collapse into each other. Our house was destroyed and were not able to take anything out from the house. I was only recently able to buy two new sets of clothing for Jinmei. This silk skirt is very expensive but I thought that this might make her happy.

There are mosquitoes these days. Jinmei is getting mosquito bites on her face. Stuff like towels, soap, and  a plastic basin could be bought a few days after the earthquake. But there was no baby soap or baby powder. You are very thoughtful to provide these for children.

• Discuss your groups response to Jinmei's story
• You can respond to her story by sending an email to admin@schoolaid.org.au with the Subject Line: Life Story #6.  Your responses will be placed in the Progress Card below
• Donate to the China Appeal to supply educational materials to children affected by the quake

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