Sichuan Quake Relief

Yingxiu landslide evacuees: revised needs and numbers

David Hunt — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 09:24:41 +0000

207 more evacuees arrived yesterday. As well as new or freshly-laundered blankets, sheets and towels, there is also a need for hygiene products such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, bodywash, shampoo, and laundry detergent.

Blanket appeal for Yingxiu landslide evacuees

David Hunt — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 08:02:25 +0000

Following recent flooding and landslides in and around Yingxiu -- the epicentre of the 12 May 2008 Sichuan earthquake -- there is once again a need for blankets, towels and sheets to provide relief for victims of this latest disaster to hit the region, SQR found today following a needs assessment.

Local community members organising sponsored swim in aid of SQR

David Hunt — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 03:16:11 +0000

A sponsored swimathon is being organised by long-time Chengdu resident Graham Bannerman, with support from Chengdu's branch of European Union Chamber of Commerce in China and the Orchard Villas apartment complex.

Links for 2010-06-26 [del.icio.us]

Sun, 27 Jun 2010 00:00:00 PDT

Nonprofits in China » On Impacts of China’s SAFE Regulation Regarding Overseas Donations
The new regulations have hit these little grassroots groups, and foreign organizations working in China, especially hard. Here’s why.
Auditors Find Spending Problems in Sichuan Quake Funds
About 40 billion yuan intended for relief operations after the devastating 2008 earthquake in southwest China's Sichuan Province was delayed or misused, auditors revealed Wednesday.
Mental health gets a boost - GlobalTimes
The government plans to expand and renovate 550 mental health facilities across the country to improve mental health services and prevent the risk of violence from patients.
China to implement reconstruction plan in NW China quake zone
Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu said Sunday the government would soon implement the reconstruction plan for quake-hit Yushu in northwest China's Qinghai Province.

Images of SQR-funded tent hospital in Yushu

David Hunt — Sat, 29 May 2010 01:47:37 +0000

Tent hospital continues to help earthquake victims.

New community centre in rural Guangji under construction

David Hunt — Fri, 28 May 2010 03:36:01 +0000

The new community centre at the site of SQR's Guangji Di Kang Le Kindergarten project begins construction, with a little help from Mercator Fellowship volunteers.

CSA sports skills sessions already showing results

David Hunt — Sat, 22 May 2010 08:18:55 +0000

Children are already showing improvement in coordination. Other schools are interested in the project. Suzhou expats held a fundraiser in aid of SQR.

Funding request: need for durable winter tents in Yushu

David Hunt — Mon, 17 May 2010 07:50:51 +0000

SQR is working with a local grassroots NGO in Yushu to provide all-weather tents to 300 families that have little hope of being back in permanent homes before next year.

Chengdu Sports Aid 2010 Half-marathon and 10k Fun Run results and photos

David Hunt — Sun, 16 May 2010 14:46:25 +0000

Almost eighty runners took part in this year's fund-raising run.

SQR funds Tibetan tent hospital in Yushu

David Hunt — Fri, 14 May 2010 07:09:01 +0000

SQR has provided funding today to a Tibetan medical team operating in a makeshift tented hospital in Yushu to extend the size of the facility and buy badly needed medicines and other supplies vital to continue their work.

Funding request: additional tents for Zhong Da Township in Yushu

David Hunt — Wed, 12 May 2010 08:30:25 +0000

120,000 RMB needed to purchase tents for earthquake-affected nomadic Tibetans to use while they harvest their primary source of income in remote and inaccessible areas of Yushu County later this month; some of the tents will be used for a health clinic and to provide shelter for monks in an affected monastery in the same region.

Links for 2010-04-21 [del.icio.us]

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 00:00:00 PDT

Yushu disaster area eyewitness report from Sichuan Quake Relief - GoChengdoo: Chengdu news, events, listings, travel, business, living
Peter Goff and several members of the Sichuan Quake Relief team have just returned from an aid-delivery trip to Longbao Town in Qinghai, one of the more remote areas near quake-stricken Yushu.

Links for 2010-03-23 [del.icio.us]

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 00:00:00 PDT

China’s Empty Villages: New Discoveries in Migration Trends - China Philanthropy
Not all migration is rural-urban. A considerable percentage of migrants are rural-rural, meaning people move to more prosperous rural villages where there are more opportunities.

Links for 2010-03-15 [del.icio.us]

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 PDT

2nd Online Colloquium: Challenges for Grassroots NGOs - Commentary
Today, there are already many grassroots NGOs in mainland China. Most of them are unregistered ...There are increasingly more foundations that support these NGOs, such as the Global Fund, The Asia Foundation, Ford Foundation, and Gates Foundation. Even though these agencies have made tremendous contributions to the growth of NGOs in mainland China, their negative impact can be just as profound. They tend to see these NGOs as tools to accomplish their local projects, so they only fund their own specific activities and ignore the broader reality, which is that these NGOs also need to pay bills, salaries, administration costs, office supplies, rent, etc. Consequently, grassroots NGOs sometimes resort to manipulating their books in order to survive and this leads to very serious financial problems. When this happens, funders tend not to seek better solutions, but instead they severely criticize the NGOs, which creates an even more difficult situation.
China: Beijing to restrict NGO activities | Spero News
A new law introduces restrictions on how independent Chinese NGO can get foreign funding. Experts say authorities are increasingly intolerant of independent groups in every sector of society, including charities.
I.H.T. Op-Ed Contributor - A Different Kind of Aid - Hand Out Money - NYTimes.com
What happened when poor people received nearly half a year’s income with no strings attached?

Links for 2010-02-18 [del.icio.us]

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:00:00 PST

Regranting: smart humility?
For my own modest philanthropy, I could spend months researching which US-based organization does the best work serving at-risk youth. Or I could simply write a cheque to the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, widely celebrated for the rigorous process it uses to pick youth development organizations with proven results. It is very likely that they would make a better decision than I ever could. And so my money would do a better job helping kids. This is the essence of regranting.

Links for 2009-12-27 [del.icio.us]

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 00:00:00 PST

Quake-hit residents in Sichuan rebuild homes with "low carbon" reconstruction effort _English_Xinhua
At Daping village of Sichuan's Tongji county, a place which was also heavily stricken by the earthquake last year, so-called "LOHO(happiness and harmony) homes" are being jointly built by local residents and a non-governmental environmental protection group, the "Global Village of Beijing".
Hong Kong Red Cross opens second earthquake rehabilitation centre
President Mrs Selina Tsang Pou Siu-mei officiated the Opening Ceremony of the Hong Kong Red Cross’ Second Rehabilitation Centre in Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province
T.O. group helps quake victims | Toronto & GTA | News | Toronto Sun
Chan went with her dad, former MP Raymond Chan -- on behalf of the non-profit group Ice Breaking Care Society's 500 Club -- with a team of doctors to establish a mobile medical clinic for small villages that were completely out of reach following the quake in May 2008.

Links for 2009-12-08 [del.icio.us]

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:00:00 PST

Where's the money?
"We should give the fund a 'Hurray!' Whatever the motives, it is after all more money for a good cause," Xu says. "Tax avoidance is not something to be ashamed of if it's legitimate."
Questions raised over quake funds
Some of the funds allocated to rebuild the Sichuan earthquake-hit areas were not distributed fairly, with much of the money benefiting those who were already wealthy, a survey released by the Chinese Academy of Science and Technology (CAST) showed Tuesday.