Who are CCTF?
CCTF is the oldest Chinese Government Charity established in 1973. It is responsible for government policy on everything from the school curriculum to practical ways in which to help narrow the gap between the early life experiences of urban and rural children and teenagers in China. (more…)
Ma Jun’s career from environmental warrior to Government advisor, illustrates that China is increasingly accepting NGO activity and taking advice on green issues seriously. Wikipedia describes Ma Jun as a Chinese environmentalist, non-fiction writer, environmental consultant and journalist. From 1993 – 2000 he worked as an investigative journalist for the South China Morning Post (Hong Kong) becoming bureau chief for the paper in Beijing. In 1999 he wrote “China’s Water Crisis” which outlined the most serious problem affecting China today. Pressed by his readers he set up the influential NGO, IPE (Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs) to try and help solve the problem. For his futuristic thinking, Time magazine named Ma Jun as one of the world’s 100 most influential people in 2006. (more…)
The BBC television reporter asked if Obama had spent too long in one to one sessions with foreign leaders like Wen Jiabao at Copenhagen. I guarantee that China only moved on the transparency concessions because people like Obama took the time to approach Wen Jiabao at home in Beijing before the conference and then in a culturally appropriate manner at Copenhagen. Can you imagine what is like in an alien ‘parliamentary’ style plenary session conducted predominantly in English with jet-lag from China? You have to get close before you get critical in the Chinese culture. The fact that any deal was made at all in Copenhagen is thanks to Obama’s and Wen Jiabao’s efforts to understand each other. (more…)
Mental health in China was not something you talked about in polite company until after the Sichuan earthquake. The collective outpouring of grief at this time raised the need for a professional approach to countering bipolar disorders, depression and suicide. Today most people I know living in China admit to ‘losing it’ now and again; long working hours including weekends, leaving the support network of friends, family and familiar surroundings, cultural misunderstandings and the rapid pace of change makes many people fairly fraught in Beijing.
Nonprofits and nongovernmental organizations are often faced with a moral dilemma namely how to decide who is most deserving of their limited resources and who will they regrettably have to turn away. Shangdi Hospital fortunately has never had to face that dilemma concerning access to their medical resources. They do in practice have a ‘no one turned away policy’ and never refuse medical treatment to patients regardless of their ability to pay. What moved me most about Shangdi Hospital was the resident doctors who themselves hold a ‘no one turned away’ policy in their personal lives, for this is what is needed to make the sacrifices they have in order to serve the patients at Shangdi.
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Christy put a blindfold on Vimbayi and invited her to take her elbow. It was then up to Vimbayi to navigate her way around the teaching room. Vimbayi is fully sighted and normally very confident and outgoing but watching her timidly feel her way around the room, I realised just a fraction of what the kids who lose their sight must go through on a daily basis. Everyone in our group took turns with the blindfold and then Christy, the occupational therapist at the orphanage taught us how to use a guiding stick for the blind.
My father couldn’t believe it. “America is a White country. Since when can an African-American become its leader?” It is as astonishing as a black-haired Chinese running Russia. But, hey, this is America, anything is possible. If Arnold Schwarzenegger can be governor, why can’t Obama be president? (more…)
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