Signing up for collective kindness
By Nie Xin |
May 20, 2012, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
ONCE considered a pastime of the rich and famous, charity work is booming in China as ordinary
people roll up their sleeves or go online to help others. Nie Xin investigates.
There was a time when charity was considered "a rich person's game" - the territory of millionaires and celebrities - because, it was thought you need both time and money to perform good deeds.
However, with the development of modern society and communications the general public are now taking a greater role in helping others.
Jessica Zhu, a 29-year-old local, is a volunteer at Baby's Home, a charity organization in Shanghai's Minhang District, helping orphans aged under two, some of whom have learning difficulties.
Yesterday, thanks to her efforts, the fourth anniversary party for Baby's Home was held at Baoshan Glass Museum. More than 20 children attended the celebrations - which included live performances and, of course, plenty of party food.
"For me, the happiest thing in the world is seeing others happy," says Zhu, who began doing charity work after graduation and has helped organize all the anniversary parties for Baby's Home.
Now working in the marketing department in Baoshan Glass Museum, Zhu obtained sponsorship from the museum for the event.
And Zhu says charity work is infectious. "Since I began volunteering in Baby's Home, 15 people I know have also started helping," Zhu adds. Friends working in hotels provide venues; singer friends perform for the children; and technically-minded friends help out with live music.
Zhu goes to the Baby's Home almost every weekend, playing with the kids. Sometimes she takes them to parks or back home during holidays.
"Building up something through your own efforts, making more people know where and how they can help people - that's real charity," she says.
Ariel Zheng, a 30-year-old who works in the Public Relation department of a multinational company, last month took part in a charity run activity in Century Park in Pudong with colleagues.
Information on charity organization Buy42 displayed at the event caught Zheng's attention.
The Buy42 website - www.buy42.com - arranges for the collection of clothes donations.
At the park, Buy42 volunteers were selling delicate Japanese-style cloth wrappers made from secondhand clothing.
Buy42 deals with donated clothing in several ways. "Items suitable for people in poor areas, especially thick coats, we clean and deliver. And fashionable dresses are sold on our website," says Xu Xiaochuan, co-founder of Buy42.
Zheng was impressed by the Buy42 ethos. "They employ disabled people to hand-make the cloth wrappers, using donated clothes - raising cash and providing job opportunities at the same time."
Inspired, Zheng is sorting old clothes to give to Buy42. "I admire their operation because it combines several charity models and is easy for us to participate in," Zheng says.
Busy at work most of time, Zheng says she prefers small individual charity acts - where she can help without preparation or professional skills.
And this is a growing trend as social media lets more and more people do their bit for charity through small acts.
Among those is Sera Lee, a 27-year-old editorial manager with the e-commerce operation of US fashion giant Gap and mother of two small children, a three-year-old son and a three-month-old daughter.
Lee is a keen supporter of a weibo microblog founded by Yu Jianrong, a professor at Hunan Normal University, devoted to publishing photographs of children begging, in the hope that if these children have been abducted, they can be seen online and hopefully would reunite with their families. Lee helps by forwarding posts to attract attention.
"This has had a very deep influence on society and weibo definitely provides a good platform," Lee says.
Lee is also registered as a volunteer on the "Baby Back Home" website - www.baobeihuijia.com - helping parents look for abducted children.
Like many young people, Lee says she enjoys helping charity, and that technology makes this easier to do.
However, she has not neglected material aid either, donating clothes and books to poor areas, visiting disabled people and taking part in a scheme assisting children with cleft palates.
"I believe everyone has the will to help others and now more and more activities and platforms provide us with chances," Lee says.
Aided by the convenience of social media, more and more non-government organizations are being founded and attracting support.
"The people doing these small charity acts are mostly ordinary people. Compared with traditional charity acts, today's model is more workable, available and relaxed. This is a development of Chinese society," says psychologist Liu Peiling.
"It shows that charity work need not be the preserve of rich people.
"Maybe you don't have a lot of money or social influence, but in today's connected world this will not stop you from helping people," she says.
people roll up their sleeves or go online to help others. Nie Xin investigates.
There was a time when charity was considered "a rich person's game" - the territory of millionaires and celebrities - because, it was thought you need both time and money to perform good deeds.
However, with the development of modern society and communications the general public are now taking a greater role in helping others.
Jessica Zhu, a 29-year-old local, is a volunteer at Baby's Home, a charity organization in Shanghai's Minhang District, helping orphans aged under two, some of whom have learning difficulties.
Yesterday, thanks to her efforts, the fourth anniversary party for Baby's Home was held at Baoshan Glass Museum. More than 20 children attended the celebrations - which included live performances and, of course, plenty of party food.
"For me, the happiest thing in the world is seeing others happy," says Zhu, who began doing charity work after graduation and has helped organize all the anniversary parties for Baby's Home.
Now working in the marketing department in Baoshan Glass Museum, Zhu obtained sponsorship from the museum for the event.
And Zhu says charity work is infectious. "Since I began volunteering in Baby's Home, 15 people I know have also started helping," Zhu adds. Friends working in hotels provide venues; singer friends perform for the children; and technically-minded friends help out with live music.
Zhu goes to the Baby's Home almost every weekend, playing with the kids. Sometimes she takes them to parks or back home during holidays.
"Building up something through your own efforts, making more people know where and how they can help people - that's real charity," she says.
Ariel Zheng, a 30-year-old who works in the Public Relation department of a multinational company, last month took part in a charity run activity in Century Park in Pudong with colleagues.
Information on charity organization Buy42 displayed at the event caught Zheng's attention.
The Buy42 website - www.buy42.com - arranges for the collection of clothes donations.
At the park, Buy42 volunteers were selling delicate Japanese-style cloth wrappers made from secondhand clothing.
Buy42 deals with donated clothing in several ways. "Items suitable for people in poor areas, especially thick coats, we clean and deliver. And fashionable dresses are sold on our website," says Xu Xiaochuan, co-founder of Buy42.
Zheng was impressed by the Buy42 ethos. "They employ disabled people to hand-make the cloth wrappers, using donated clothes - raising cash and providing job opportunities at the same time."
Inspired, Zheng is sorting old clothes to give to Buy42. "I admire their operation because it combines several charity models and is easy for us to participate in," Zheng says.
Busy at work most of time, Zheng says she prefers small individual charity acts - where she can help without preparation or professional skills.
And this is a growing trend as social media lets more and more people do their bit for charity through small acts.
Among those is Sera Lee, a 27-year-old editorial manager with the e-commerce operation of US fashion giant Gap and mother of two small children, a three-year-old son and a three-month-old daughter.
Lee is a keen supporter of a weibo microblog founded by Yu Jianrong, a professor at Hunan Normal University, devoted to publishing photographs of children begging, in the hope that if these children have been abducted, they can be seen online and hopefully would reunite with their families. Lee helps by forwarding posts to attract attention.
"This has had a very deep influence on society and weibo definitely provides a good platform," Lee says.
Lee is also registered as a volunteer on the "Baby Back Home" website - www.baobeihuijia.com - helping parents look for abducted children.
Like many young people, Lee says she enjoys helping charity, and that technology makes this easier to do.
However, she has not neglected material aid either, donating clothes and books to poor areas, visiting disabled people and taking part in a scheme assisting children with cleft palates.
"I believe everyone has the will to help others and now more and more activities and platforms provide us with chances," Lee says.
Aided by the convenience of social media, more and more non-government organizations are being founded and attracting support.
"The people doing these small charity acts are mostly ordinary people. Compared with traditional charity acts, today's model is more workable, available and relaxed. This is a development of Chinese society," says psychologist Liu Peiling.
"It shows that charity work need not be the preserve of rich people.
"Maybe you don't have a lot of money or social influence, but in today's connected world this will not stop you from helping people," she says.
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