Action Card Briefing – August 2008
Many people look at China and see a rapidly
developing nation on a par with many western countries. This has lead to
questions about why there still needs to be aid and assistance given to
a country able to have its own space programme and host the Olympic
Games. One of China’s leaders has responded to that question by saying,
“No problem is a big problem when divided by 1.3 billion. No problem is
a small problem when multiplied by 1.3 billion!” There is great wealth
in some parts of China but hundreds of millions are still in desperate
need – and many agencies are needed to address the range of issues found
in both the urban and rural populations.
The Amity Foundation is a Chinese Christian
initiated NGO based in Nanjing. It was started in 1985 by senior Chinese
Christian leaders as a means for Chinese Christians to witness to their
faith through good works. Initially it had 4 divisions, Health,
Education, Rural Development and Social Welfare. 23 years later it is
now also involved in Blindness Prevention, Special Needs, Disaster
Relief and Advocacy work.
After the dreadful earthquake which struck
Sichuan Province on May 12th, The Amity Foundation had a member of
staff, Mr Yue Yaomeng, in Chengdu within 5 hours of the disaster. When
Mr Yue spoke to some of the survivors he discovered that not only did
they need water, tents and blankets, they were also hoping for some
cooking oil. When he asked why, it was because of concern for the
elderly and the very young. Most people were living on instant noodles
but survivors were concerned that this would not be enough for very
young children and the elderly who were already weakened in the
aftermath of the earthquake. If they could just have some cooking oil
they could hunt about for vegetables and try and make something more
nutritious for these vulnerable groups – so Amity provided tents, water,
blankets and cooking oil.
There are many stories associated with the
work of The Amity Foundation: helping rural women start their own
cottage industries and giving them access, for the first time, to
literacy and numeracy classes; providing legal advice and support to the
thousands of migrant workers in Nanjing as they try and fight the
inequalities and injustices they face on a daily basis as unregistered
citizens of one of China’s main cities; providing food for poor Middle
School and College students; utilising the gifts and experience of the
elderly in its “Granny Project”.
Through the British and Irish Amity Teachers’
Group (BIATG) the Scottish Churches’ China Group (SCCG) supports a
number of teachers of English working in Guangxi and Gansu Provinces
under the auspices of The Amity Foundation.
If you would like to know more about the work
of The Amity Foundation please visit:
http://www.amityfoundation.org/wordpress/index.php
Send cards of support to
The Amity Foundation via
Patricia Johnston
China Field Officer
Scottish Churches’ China
Group (SCCG)
121 George Street,
Edinburgh EH2 4YN
The cards will be taken to
Nanjing on one of Patricia’s regular visits.
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