Since the disastrous earthquake of May 12 in Sichuan, we have witnessed a great outpouring of concern and compassion around us. The donation boxes we have set up at our headquarters’ street entrance on Hankou Road in Nanjing has continually been approached, receiving 1000, 1800, 4800 Yuan from individuals.
This afternoon at 5:00, two fifth graders arrived, donated their pocket change, and then took it upon themselves to hold our boxes up to passersby, calling out, “Bring your contribution for the disaster victims!”
Continue reading ‘Sichuan Earthquake Relief Update, May 15/16′
Today was the first day after the earthquake in Sichuan. Everybody at Amity experienced the busy and intense atmosphere of this day.
At 15:35, May 12, Amity held the first emergency relief meeting and set up an emergency relief group right after the earthquake to track the progress of the disaster and draw up a plan for emergency relief work.
At 19:37, May 12, Yue Yaomeng, a staffer with Amity’s disaster relief division, arrived in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province. Unfazed by the dangers of aftershocks, he held an instant emergency relief meeting with local project staff.
Continue reading ‘Emergency relief: events of 12 and 13 May’
According to the latest information we received, over 20,000 people have died or been injured in Beichuan County, Sichuan Province. Over 60,000 people are reported missing in Wenchuan County, the region immediately surrounding the epicentre of the earthquake - more than half the total population of this county. When a school building collapsed in Dujiangyan City, more than 1000 students and teachers were trapped. Only 58 of them managed to escape, the rest are still missing.
Yue Yaomeng, the Amity staffer who travelled to Chengdu right after the earthquake, has been busy collecting information and purchasing drinking water, high-energy biscuits, tents and tarpaulins. Due to the damage to transport lines and the high demand for emergency relief goods it is difficult to get the necessary supplies at the moment. As soon as Amity has purchased the material, it will be delivered to Beichuan and Dujiangyan right away. The first transport to Dujiangyan is scheduled for today. Rain, aftershocks and landslides are making rescue and relief efforts difficult.
Two Amity teachers had to spend the night outdoors after their school nearly collapsed. Another Amity teacher, Connie Wieck, who is based in Chengdu, keeps updating her blog with the latest news about the earthquake and its aftermath.
A powerful earthquake - probably the strongest in more than 30 years - hit China on Monday afternoon. Its epicenter was some 90 kilometers from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province. An Amity staffer, Yue Yaomeng, arrived in Chengdu five hours after the earthquake. He is monitoring the situation and has already established contact with local partners and other NGOs which are active in the region. An Amity disaster relief office will soon be set up in Chengdu.
The earthquake destroyed up to 80% of buildings in the hardest-hit region, which was also affected by landslides, power failures and a near-total breakdown of communication. The death toll is expected to be at least 10,000. Since communication lines and roads have been destroyed, it is difficult to get precise information from Wenchuan, the center of the affected area.
Amity has started releasing CNY 1 million in emergency funds as a first step. Our relief efforts will focus on four areas: sanitation, medicines, food and water, quilts and temporary shelters. We are appealing to you to support our relief efforts by making a donation.
Two volunteers from International Christian University (ICU) in Japan took part in Amity’s service-learning program in Amity from Mar 9th to Apr 6th. During their 4-week stay in Nanjing, they did various activities, explored the ancient city and served those who are in need of help.
Continue reading ‘Japanese volunteers in Nanjing’
The Hong Kong office of the Amity Foundation held a gala dinner on 20 April to raise funds for its disaster relief and rehabilitation efforts. Earlier this year, wide areas of Central and Southern China were hit by the worst snowstorm in a century. In response, Amity is raising CNY 10 million for snowstorm relief and rehabilitation. Besides the immediate distribution of quilts and rice for victims in February, Amity will continue to rebuild collapsed homes, schools, clinics, water systems and help affected communities restore their means of livelihood.
Watch a slideshow here.
Continue reading ‘Fundraising dinner for snowstorm disaster victims’
30-year-old Zhou Jian from Nanjing has just mastered the first vocational skill in his life - baking bread.
What may seem rather commonplace to most people is far from normal in his case. Zhou Jian was born with Down syndrome and was, until recently, completely dependent on his family. People with Down syndrome often have lower than average cognitive ability; a few are severely mentally disabled. Zhou Jian’s parents provided care for him 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year round. They will never forget the moment they tasted the first piece of bread baked by their son: it marked a huge step in his life. In the near future, he may even be able to support himself with his new skill, which he learned with the help of the Amity Home of Blessings.
Continue reading ‘The Home of Blessings bakery’
Butler University in the United States sent a group of nine students to Nanjing to participate in Amity’s Service-Learning Project. The team was led by one teacher. They taught English for three half days at the Mingguang Jindu School for the children of migrant workers, which is located in a suburb of Nanjing, and visited the Amity Printing Company as well as places of interest in Nanjing.
Continue reading ‘Butler University Students Participated in Service-Learning’
On the advice of the Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee, the Hong Kong SAR Government has approved a grant of HK$1.29 million from the Disaster Relief Fund to the Amity Foundation for relief projects for snowstorm victims in Guangxi and Yunnan.
Continue reading ‘Amity receives HKSAR Government grant for snowstorm relief’
In spite of government policies to develop the poor western parts of China, which have been implemented in recent years, there is a huge gap in economic and social development between Eatern and Western China. One of the results of this is that education in the west has fallen far behind, above all in impoverished, mountainous regions. Here, history and geography are contributing factors to underdevelopment. Education is short of funds here; school buildings are often primitive and derelict, qualified teachers are in short supply, hardly any teaching material and equipment is available. Without proper maintenance, hundreds of school buildings have become unsafe to use, posing great dangers to the lives of teachers and students.
Continue reading ‘354 schools built by Amity’
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