China Philanthropy

Giving.cn: Why is Online Giving in China Suddenly So Popular?

For a country that is generally so distrusting of charitable giving, a new string of online giving campaigns shows that many Chinese are at once embracing giving and simultaneously putting themselves at risk of nefarious netizens.

An article in the Global Times reports that everyone from journalists to  those hard on their luck have requested money for charitable causes using the Internet. In March, two men independent of one another started online campaigns requesting donations to help impoverished school children pay for their lunches. Liang Shunxin, a marketing director for an online forum, raised US $199,810 (RMB 1.3 million) and Deng Fei, a journalist, raised US $1.24 million (RMB 8.04 million). Both Liang and Deng posted regular updates on their campaigns in an effort to be transparent, and both have since come under the heading of a government charity, which allows them to continue their work legally.

Taking Advantage of Sympathy
Others asking for money have not been as upright. The Global Times cites several pleas for donations that turned out to be less than honorable. In one case, a mother asked for money to treatment her infant daughter’s eye cancer (read here in Chinese, translations here). Shortly thereafter the mother told her online audience that a wealthy man offered to give her US $3,090 (RMB 20,000RMB) if she would walk several blocks on her knees but reneged after she performed the humiliating act. The Global Times reports that the woman  “was found to have colluded with an online forum administrator to win public sympathy and receive donations.”

We Design: Professional Designers Build Up China's Communities

 

Shanghai-based We Design puts the building in capacity building for grassroots nonprofits. By offering pro-bono design services, they provide professional help at a quality that many organizations and communities cannot afford. We Design began in early 2010 when three architects, an interior designer, and a landscape designer joined forces to open a branch of the international nonprofit Architecture for Humanity (AFH), which provides a platform for architects to offer their design skills to nonprofits. In January, the group decided to transition away from AFH while continuing to engage with nonprofits in need of design assistance.

Now with around 20 steady volunteers and a database of 100 professionals, We Design is finding itself in high demand as they work to fulfill their philosophy of designing “safer, more sustainable and more innovative projects that are assets to their communities and an ongoing testament to the ability of people to come together to envision a better future.”

Links that Make you Go Hmm for the Week Ending June 3

Good news for Chinese NGOs: Chinese NGOs may soon be able to register without a supervising government agency, according to the Global Times. The article also says the government will enlist NGOs to do more services.

Beijing #1 in Giving: Beijing came in at the top of China’s first ranking of most charitable cities with Shenzhen in second. The report looked at giving from 2008-2009 during which time Beijingers gave RMB ¥1.84 billion (US $284.21 million). Per capita, Shenzhen came in first.

First Public Foundation for CP Kids: China’s social sector is full of first, and this week saw the announcement of the first public foundation for children with cerebral palsy called The Brain Rehabilitation Fund. According to Xinhua, “the fund aims to relieve the burden of affected families by providing financial assistance and training so parents are able to do the therapy at home. In addition, the fund hopes to reduce the incidence of cerebral palsy by publicizing preventative measures to thwart the disease.”

China’s Philanthropy Museum: An unusual museum is in the works—a US $41 million museum of philanthropy in Nantong, Jiangsu.  Paul French discusses…