Compared to other
Asian countries, the Chinese microfinance sector has developed slowly. Even
though the first Microfinance Institution (MFI) was introduced to China in 1996,
MFIs have had a difficult time. Government regulations have stilted their
progress and, much like NGOs, they have had difficulty gaining enough legal
status to develop effective programs. Much is changing, however, in China’s
microfinance sector. In September, famed microfinance pioneer Muhammad Yunus of
Grameen Bank and Jack Ma, CEO of Alibaba, announced plans
to create Grameen China. A recent article in China
International Business
Magazine (CIB) discusses the evolution of microfinance in China including
new laws that signify a significant shift in the sector.
Continue reading "Microfinance in China: Past, Present & Future" »
According to Foreign Policy,
over 200 million Chinese have no insurance. Clinics are few in number;
consequently, hospitals are the only option for most citizens. There are many
reasons for the lack of sufficient health care in China, including the
privatization of medical care, rising fees, and the growing chasm between urban
and rural. Over 27 years the central government cut healthcare funding by more
than 15% which resulted in higher medical fees. Hospitals needed to remain
profitable to stay open and corruption slipped in as they maintained profits by
raising medicine prices and prescribing unnecessary treatments. Cancer and
other pollution related diseases are on the rise yet many Chinese do not go to
the hospital because they know treatments will cost more than they can afford
to pay. The wealthier members of society demand better hospitals while the
poorer simply want affordable health care.
Continue reading "Take a Number: China’s Medical System" »
We're excited to bring you our first guest post. Graham Thompson of The Blackford Trust (who we recently featured in an interview) kindly offered to review the OECD's recent report on rural policy in China. Read all about it!
Despite
China's drive towards urbanization, it remains a predominantly rural country,
with over 700m people living in the countryside – nearly twice the rural
population in all OECD countries. Rural
policy remains fundamental to China's future, and has been examined in great
detail in a recent publication by the OECD (Organization for Economic
Co-operation and Development). The
Rural Policy Review of China, published in March 2009,
was a collaborative effort between Chinese government and OECD
researchers. In addition, the work was partly funded by
the devolved government of Scotland, a fact that is greatly welcomed by this
writer, as a former Scottish rural policy official and Chairman of a charity
that is focused on enhancing Scottish/China links.
Continue reading "Book Review: Rural Policy in China – The Recent OECD Review" »
Created
in 2001 as the philanthropic branch of United Family Hospitals (UFH)
the United Foundation for Chinese Orphans
(UFCO) offers underprivileged kids one of the most basic, but also most
important aspects of human life—health. Partnering with local organizations,
UFCO provides medical services, modern healthcare, and training through UFH, as
well as, funding for medical services that the cannot provide. UFCO currently
operates in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. They partner with organizations
like Baobei
Foundation and Bethel Training
Center for the Blind which have been featured in SVG newsletters and blog
posts. New York native Ellen Luo
recently came on as UFCO’s Executive Director. She discussed UFCO’s mission,
goals, and CSR with us.
Continue reading "Healthcare for China’s Kids: An Interview with Ellen Luo of the United Foundation for Chinese Orphans" »
Established in 2008 as a
Scottish charity, The Blackford Trust has an unusual dual focus—philanthropic investing in
Scotland and China. Native Scot Graham
Thompson decided to form the Trust after receiving a legacy from his late
father. The focus for the Trust came out of Mr. Thompson’s own firsthand
experience living and working in China, as well as his father’s interests in
the environment and landscape of Scotland. Graham is assisted by a board of
four other trustees located in both countries.
So far Blackford Trust
has invested in eight projects, five in
China - Hands on Shanghai , Sunrise Library, The Library Project, the Pucheng
County Women's Sustainable Development Association, and the rebuilding of a
community center in a quake-damaged Sichuan village (the last jointly alongside
a school from Edinburgh). Following the recent launch of their website, I spoke
with Graham about the development of the Trust and what they’ve been up to so
far.
Continue reading "Social Investors: An Interview with Graham Thompson of The Blackford Trust" »
While studying at Beijing’s Tsinghua University in 2006, Casey
Wilson and Courtney McColgan met and found they shared a mutual interest in alleviating
poverty in rural China. They set about researching the possibilities of forming
an organization that could support and foster the nascent Chinese microfinance
industry in it’s work with rural Chinese. While it would clearly be a
challenge, Wilson and McColgan decided to form Wokai, which means “I Start” in
Chinese. Wokai is a nonprofit based out of California with an office in Beijing
and chapters in Beijing, San Francisco, Seattle, and New York City. Wokai
raises funds through contributions made on their website and works with its Chinese
microfinance partners to disseminate the funds to rural borrowers.
Continue reading "I Start: An Interview with Wokai’s Casey Wilson" »
Located in Southwest China, the Three Valleys region has a rich and diverse mixture of cultures and people groups as well as a striking scenery home to a quarter of the world's animal species. For most people in the area though, poverty and progress threaten to destroy not only the landscape but the cultures of the region. With an average year's salary at 600rmb (half that for those living in the most rural villages), residents often cannot afford education or health care. As one of the few organizations working in this area, Three Valleys Foundation seeks to promote education, alleviate poverty, encourage culture, and improve health care. I interviewed President and Director Jean-Luc Fazan, a native of Switzerland, recently to learn more about Three Valleys.
Continue reading "Working with China's Minority Groups: An Interview with Three Valleys Foundation President Jean-Luc Fazan" »
Doing Good is SVG's periodic newsletter that covers the going's-on of China's grassroots non-profit sector. Download here in English and Chinese. This edition of SVG's newsletter covers:
- Cerebral palsy care
- Green innovation
- Peer-to-peer lending for rural students
- Orphan surgeries
- Homeless job skills training
- Recently reflections from the SVG team
Continue reading "Doing Good: SVG's Newsletter- May 2009 edition" »
I recently came across this gem of a blog post, which is a straightforward and heartfelt account by a rural peasant in China named Xiong Jiefeng who became deeply involved in NGO efforts in his village. It is a rare glimpse into what a local Chinese farmer thinks about all the rural development buzz going on around him and how it deeply impacts his life for better and worse. It is funny and poignant perhaps without meaning to be, and definitely gives a lot of things for NGO practitioners and philanthropists to think about.
Continue reading "A Peasant's View of NGO Work and His Involvement" »
CSR, Corporate Social Responsibility, has been a
huge focus in the business world in China, especially after Sichuan’s
earthquake last year. A recent article on Asian Philanthropy Forum points
out that “the definition of ‘CSR’ is very western
concept closely related with the longterm strategic planning of a
company while CSR in China is tend to be a short-term action
originated from philanthropy.” As a key element in
corporate management and development, CSR has been widely accepted in the west
and is acknowledged among most multi-national companies after more than 50
years of history. However, it is still a relatively new concept for most
Chinese companies.
Continue reading "CSR in China: A Work in Progress" »
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