-- September 1, 2006

Michael Pereira, director of Development Gateway Communities (dgCommunities), visited our office today to discuss possible cooperation with us. Mike is a nice guy, professional with a good sense of humor.  Six of us--me included!--who are senior management and staff of our office met with him.

The meeting went well and was very pleasant. Mike was impressed by the new-design of our website, launched just ten days ago, especially by the blog area. He said the dgCommunities, based in Washington DC, were also thinking about creating their own blog but that had been postponed for the moment because of time and staff shortages. The e-map, world clock and learning Chinese columns were attractive and he personally would use these services frequently and recommend them to his friends.

Mike then showed us the website of dgCommunities and explained how it operated. As linked, global online communities provides the public opportunities to exchange knowledge, know-how and opinions. We're thinking about localizing the dgCommunities in China, inviting scholars to join our online forum and share development information with each other.

Mike totally supported this idea and said that the opportunity to establish localized Chinese language dgCommunities would be extremely exciting. If this project really takes off, it'll have big benefits for China and the world!

Photos for this meeting can be found at: http://www.chinagate.com.cn/english/blog/48645.htm

(China Development Gateway by Xu Lin)

-- August 8, 2006

As a guest of the China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF) I attended an achievement exhibition and forum for Enterprises Run by the Disabled from August 8-9 as a staff reporter representing the China Development Gateway.

　

If I hadn't visited the exhibition I would have been unable to comprehend such a large gathering of people with disabilities. Simply mingling and chatting with them and beginning to understand the huge achievements made by them moved me deeply. Despite their sheer courage and physical efforts no sympathy was expected and it would have been offensive to offer any.

　

I was also tremendously impressed by the volunteers from Beijing universities who were on hand to assist in any way they could. Their attitude and general demeanor was a complete revelation to me and hugely impressive. The volunteers are to be congratulated for their efforts.   

　

I was also a little bit emotional as I listened to the orchestra of the disabled as they played their music at the event. They suffer from many different problems including vision, hearing and physical difficulties. However, there was a warmth and joy about the musicians and the music. They were smart, talented, passionate and obviously having great fun.

 

　

Their smiles told me that they were enjoying themselves and what they were getting from the audience was understanding, encouragement, admiration, support and appreciation of their musical talents. 

　

On personal level I was emotionally touched by a speech given by Lv Zhongyuan, a disabled entrepreneur, "I don't have too much ambition. I just want to build a platform on the Internet for enterprises run by the disabled where they can display their own products, to provide job opportunities for more disabled people and to contribute more for society," he said.

　

He had no idea where funds would come from but he said with a smile, "If there's no other sponsorship my company will be fully responsible for the costs as long as we can keep running!" He devoted himself totally to serving the vulnerable in society which is a spirit not often reflected even by very healthy people.

　

I was also touched by the various favorable policies announced by the government at the forum on promoting education and employment for the disabled. I was impressed by the experts who used their professional skills to give advice to the disabled on how to develop their own enterprises.

　

The two-day event gave me an opportunity to get to know a group of people whom I'd never had any meaningful contact with before. Their lives are certainly different but more colorful than I’d imagined!

　

I've learnt a lot from my experience and will do what I can to help those in need and encourage others to pursue their dreams. I'm simply humbled by the spirit of the people I met and their ability to get on with things. A quite remarkable experience and one I'll never forget.

　

(China Development Gateway by Wang Zhenhong, Translated by Xu Lin)

-- July 26, 2006

As a team member of a disaster relief initiative launched by the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation I arrived in Hunan Province. I was accompanying Foundation staff who were evaluating the extent of the disaster and distributing aid in Chenzhou city which was hit hard by Typhoon Saomai.

　

I couldn't picture the scope of the disaster from the figures given in news reports. However, the scenes I’ve witnessed those days were beyond my wildest imagination.

　

Huge areas of farmland were damaged and homes destroyed. News of the possibility of further typhoons could be heard now and then on radio and television. The entire city was in panic. Food, living conditions and the mammoth reconstruction will require everyone to make some kind of contribution.

 

　

The Foundation's supplies were gratefully welcomed by thousands of homeless people and many a tear was a shed by the grateful citizens of Chenzhou. The expression I heard most frequently was a simple, heartfelt and very genuine "thank you." From calling for donations and delivering aid door to door the relief staff displayed quite remarkable devotion and spirit. Their very obvious commitment to the task in hand moved me greatly.

　

Before arriving in Hunan it was explained to me that assisting with relief work was difficult. And charities throughout the country face many problems but particularly with funding for their work. Foundation members admitted they simply don't have the resources to help everyone but the appreciation in the eyes of those I saw being helped in Chenzhou convinced me completely that what they were doing was truly meaningful.

　

Looking at the homeless people and their current living conditions I suddenly realized just how lucky I am. Since I don't have any problems in food, housing and working, what is also occurred to me is that a person in luck should give her help to those in need because we are in a community.

　

(China Development Gateway by Huang Yuping, translated by Xu Lin)

-- June 9, 2006

 I attended a conference on the development of women which was co-sponsored by the Chinese Women's Research Society, the All-China Women's Federation and the Party School of the CPC Central Committee in Beijing today. At the event, there was a ceremony to present signboards to 21 centers established nationwide that would be responsible for women and gender research and training.

More than 100 deputies and professionals from different organizations and institutions shared their experiences and practices in women-gender research and training and exchanged ideas with each other for future developments in these areas.

I interviewed a number of professionals at the conference, including sociology professor Luo Ping, a very nice lady, from Wuhan University. She discussed women's status in China with me, saying that although Chinese women's social status had been greatly improved, women still didn't have enough power, especially in employment and decision-making.

I totally agreed to what she said, because as a woman, I had such experience before. When I was hunting jobs in the job fair, I found that companies preferred to hire male employees than females, although they always said that they provided equal opportunities for all candidates. It seems that there is still a long way to go before Chinese women's status reaching a certain level. All of us should make our efforts on this issue.

A news report written by myself on this subject can be found at: http://www.chinagate.com.cn/english/48369.htm.

(China Development Gateway by Xu Lin)