May 2O1O
THE BUSINESS EDITION Emergency: Earthquake in China
One Person in CSR – Woo Pat-Nie
On 14 April, a massive earthquake hit the northwest at 7:49am. At 3am, on 17 April, Oxfam arrived with supplies. Based at Oxfam Hong Kong’s office in neighbouring Gansu Province, Aman Yee reports. He also took the photo (above) of children in a temporary camp in Jiegu, Qinghai Province.
Meet the person behind one of the first Sustainability Reports to use Global Reporting Initiatives (GRI) in Asia.
Two Years after the "5.12" Earthquake New roads, earthquake-resistant schools, gender-sensitive ways of working… The changes are many. Oxfam has assisted hundreds of thousands of people in about 200 impoverished communities since that day, 12 May, 2008.
CSR in Hong Kong Oxfam Hong Kong launches its second survey on the CSR efforts of 42 Blue Chip companies in Hong Kong.
CSR in Mainland China Oxfam and an institute of the Ministry of Agriculture research CSR practices of large agricultural/food corporations.
Poverty and Wealth in Hong Kong Poverty is a relative concept in many cities, and must be seen alongside wealth, writes Professor Hui Po-Keung.
OXFAM in QINGHAI
SUN
MON
TUE
WED
THU
14
15
Earthquake strikes at 7:49am
Oxfam plans to initially spend HK$2m (US$258,000) on response
Oxfam prepares response with NGOs and government units in China
Sun, 18 Apr, Oxfam Live
FRI
SAT
16
17 3 am
Oxfam’s first relief team arrives in Jiegu, Yushu, Qinghai early morn
Oxfam delivers relief (quilts, blankets, etc) to 2,000 people in Jiegu camp Sichuan Airlines sponsors a flight of supplies from Kunming to Xining
(in Qinghai), Al Jaz eera TV
18
19
20
21
Oxfam arrives in Shiqu, Sichuan, 4,600m high, with supplies for 4,000 people
Oxfam delivers aid for 2,000 people in 3 remote areas west of Jiegu, 4,300m high
Oxfam delivers tents in Zhaxike, Yushu, especially for migrant workers
Flags at halfmast in Hong Kong and across Mainland China
fam Fri, 16 Apr, Ox
Live on CCTV
Oxfam plans public health work in Jiegu to reduce risk of disease
Oxfam supplies for remote communities 80 km west of Jiegu town
NOTES FROM AMAN YEE When I left Oxfam Hong Kong’s Lanzhou office for Qinghai, the
I interviewed a woman named Lang Jie suffering from a severe condition
information coming in was that people’s basic requirements would
of anxiety and panic. She had frequent nightmares, and a deep fear of
mostly be tents, blankets and food. Yet, that is for physical needs. When
leaving her tent, which she shared with her 9-month-old baby, elderly
I reached Yushu, I met people who had become so emotionally fragile by
mother, and husband. She and her family were initially provided instant
the earthquake that they remained too shocked and afraid to leave their
noodles and rice by the local temple.
tent once they were provided one. Too afraid to go out, some people are having difficulty receiving enough supplies.
The kind of food aid is another matter. A massive amount of instant noodles has been donated, but as I talked with survivors, I learned that most of them would prefer roasted barley, butter and other basics in the Tibetan diet. Oxfam Hong Kong is working closely with local groups to respond appropriately. Ren Qing Da Wa, President of Jiang Yuan Development Association, says, “We will make good use of the donated food, but it is very important to provide healthy food to survivors.” Lang Jie says it is painful to think about the families who didn’t survive the earthquake. When I parted with her, she seemed optimistic. We did not say ‘goodbye’ but ‘cai yan’ which means ‘long life’ in the local language in Yushu. Aman Yee is Deputy Programme Manager of the Rural Development and Disaster Management Team of Oxfam Hong Kong. He is based in Lanzhou, in Gansu Province, China.
an Aman Yee in
, Earth Day on 22 April Oxfam tent
O.N.E May 2O1O
Woo Pat-Nie addressing colleagues about CSR reporting, November 2009. Oxfam Hong Kong co-hosted this seminar at Clothing Industry Training Authority.
A MAN AT CENTRAL: WOO PAT-NIE By Madeleine Marie Slavick
Woo trained as an accountant and could have stayed in that profession
first job at Central and has been with us for about 30 years now.”
life-long, but in 2005, he decided
In the five years he has been in
to join the family business: Central
the family business, there have been
Textiles Group, called ‘Central’ for
many signs of sustainability. In 2005,
short. He is now a Director.
Central began using certified organic
Central was star ted by his
cotton; in 2008, Woo Pat-Nie founded
grandfather, Vincent Woo. Actually,
the Sustainable Fashion Business
it is the second textiles company that
Consortium; and in 2009, Central
Vincent set up. The first, Dai Chung,
became the first spinning and weaving
located near Shanghai, had to be
company in Asia to issue a Global
abandoned during the war: Vincent
Reporting Initiative report. The next
left the city on the last plane out, and
challenge is getting his factories in
started up again in Hong Kong with
Mainland China certified Fair Trade.
just one loom. Nine years later, Central
Woo sighs. “The textiles industry
would open its first spinning factory.
is ver y tough. Ver y tough. Ver y
The factory was in Tsuen Wan,
competitive. Margins are squeezed
where the headquar ters remain.
to the extreme. Many people in the
In the 1980s, when I lived there,
business have given up, gotten out.
the neighbourhood was filled with
They say to themselves, why not buy
factories and I will always remember
property and live off rent – it’s a lot
a dye factory (of another Hong Kong
less stressful.” In the five years Woo
company) that once stood at the
has been with Central, he says two of
corner of my street. It polluted the
the four other spinners have closed
stream so badly that the air also stunk.
their factories.
It is gone now.
When I ask him what his grand-
These days, Central is a leader in
father might have thought about all
sustainability: social, environmental
of this emphasis on sustainability and
and for the business. “We’re in this
corporate social responsibility, he says
for the long term,” Woo Pat-Nie said
that even though Vincent was from a
a few times during the O.N.E magazine
different era, he would have thought
interview. “The previous business
it worthwhile.
model was obviously unsustainable, Central Textile Group is the first Asian spinning and weaving mill to issue a Global Reporting Initiatives report.
but Central is a family business,
Issued in March 2009, the report received an award from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
and families last. My grandfather
Woo Pat-Nie was in conversation with Wong Kwok-Ho, who works on Corporate Social Responsibility with Oxfam Hong Kong, and Madeleine Marie Slavick, editor of O.N.E.
worked so hard to build up Central and I see myself as a steward for this generation. “C e n t ra l h a s a l w a y s p u t a n emphasis on the welfare of our staff members. The previous CEO is now a consultant and has served for a total of 50 years. The current CEO got his
O.N.E May 2O1O
Oxfam Hong Kong Survey Shows Size Matters on CSR Hang Seng Companies: Big Market Cap, Small CSR By Wong Kwok-Ho and Thomas Lau
framework worldwide. Among these, only half of them score well enough to ensure them a place in the leader category. Supply chain management is another area that remains largely neglected. Thirty-six per cent have no dialogue with their suppliers regarding CSR issues. This reflects that almost a third of the HSI companies are not introducing CSR into their supply chain; ten companies scored 24 per cent or less while seven scored zero.
“If you are the biggest, you are
Laggards (below 40 points) – 26%.
survey. Our latest survey findings
The situation didn’t fare any better
also expected to be the strongest.”
The Hong Kong Blue Chip Index
indicate that there is a strong linkage
for companies which have a supplier
That is the public expectation of big
is the main indicator of overall
between companies who responded
code of conduct in place, including but
corporate companies when it comes to
market performance in Hong Kong.
to the survey and inclusion with the
is not limited to, the request for their
corporate social responsibility (CSR).
Of the 42 constituent stocks, 25 are
leader (with a score of >=60%) and
suppliers’ compliance on fair labour
This makes sense, as large companies
headquartered in Hong Kong, 16 in
mainstream (40-59%) categories. Of
practices and good environmental
generally have more resources, and
Mainland China and one in England.
the 31 companies listed in the leader
standards. Our findings show that
can institutionalise CSR throughout
They span 10 industry sectors, and
and mainstream categories, 29 of them
69 per cent of companies actually
their operations, including their supply
represent over 60 per cent of total
returned the questionnaire. For those
already have this code of conduct,
chain. Yet, are these companies really
market capitalisation of the Hong
companies that did not respond, our
but only 36 per cent implement it
good enough to be a role model? In
Kong Stock Exchange. Collectively,
research consultant CSR Asia, would
across all of their operations. This is a
April, Oxfam Hong Kong released the
these companies have enormous
then gather information from public
serious implication on ethical practices
findings of its CSR survey on forty-two
impact and influence on the economy
documents, such as annual reports, as
because of the extensive nature of
Hang Seng Index (HSI) constituent
as well as on environmental, social and
to complete their questionnaires. Only
these big companies’ supply chains.
companies.
governance issues. They also account
two non-respondents had enough
In the area of workplace quality, we
The HSI or Blue Chip companies
for a very large workforce, with 31
publicly available information to make
looked into some corporate practices
were rated in six areas: 1) CSR Strategy
per cent of constituent companies
it out of the laggard (<40%) category.
beyond s tatutor y requirement s .
a n d R e p o r ti n g ; 2 ) St a ke h o l d e r
each employing over 100,000 people.
How well do companies report their
Paternity leave, for instance, has
e n g a g e m e n t ; 3 ) Wo r k p l a c e ; 4 )
It is therefore crucial to understand
CSR practices? From our survey it
yet to be enforced by legislation.
Environment Performance; 5) Supply
their behaviour with regard to their
shows that 57 per cent of them
Only 23 companies in the sur vey
Chain, and 6) Community Investment.
contribution to poverty alleviation.
have, on their own, published a CSR
provide this entitlement for their
They were ranked into three groups:
Tran s pare n c y i s an e s s e ntial
report, but only 40 per cent use the
employees, neglecting the caring duty
1) Leaders (60-100 points) – 29%, 2)
criteria for these blue chip companies
Global Reporting Initiative, the most
of fathers. It appears that to leave the
Mainstream (40-59 points) – 45%, 3)
to achieve a high s core on our
widely used sustainability reporting
companies to their own devices is not
To read the full report: www.oxfam.org.hk/fs/csr/HSI2009_en.pdf
Kalina Tsang coordinates Oxfam Hong Kong's private sector engagement efforts.
To read the report from 2008: www.oxfam.org.hk/public/contents/47872
O.N.E May 2O1O
effective enough for them to adopt
Commitment to create board level
comprehensive CSR practices. This
responsibility for CSR and develop
necessitates the public authorities to
CSR policies based on international
enforce some mandatory measures to make it happen. On the environmental side, it
At a Glance Publish an independent CSR Report
57%
standards offer a valuable starting
Use Global Reporting Initiative
40%
point for those companies lagging
Set environmental targets
43%
behind.
Offer paternity leave
55%
Code of Conduct with suppliers
69%
Community investment aligned with national or Millennium Development Goals
19%
System to measure impact of Community investments
29%
was encouraging to see that 43 per
In addition to calling on blue
cent of the companies are setting
chip companies to improve their
reduction targets on, at least, one of
CSR policies and practices, Oxfam
four items: greenhouse gas emissions,
Hong Kong also calls for stronger
energy, water and paper. However,
regulations on them by the Hong
performance varies significantly.
Kong SAR Government and the Hong
Only the leading companies have set
Kong Stock Exchange, leveraging on
reduction targets on all four items.
the ongoing Companies Ordinance
Group- or division-wide tangible
Rewrite effort to strengthen the
reduction targets are less likely to
disclosure of non-financial corporate
occur in companies, leaving much
data based on the GRI standard. As
room for improvement.
far as listed companies are concerned,
Rank
Name of Company
Total Score Percentage
1
HSBC
80%
2
CLP
77%
3
China Mobile
76%
4
Cathay Pacific
74%
5
MTR Corp
71%
6
Hong Kong and China Gas
69% 69%
In the first survey in 2008, our
Ox fam Hong Kong re commend s
findings indicate that the majority
that the Hong Kong Stock Exchange
6
Foxconn
should require companies to publicly
8
Swire Pacific
67%
generously for charity causes. In this
disclose their CSR or sustainability
9
Hang Seng Bank
66%
second survey, we investigated their
performance as a mandatory listing
10
HK Exchanges & Clearing
63%
community investments as a long-term
principle. Oxfam Hong Kong believes
10
Sun Hung Kai
63%
strategy. The survey found that only 19
both voluntary efforts of companies
12
Li & Fung
61%
per cent of the companies align their
and mandatory measures imposed by
13
HK Electric
56%
community investment goals with the
regulators would create â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and sustain
14
Tencent
56%
UN Millennium Development Goals
â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the momentum for bringing CSR to
15
Sino Land
53%
or national development goals. Only
a higher level in Hong Kong.
16
New World Development
52%
Wong Kwok-Ho works on Corporate Social Responsibility with Oxfam Hong Kong; Thomas Lau is a member of the Communications Team of Oxfam Hong Kong.
17
China Resources Enterprise
51%
17
Esprit
51%
17
China Shenhua
51%
of the HSI companies contributed
29 per cent have systems to measure the impact of their investments. This indicates that many companies have failed to adopt a strategic approach to community investment. All said and done, we find that the biggest companies are not necessarily the strongest, when it comes to CSR.
Stephen Frost, Executive Director of CSR Asia, a consultant for the survey
17
Henderson Land Development
51%
21
Sinopec
48% 48%
21
China Construction Bank
23
Ping An
47%
24
China Unicom
46%
25
Bank of East Asia
45%
26
Bank of China (Hong Kong)
44%
27
China Resources Power
43%
27
Hang Lung
43%
29
PetroChina
42%
30
ICBC
41%
31
Bank of China
40%
32
CNOOC
38%
33
China Overseas
33%
33
China Merchants
33%
35
Bank of Communications
31%
35
China Life Insurance
31%
37
Aluminium Corp of China
30%
38
Hutchison Whampoa
29%
39
CITIC Pacific
25%
40
Wharf Holdings
20%
41
Cheung Kong Holdings
16%
42
COSCO Pacific
13%
O.N.E May 2O1O
We Do Not Stand Alone: CSR in China Text and photos by Cai Rui
HEBEI PROVINCE: Farmers checking their pay from an agricultural/food company.
Adherence to Corporate Social
of Rural Economy of the Ministry of
farming cooperatives.
Responsibility standards has a direct
Agriculture have been researching
In general, the study reveals a weak
farmers had no way out but to dump
and substantial impac t on small
the profit mechanisms bet ween
partnership between agricultural
their milk, with some even killing their
producers’ livelihoods. This applies
farmers and large agricultural/food
corporations and farmers. In Inner
cattle to reduce their loss. Conversely,
in any context – in a garment factory
corporations (known as ‘Dragon Head
Mongolia, for instance, merely 30 per
when the supply of milk is low and
or on the land. Recent research on
Firms’) in Hebei, Inner Mongolia,
cent of the surveyed dairy farmers
prices should theoretically surge,
the agricultural/food industry in four
Liaoning and Sichuan. The companies’
have a contract with the company:
most farmers told Oxfam that they
provinces of China indicates a tenuous
CSR policies and practices were also
the majority falls outside of legal
still sell their milk to corporations at
situation, with fledging CSR policies
assessed. The 39 corporations primarily
protection. In the face of the toxic
the normal price. Yet, there are also
and basic contractual agreements
process pigs, chickens, fruit, seafood
milk crisis in 2008, some affected
positive examples. Despite being hit
being the exception rather than the
and dairy cows. On the producer
companies tried to recover losses by
by the global financial crisis, many
rule.
side, the research included interviews
delaying payment to dairy farmers,
companies are still paying contractual
For the past two years, Oxfam
with 43 livestock/dairy farmers, and
lowering their offered prices, and
prices to ensure farmers’ income.
Hong Kong and the Research Centre
workers at 24 breeding bases and five
cutting down purchases by raising
One company opened a separate
standard requirements. Some dairy
O.N.E May 2O1O
HEBEI PROVINCE: A cow breeding facility visited by Cai Rui (right), Oxfam Hong Kong's Programme Officer of Corporate Social Responsibility.
bank account for each partner dairy
impacts of their supply chains; should
the participation of domestic and
farmer to make timely payments in
livelihoods of farmers and workers. With the support of the Ministry
publicise their CSR assessments ,
multinational corporation s , the
a transparent manner. Some farmers
of Agriculture, Oxfam commissioned
and should engage stakeholders in
Chinese and foreign governments,
who keep their cows in breeding bases,
research to look at these companies’
constructive dialogue. This applies
and society as a whole. We believe
larger farms or breeding associations
CSR practices, such as mechanisms
to multinational food corporations
that change is coming, one step after
are given partner companies’ stock
for monitoring, transparency, and
too, not only Chinese ones. In the
another.
options, thereby sharing both profits
s t a ke h o l d e r e n g a g e m e n t . T h e
context of globalisation, multinational
and risks with the corporations.
research also worked to identif y
corporations’ investments in
One might ask, is this transfer
potential intervention and policy
developing countries can influence
of risk simply a marketing ploy?
improvement areas regarding food
local government decisions, farmers’
T h e a n s w e r i s ‘n o’ i f o n e s e e s
safety, smallholders’ access to market
livelihoods, and rural community
farmers and corporations as being
b e n e f i t s . O x fa m p re s e n te d th e
development. We are seeking dialogue
the interdependent par ties that
research to Ministry officials and
with companies to ensure that farmers
they are. A company with a healthy
businesspeople from Dragon Head
in China and around the developing
strategic vision does not follow the
Firms in Beijing in April 2010.
world all have an equal ground for
‘profit comes first’ business model,
Oxfam Hong Kong believes that
but one that fosters the mutual
business should be accountable for
Oxfam does not stand alone.
and sustainable development of
the social, ecological and economic
We can not walk alone. We need
Based in Beijing, Cai Rui is Programme Officer of Corporate Social Responsibility with Oxfam Hong Kong. The agency has been advocating Corporate Social Responsibility in Mainland China since 2006, with the business sector, government departments, civil society, and the general public. A current emphasis is on the agricultural/food industry.
development.
all stakeholders. Even corporations badly hit by the financial crisis can still protect farmers’ interests, guarantee stable purchase orders, and abide by the contractual prices: this will ensure quality products for the company and will secure farmers’ income too: a winwin situation. In China, these ‘Dragon Head Firm’ receive subsidies and preferential policies from the government to stimulate the economy; at the end of 2008, there were 81,500 such companies. With such an arrangement, BEIJING: 9 April 2010, Oxfam Hong Kong workshop on CSR: participants of the workshop included officials from the Ministry of Agriculture as well as academics, NGOs and corporate executives.
the government is cer tainly in a position to leverage on this and to urge the companies to protect the
O.N.E May 2O1O
Poverty and Affluence Must be Studied Together By Prof. Hui Po-Keung
Hong Kong schools have shown a
as calorie intake, but by capitalist
and consumption systems create
production and consumption system,
recent interest in encouraging students
society’s most fundamental logic of
differences (e.g. classes and genders)
and our necessities and desires are
to explore their local communities as
operation. In the process of capital
among everything in the society.
constructed by signs.
part of their Liberal Studies or civic
accumulation , mo s t wealth and
Individual “needs” form only after a
Thus, it is impossible to isolate
education classes, hoping students
resources flow toward rich people,
system of signs distinguishing such
pover t y as a subjec t of research
could learn through vivid life
while the residue defines the basic
differences emerges. For example, the
because poverty is not a separated
experiences outside of the classroom
needs of low-income groups.
symbol of “luxury homes” demarcates
and autonomous entity. Poor people’s
and the textbook. On poverty issues,
In contemporary Hong Kong, high-
its class differences with “public
“basic needs” are defined by the
teachers may take students to low-
profit luxury homes have always been
estates”, generating our needs for
residue of the wealthy class. The
income neighbourhoods or to a
the first priority for land developers.
“first home buying” and “upward
formation of poverty is also at the
‘rich vs. poor banquet’ to help them
Our best land and other resources are
purchasing” (i.e. buying larger and
same time the construction of luxury
understand poor people’s everyday
hence reserved for wealthy luxury
more expensive homes). In other
consumption. Therefore, poverty and
life.
home-buyers; the residue is then
words, consumers’ personal needs are
affluence must be studied together;
Giving students the opportunity to
channelled to meet poor people’s
being produced and summoned by the
visiting poor people should also be
engage with a low-income community,
basic needs, such as constructing
operation of capitalism.
complemented by understanding
if not done too superficially, does help
public health facilities and low-income
Baudrillard denied the existence of
students with a relatively privileged
housing. In other words, the needs
“real” or “essential” needs, asserting
social background to broaden their
of poor people are determined by
that needs are not inherent but
horizons. Focusing on poor people’s
the logic of capital accumulation and
determined by differences specified
material life in this kind of poverty tour,
reproduction: poor people can only
in the capitalist system of signs. As
however, imposes a non-traversable
consume leftovers from rich people,
different societies possess distinctive
limit of cognition, because poverty
ins tead of securing basic inputs
logic of differences, their “basic
is largely a relative concept in high-
(defined by biological imperatives)
needs” differ. For example, clothing
income cities such as Hong Kong.
for survival.
can be an expression of taste, not
As pointed out by sociologist Jean
Baudrillard reckoned that modern
merely a display of wealth or the
Baudrillard (1981), in modern capitalist
consumerism is governed by the logic
lack of it. Thus, the meaning that a
society, poverty is not determined by
of difference. By constructing linguistic
sign signifies is not universal. Needs
objective biological imperatives such
signs, modern capitalism’s production
are created by the entire capitalist
the formation of the rich’s opulent lifestyle. Reference: Baudrillard, Jean (1981): ‘The Ideological Genesis of Needs’ and ‘Towards a Critique of the Political Economy of the Sign’ in For a Critique of the Political Economy of the Sign, translated by Charles Levin. Telos Press, 63-87 and 143-163. Hui Po-Keung is an Associate Professor in the Department of Cultural Studies at Lingnan University, Hong Kong. Translation by Bonnie Kwok of Oxfam Hong Kong. This article first appeared in the March 2010 edition of MoKung, Oxfam Hong Kong's Chineselanguage magazine.
/ photo: Madeleine Marie Slavick
O.N.E May 2O1O
TWO YEARS ON The earthquake of 12 May 2008,
than 750,000 people in about 200
T h e a g e n c y ’s 110 re li e f a n d
people to restart their means of a
with a magnitude of 8.0 on the Richter
of these impoverished communities.
rehabilitation projects to date include
livelihood. These projects have been
Scale, affected hundreds of thousands
In its five-year strategic plan from
building new schools, village roads,
implemented alongside 54 partner
of people across western China: 4,834
2008-2013, Oxfam Hong Kong plans
and water supply systems; running
organisations.
communities officially designated as
to allocate HK$90 million in Sichuan,
training sessions in gender sensitivity,
impoverished were hit by the disaster.
and about HK$71 million in Gansu
participatory models, and financial
Oxfam Hong Kong has assisted more
and Shaanxi.
management; and enabling poor
To read the full ‘Two Years On’ report, please visit: www.oxfam.org.hk
Sichuan Relief Projects: 15 Rehabilitation Projects: 50
Shaanxi Relief Projects: 2 Rehabilitation Projects: 8
Gansu Relief Projects: 5 Rehabilitation Projects: 30
Total Number of Oxfam Projects: 110
Sichuan HK$41,885,960.81 68%
Gansu HK$16,337,804.43 26%
Shaanxi HK$3,869,637.20 6%
Total expenditure: HK$62,093,402.44 (From May 2008 to 31 March 2010)
Donations from Individuals HK$79,007,674.86 49%
Corporate Donations HK$30,027,115.72 19% Oxfam Affiliates (Oxfam Australia, Oxfam Canada, Oxfam Germany, Intermon Oxfam, Oxfam New Zealand) HK$4,677,616.58 3% Hong Kong SAR Government Disaster Relief Fund HK$3,510,000.00 2%
Fundraising Appeal in 2008 by the Home Affairs Bureau, Hong Kong SAR Government HK$44,255,188.30 27%
The 3-kilometre village road, before and after, in Jinniu, Sichuan
Financial Resources (as at March 2010)
Qin Yongzheng, 25, (bottom photo), lives in Jinniu Village with her husband and child (pictured). ”My husband worked 12 days for free to build this road,” She says. “We want our son to walk on a good cement road, instead of the muddy road before. We knew that it would be so much easier to bring our vegetables, pigs and chickens to sell in the town centre, so we were happy to work for free. We even contributed our own money.” Oxfam provided 657,053 Yuan in funds while Jinniu residents themselves raised 15,000 Yuan to build the road. (Photo: Li Hong /Oxfam Hong Kong)
O.N.E May 2O1O
TWO YEARS ON Oxfam Hong Kong Partner Organisations GOVERNMENT UNITS • Anxian County Office Sichuan Qianfo Mountain Conservation Zone • Chengdu Women's Federation • China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation • Guangyuan Lizhou District Committee of Communist Youth League • Hui County Poverty Alleviation and Development Office • Langzhong City Poverty Alleviation Office • Longnan City Poverty Alleviation and Development Office • National Population and Family Planning Commission of China • Bureau of Civil Affairs of Kang County, Longnan City, Gansu • Pingliang City Bureau for Ethnic Minority Affairs • Population and Family Planning Commission of Wudu Prefecture, Longnan City • Post-Quake Rehabilitation Office of The State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development (LGOP) • Poverty Alleviation and Development Leading Group Office of Ningqiang County • Poverty Alleviation and Development Office of Chencang District, Baoji City, Shaanxi • Poverty Alleviation and Development Office of Cheng County, Gansu • Poverty Alleviation and Development Office of Kang County, Gansu • Poverty Alleviation and Development Office of Liangdang County, Gansu • Poverty Alleviation and Development Office of Luojiang County, Deyang City, Sichuan • Poverty Alleviation and Development Office of Lushan County • Poverty Alleviation and Development Office of Wudu District • Poverty Alleviation and Development Office of Yanting County • Poverty Alleviation and Development Office of Zhongjiang • Poverty Alleviation and Development Office of Zi Tong County, Mianyang City, Sichuan • Poverty Alleviation through Food for Work, Lixian County, Sichuan • Poverty Alleviation Office of Anxian County • Poverty Alleviation Office of Baoxing County, Yaan City • Poverty Alleviation Office of Chaotian County, Guangyuan Prefecture, Sichuan • Poverty Alleviation Office of Jiange County, Guangyuan Prefecture, Sichuan Province • Poverty Alleviation Office of Lizhou County, Guangyuan Prefecture, Sichuan • Poverty Alleviation Office of Nanjing County, Bazhong Prefecture, Sichuan • Poverty Alleviation Office of Santai County • Poverty Alleviation Office of Wangcang County • Poverty Alleviation Office of Youxian District, Mianyang City
NEW SCHOOL, HUAXIANXI, GANSU Education for children has been a priority for Oxfam in Gansu. When the Huaxianzi Primary School in Anding District was so damaged that it was no longer safe for the 208 students, Oxfam allocated 429,898 Yuan to rebuild the school to meet safety standards (pictured). “Before, during the winter, it was freezing in the classroom,” a student says. “The icy wind blew right through the crevices in the mud wall. Now, it’s warmer in the brand new classroom.” Principal Wang Hong says, “The new school is very safe, so the parents no longer worry about the security of their children. And our school is near the village, so parents would rather their children be here than anywhere else. Hence, this semester, we have ten new students in kindergarten; before we had only three.” (Photos: Sha Lei / Oxfam Hong Kong)
• Poverty Alleviation Office of Yuanba District, Guangyuan City • Poverty Alleviation Office on Lueyang County of Shanxi Province • Qingchuan County Poverty Alleviation Office • Qinzhou District Education Bureau, Tianshui City • Poverty Alleviation and Development Office of Xihe County, Gansu • Program Office of Anding Educational and Sport Bureau • Wenxian County Poverty Alleviation and Development Office • Zhen Yuan County Education Bureau, Qing Yang Prefecture, Gansu Province
UNIVERSITY / RESEARCH INSTITUTES • Department of Sociology, College of Humanity and Development, China Agriculture University • Lanzhou University Community Development Center • School of Ethnological Studies, Southwest University for Nationalities • School of Huaxi Public Health of Sichuan University
LOCAL NGOs
TRAINING WITH PARTNERS, CHENGDU, SICHUAN
• Donghua Women's Health Education Centre, Huating County, Gansu
Su Yunzhi, 44, (left in left photo) and Li Chunrong (standing in right photo), 30, attended Oxfam Hong Kong’s seminar on Participatory Management Methods and Project Management Training.
• Gansu Yixin Psychological Counselling Centre • Global Village of Beijing • Shaanxi Mothers' Environmental Protection Association • Shaanxi Provincial Research Association for Women and Family • Service-Technology Service Center for Rural Women in Shaanxi • The Youth from Red Cross (YFRC) • Western Rural Development Center
Su is an accountant with the Poverty Alleviation Office in Luojiang County. She says, “I learned a lot about financial management from Oxfam’s finance officer. He clearly explained how to monitor projects, as well as Oxfam’s ways of working. We will follow these procedures to meet Oxfam’s requirements.” Li Chunrong, a leader of Weixing Village in Sichuan, says, “We [the village government] apply the participatory approaches in our work, but after this, I understood why we need to appeal for participation. I see that villagers have fewer complaints if they take part in every aspect of the project. It definitely helps my work of communicating with people in my village.”
• Institute for Civil Society, Department of Anthropology, Zhongshan University
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25
N e w PartnerOrganisations
CHINA
Beijing
Every day, Oxfam Hong Kong works alongside hundreds of groups around the world, from small NGOs to international bodies, from government departments of developing countries to community groups based in Hong Kong. Here are 25 ‘partner organisations’ that we are supporting for the first time.
In this edition of O.N.E, we highlight HANDA Rehabilitation and
• School of Civil, Commercial and Economic Law, China University of Political Science and Law
Welfare Association
• Gender Equality Policy Advocacy Group • Research Center of Journalism and Social Development, Renmin University of China
Established in 1996, HANDA is a non-governmental, nonreligious, and non-profit community organisation registered with the
• Global Call to the Action against Poverty (GCAP) • Beijing Mu Lan Culture Center
Guangdong • HANDA Rehabilitation & Welfare Association
Guangxi
Department of Civil Affairs of Guangdong Province and supervised by the Department of Health of Guangdong Province. It also functions as a branch of the International Association for Integration, Dignity
• Department of Ethnic Affairs of Donglan County, Guangxi Autonomous District
and Economic Advancement (IDEA), with which Oxfam Hong Kong is
• Department of Ethnic Affairs of Lingyun County, Guangxi Autonomous District
also associated.
• Chinese Communist Youth League of Puan County • The Science Association of Weining Yi, Hui & Miao Minorities Autonomous County
leprosy. It helps patients through an approach that merges the social,
Hebei
• Qianxi Women’s Law Service Center
Henan
• Luohe Women’s Federation • Population and Family Planning Commission of Henan Province
stigma that patients face, and the discrimination.
Shaanxi
• Poverty Alleviation Office of Lueyang County
poorer province in the southwest. The village of Ma Liutang is a
Sichuan
• Poverty Alleviation Office of Wangcang County
community for Hansen’s Disease patients where HANDA has been
Yunnan
• The People's Government of Xundian County • The People's Government of Jianshui County • The Peoples Government of Dongchuan District
working since 2006, primarily by offering residents there interest-free
Guizhou
• Midu County Poverty Alleviation Office
• Hangzhou Grassroots Education and Advisory Services Center
Zhejiang
psychological, physical and economic. It also works to eliminate the While HANDA is based in Guangdong in the southeast, the project carried out with Oxfam’s support is in a village in Yunnan, a considerably
loans. The land is not very fertile, resources have been limited, and trading difficult due to inaccessibility.
• The People's Government of Wuding County • Nanhua County Poverty Alleviation Office • Chuxiong Municipal City Poverty Alleviation Office • Xiangyun County Poverty Alleviation Office
HANDA focuses on assisting people with Hansen’s disease, or
Funds pooled from HANDA and Oxfam Hong Kong helped set up a new community development fund to support various community development activities, such as road repair and training on raising livestock. The project period continues until December 2010. For more information on HANDA: www.handa-idea.org/en/
VIETNAM • Quang Tri Department of Planning & Investment
MOKUNG
ONE
The focus of the March edition is on attitudes,
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