O.N.E - May 2010

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

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purchasing items connected to various causes.

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Published by Oxfam in Traditional Chinese, MOKUNG is

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