Small Talk With... A Helping Hand

Kara Waddell, managing director of Operation Blessing, gives us an eyewitness account of the situation in Sichuan and what’s being done to help.

What’s the situation on the ground in Sichuan? When I landed what surprised me after having lived in China for 10 years is that it felt like 9/11 in the States. Everyday, people were working together, bringing in supplies in trucks. The entire community was saddened, but mobilized. So when did you arrive? I flew in Wednesday after the earthquake. When I arrived, the death count was already 5,000. And now? Now they’re saying 51, 52 thousand, but 25 to 30 thousand are still missing. It’s a terrible disaster of a very large scale that will impact generations to come. And what are the biggest challenges right now, almost two weeks after the quake? Housing. I don’t think anyone knew a week ago that 5 million would be homeless. The Chinese government has tons of resources, like tents, as well as the ability to provide for people in disasters. The hardest thing might be reestablishing lives and jobs. A quake like this will thrust potentially millions into abject poverty. So is there anything that could have prevented the extent of the tragedy? Hindsight is 20/20, so it’s easy to say "Gosh, we need stricter building standards." I think the general population will demand standards be put in place to ensure better safety, especially for children. How is Operation Blessings' approach different from that of Red Cross? For the Red Cross, their charge was everyone, but we try to find a single community or pockets of families. We want to be able to bring a small village back, so kids can go to school and families are back into a place where they’re earning income. Last question: Did you see anything hopeful in Sichuan during this difficult time? One image I remember is tens of thousands of bottles of water stacked in front of a sign that read "100 days until the Olympics." No one would have expected this mobilization of society to help Sichuan. So though this is a dark time, China has a very bright future. I think the Olympics will be a healing time for the country, a time to celebrate the promise of China.

For more information on Operation Blessing and how you can help, visit http://www.obchina.org.

Everyone Is Talking About... Making a Difference

Beijing unites to save lives and rebuild Sichuan after the most devastating national tragedy in thirty years.

With over 50,000 dead and nearly five million displaced, the Sichuan Earthquake is the biggest tragedy to befall China in recent memory. We admire how Beijing and the rest of the country has come together to save lives and rebuild in its aftermath. The tragedy moved not just locals, but the entire world to contribute.

Within 24 hours of the quake, fundraisers, donation drives and charity events were mobilized. Beijing businesses began gathering donations for victims, with the ubiquitous red box sitting in most offices, business, bars and restaurants. Banks set up accounts earmarked for the Red Cross and listed the information at their counters, making it easy for patrons to donate.

Qinghua foreign students and the Wudaokou expat community gathered together for Runway for Relief. The Bookworm raised over ￥60,000 in its charity drive, and its sister store in Chengdu now headquarters Sichuan Earthquake Relief, an organization created by Chengdu expats to distribute goods and facilitate relief efforts (http://www.sichuan-quake-relief.org). They have distributed over 16 tons of goods to date. The Yin Bar at the Emperor Hotel and Acupuncture DJs organized a two-day benefit, donating 100 percent of proceeds the Red Cross Foundation of China. The Stone Boat held a Sichuan Charity Jam with a number of local bands, and Beijing’s DJ community came together for Beats For Life at Tango. Star Live, Om Shanti Yoga, Beijing Improv, MAO Live House, AmCham and numerous others also organized events to raise contributions. City Weekend’s Ringier Asia offices raised ￥90,000.

It’s not too late for you to give. Homes, businesses and schools need to be rebuilt, victims still need medical attention and the five million displaced by the quake need resources to rebuild their lives. You can contribute at The Red Cross, Mercy Corps or the Chinese Red Cross Foundation.

DIGITS

➜ 10,619
The number of members of the Sichuan Needs Your Help Facebook group.
➜ 26,550
The amount of ￥ earned by a 4th grade student at the Western Academy of Beijing as part of their school swim-a-thon to raise money for earthquake relief.
➜ 15
The number of Beijing bands that played the Sichuan Charity Jam held at the Stone Boat on May
➜ -1 degree
The temperature of the Stella on the "frozen tap" at Saddle Cantina

BEIJING PERSPECTIVE: Journey West

Foreigners help Sichuan
While many of Beijing's foreigners have donated money, some are traveling to Sichuan to see how they can help. "We heard about what was going on, so we booked a one way ticket to help out," says Gabriel Mellan, whose five days in a refuge camp were covered by international media. "When we first arrived, the kids were bored," he said, inspiring him to break out his kazoo and entertain the children. "When the kids smile, the adults smile, so it boosts the morale of the whole community," he explains. Mr. Magic, Beijing’s favorite clown, also headed to Sichuan to make children laugh. "My first choice is always to give time rather than money," he says. He warns about showing up without an organization to work with, however: "They're being very cautious about letting people in now," he reports.