Small Talk With... Heading Helping Hand

In the wake of the earthquake in Sichuan, Xiong Fangjie, Executive Vice President of the Red Cross in Shanghai, and others have been working tirelessly. CW spoke with Xiong about these efforts and more.

This is obviously a busy time for you. How quickly after the earthquake occurred did the Red Cross here in Shanghai start to assemble aid? We had a meeting at 8:30am on the morning of May 13 to discuss how to provide support to the disaster area. I got to the office at about 7:15am, a little earlier than usual and there was a lady waiting. She followed me inside my office, wanting to donate ￥1,000. She was an elementary school teacher, the first person to donate. Being so far away, what are the main ways in which this branch of the Red Cross has been assisting? Mostly donating money and other supplies. We have 50-60 volunteers counting money, writing receipts, making phone calls and manning the computers every day. The Construction Bank had two special counters open for us, now there are eight. We're also helping to send medical teams (from Huashan Hospital for example) and many people have been donating blood. Can you tell us how much money the Red Cross managed to raise in the first week? By May 19 we'd raised about ￥251 million and over ￥30 million in supplies. Where are most of the funds being spent? There are two main usages. First is buying supplies that are urgently needed--food, water, clothing, medicine. The second is funding the rebuilding of schools, medical centers and shelters. How long will it take to rebuild these areas? Probably two years or a bit less. What will the major priorities be in Sichuan over the next few weeks and months? Shelter, I think. The weather is hotter. There'll be more mosquitos and various other insects which transmit disease. People must have a place to live, students must have classrooms and patients must have clinics. The new buildings will also have to be able to withstand any further aftershocks. What do you feel has been your greatest personal contribution? I personally donated ￥1,200, my wife another ￥200, and I've been working from about 7am to 9pm these days, and we're still working on the weekends. We plan to spend the next year helping them rebuild.

Details

What: Red Cross Society of China
Website: http://www.redcross-sha.org
Tel: 6321-2999

News of the Moment: In Solidarity

Shanghai turns philanthropic as aid for earthquake victims pours in and charities get mobilize
The earthquake in Sichuan has roused the emotions of a nation and left many looking for ways to help. Shanghai has been no exception. In the first weeks following the quake, the response was nothing short of overwhelming. Yuyintang was among the first to coordinate a fundraising effort, assembling over 10 local acts for a charity concert within the first week. Other venues began to join the fray, donating proceeds from their events including The Shelter, Live Bar and the Melting Pot. Some popular bars such as MAO donated weekend cover charges to the cause and restaurants also got involved-Haiku, O'Malley's, Cotton's and Arch to name but a few. Sasha's and Shanghaiist hosted an outstanding benefit. One prominent restaurateur generously donated ￥40,000 to the Red Cross relief fund one afternoon as we sat chatting-you know who you are. The initiative on the part of these and so many more has been instrumental in mobilizing the masses, but the relief efforts will continue long after the initial buzz dies down.

The long battle is being fought by charitable organizations and NGOs who are gearing up for the long-term, among these the most prominent being government agencies and the Red Cross Society of China which has been on the ground in Sichuan since day one. Locally, the Community Center Shanghai has also established the "Shelter for Hope," a long-term initiative to aid rebuilding efforts. The second phase of this project, a blanket drive, is now underway. Check out www.communitycenter.cn for updates. You can also send donations (online or by bank deposit) to the China Children and Teenagers' Fund (en.cctf.org.cn) which is dedicating its efforts to immediate medical assistance, care for orphaned children and school reconstruction. In a related vein, the Library Project is helping to build libraries in schools in southwestern Shaanxi, many of which were damaged by aftershocks. Go to www.library-project.org for information on making cash or book donations and volunteering. As initial rescue and relief operations turn to rebuilding efforts, charity efforts will continue. Watch the CW Radar blog for continuing updates.

SHANGHAI DIGITS

➜ 1976
The year a 7.8 quake hit Tangshan in northeastern China, claiming over 250,000 lives–the deadliest quake of the 20th century.
➜ ￥228,336
The amount of money Sasha's benefit raised for earthquake victims.
➜ 96165
The Beijing Community Service Network's hotline to call to register as a potential adoptive parent for a child orphaned by the Sichuan earthquake.

A SHANGHAI MOMENT: Getting Hands On

If giving money isn't enough, volunteer your services
In the wake of devastation, many people want to offer their services. If you feel the need to get involved, you're not alone, but bear in mind that unmanaged and unskilled volunteers flooding into a disaster relief area can be as much a boon as a blessing. However, there are channels you can go through that will help provide training and match you up with the right organization. Drawing on their history of volunteer coordination, Hands on Shanghai has formulated a long-term initiative for helping the rebuilding efforts in the form of Hands on Chengdu (http://www.handsonchengdu.org). The aim is to recruit, train and manage a qualified base of volunteers that can be drawn upon by NGOs and charitable organizations. The group helps to connect volunteers and the NGOs or government agencies in need of assistance and also facilitates donations and project scheduling. Volunteers and NGOs / charities in search of volunteers can register online.