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Update - February 19: Two More Orphanages in Great Need
Dear friends of CHI,
We received letters on Monday, Feb. 18, from QiandongNan and Tong Ren orphanages showing gratitude for the donations we sent on Feb. 4th. We also learned that all the orphanages we helped are getting back to normal after the snow storm, which was China's worst disaster in 80 years. Currently, only Yunnan is still struggling, after a fresh snowfall on Feb. 18.
Friends and families in the US and China donated more than $30,000 in relief funds. We have $10,000 remaining in the disaster fund, and we have found a very important use for those funds...
After checking on every orphanage we worked with during the storm, we found that most are doing just fine now. Many received government relief and aid from other charity groups in addition to the help from CHI. We felt that we needed to search for other orphanages that could be in greater need, without any other sources of aid, and we found some:
Two orphanages in inner Mongolia are in critical need due to the extreme cold. The average temperature in these areas through May is minus 40 degree Celsius. They are hit by snow storms almost every year, so no one seemed to notice them this time. But their heating equipment has broken down due to the heavy snow and they need help quickly to repair it.
These two orphanages are: Xilinguolemeng Welfare Home and Hulunbeier Meng Welfare Home. So far, we have received detailed information from only the first home. Director Bao told us they have 30 children living in the home and 100 living in foster homes. The water heater at their home is also broken, so they cannot even give the children baths right now.
The total amount for a new water heater is $40,000
We plan to send our remaining $10,000 to Xilinguolemeng, and CHI will send staff to visit and check on the children soon.
Thank you for your quick and generous response to the needs of Chinese orphans.
Melody
___________________________________
February 4, 2008
Dear Families:
As the Chinese New Year arrives (2/7), the weather in southern China is still bitterly cold. These are some of the coldest temperatures recorded in 50 years, in a climate where winter weather rarely drops below freezing. Many people have no central heating systems in their homes.
The areas most affected by the snow storm are Hunan, Hubei, Guizhou, Anhui, Jianxi, Guangdong, Yunnan, Jiangsu, Sichuan, Henan, and surrounding regions.
Children’s Hope is providing emergency relief to 15 orphanages in these areas: the Beijing staff is making personal donations and fundraising throughout China. We invite and welcome our CHI family to join us in providing emergency heating, warm clothes, and other resources to help the children in these orphanages:
1. QianDongnan Social Welfare Home, Guizhou - 30 children
Current Situation: It’s still snowing, and they have water and electricity only occasionally. Due to the snow, supplies can’t be delivered to the area. The only way to heat is to use portable heating/AC units.
Needs: winter clothing for children, diapers, 3 heating/AC units for the smallest babies.
Donations needed: $3,000 for 3 heating/AC units and diapers.
Total: $3,000
2. Guiyang orphange, Guizhou - 200 children
Current Situation: Snow and ice cover the roads; the water and electricity is unreliable, working only occasionally during the day.
Needs: winter shoes, clothes, and bedding items. Due to the price increase for food and other items, they need funds to cover daily needs. Children’s Hope runs a foster program with 200 children in Guiyang.
Donations needed: $20 per foster family to cover the extra costs for one month.
Total: $4,000
3. Tong Ren Social Welfare Home, Guizhou - 70 children; 50 under age 2
Current Situation: There has been snow and ice for the last month in this area, most of the time there is no water or electricity. Charcoal prices doubled from 2RMB per half Kg to 4RMB.
Needs: paper diapers and funds to buy charcoal.
Donations needed: $3,000 to Tongren to buy charcoal and diapers.
Total: $3,000
4. JiuJiang Social Welfare Home, Jiangxi province - 113 children
Current situation: has snowed for over 20 days, very cold.
Needs: quilts, heating/AC units. Heating for the activity room for children.
Donations needed: $1,500 for 2 heating/AC units and extra quilts for children.
Total: $1,500
5. Xinyang Children’s Welfare Home
Current Situation: Snowing since Jan 10th, there is electricity and water now in the city. The washing machine broke during the snow, and due to the weather, laundry doesn’t dry for a long time. Some of the rooms have water and damage from the snow.
Needs: Winter clothing, diapers, and funds to purchase items they need.
Donations needed: $1,500 for diapers and clothing.
Total: $1,500
6. Hefei Children’s Welfare Home
Current situation: Due to the weather, diapers won’t dry fast enough, and there is not enough heat in the rooms.
Needs: 10 heating/AC units and diapers
Donations needed: $3,000 for 5 heating/AC units and diapers.
Total: $3,000
7. Zhuzhou Children’s Welfare Home, Hunan
Current Situation: The snow finally stopped after 20 days. The stores are open and there is electricity and water.
Needs: Winter shoes, clothing for the children, diapers, funds to cover daily items that are more expensive due to the snow and weather.
Donations needed: any amount will help.
8. Wuhan Children’s Welfare Home - 315 children
Current Situation: the snow continued for over 20 days, heating is a problem. Some old heating/AC units broke due to the icy snow.
Needs: bedding, winter clothes and shoes, new heating/AC units.
Donations needed: any amount will help.
9. Yichang Social Welfare Home - 120 children
Current Situation: The main problem is cold! There is no central heating system and they have fewer heating/AC units than they need for heating.
Needs: heating/AC units, diapers and a dryer for the clothes and cloth diapers
Donations needed: any amount will help.
10. Fuzhou City Welfare Home, Jianxi Province - 120 children
Current Situation: Due to the weather, they just started to have electricity and water again in the city. The weather forecasts snow again tomorrow.
Needs: the orphanage staff would like to buy a generator for electricity. The cost for a generator is $1,500
Donations needed: any amount will help.
11. YouXian Welfare home, Hunan - 20 children (mostly babies)
Current situation: There is no electricity and no water in Youxian since Jan 28th. The orphanage had to pay $14 per day to hire a person to bring fresh water to the orphanage every day. The roads are also closed. They need diapers and formula for the children. They also ask for funds for a generator.
Needs: $4,000 for diapers, formula and $800 for a generator
Donations needed: any amount will help.
12. Chibi Children’s Welfare Home, Hubei - 40 children (15 under 1 year old)
Current situation: They have electricity and water. The roof of the activity room is ruined by the heavy snow. The children can’t play there any more. They are in need of diapers, formula and winter clothes.
Needs: $3,000 for diapers, formula and winter clothes, future roof repairs
Donations needed: any amount will help.
13. Luo Yang Orphanage - 500 children
Current Situation: Luo Yang was hit by the snow earlier, currently, they are not affected by the bad weather. However, due to the weather, the orphanage staff is unable to get cloth diapers to dry fast enough after washing.
Needs: Funds to buy more disposable diapers, as well as detergent, and other daily supplies.
Donations needed: any amount will help.
There are several charity groups in China currently helping orphans in the south, CBN and Half the Sky are among those we know that are trying to send people to Chenzhou, Hunan, where the snow hit hardest and where there is still no water. They just started to have electricity on Feb 3rd. CBN has offered to cover the cost of one month of formula for 140 children there. Children’s Hope helped to link CBN with Chenzhou's crisis.
Let’s all work together to help the children in these orphanages.
Thank you,
Melody Zhang
Update - February 5
CHI has received and distributed over $15,000 in donations to 9 of the 13 orphanages we are currently working with for snow relief. Every orphanage is still in need of assistance during this time. We will post updates on their progress and needs as we receive them.
Thank you!
Update - February 6
As of New Year’s Eve (Feb. 6) - We made follow up calls and were able to reach the following orphanages:
YouXian Welfare Home in Hunan - Director Zhou told us there is still no electricity, and water runs only occasionally. The weather is getting warmer, snow is starting to melt. The needs remain the same: funds for diapers, food and daily supplies.
Chibi Children’s Welfare Home in Hubei - Director Xie told us things are getting much better. They need to repair the damaged roof some time soon.
Guiyang orphange foster program, Guizhou - Ms. Chen told us there is electricity but no water supply in the city. The prices for everything are very. There is more bad weather on the way. They need warm clothing and funds to buy daily items.
Tong Ren Social Welfare Home, Guizhou - the director told us the weather is getting better, and they have both electricity and water now. The government has sent a lot of clothing and food.
QianDongnan Social Welfare Home, Guizhou - Director Chen said they have now got electricity and limited water services. The government gave them one small generator for electricity.
Xinyang Children’s Welfare Home - the snow has melted and they see blue sky now. Temperatures are above freezing during the day. They now need funds to cover repairs to the facility.
JiuJiang Social Welfare Home, Jiangxi province - things are getting better, although they still need heating/AC units and diapers.
Hefei Children’s Welfare Home - Director Sun told us they purchased 120 quilts for the older children, and they still need heating/AC units and diapers.
Luo Yang Orphanage - they are doing well, they still hope for donations to buy diapers and formula.
It seems in most of the orphanages that the situation is improving, although they still need diapers, formula, and winter clothing.
Kara from CBN called me today, her team in Chenzhou found a small orphanage one hour away with great need. It’s called SuxianLing orphanage. They have 150 children there. They have been living without electricity and water supply for 11 days. CBN is sending another crew to Chenzhou tomorrow morning. I drove to Kara’s place and delivered one duffle bag of warm clothing. 130 leg warmers and some sweaters, to be taken by their crew to this new orphanage.
Update - February 13
Feb 12th was the end of the official holiday in China and today is the first work day after the Chinese New Year. Five million people traveled by train in China on Feb 12th and 13th. The government has sent out 2.5 million soldiers since Feb 11th to assist with disaster relief in the south. The soldiers used portable military stoves to help feed travelers stuck on the Jingzhu Highway.
Most of the areas hit by snow storms are getting warmer weather now. Power and water has been restored almost everywhere except for some areas in Guizhou and Hunan. All the highways are open now. More cold weather is expected in eastern and southern China. Most of the orphanages are getting back to normal, but they struggle to purchase daily items since costs have risen so high after the storm. The most needy areas are still Guizhou and Hunan. The most needed items are disposable diapers and heating/AC units.
From the orphanages:
Guiyang: The snow is melting and it’s warmer during the day, but at night it’s very cold. There is power, but the water supply is not back to normal yet. Several pipes burst during the freeze and lots of repair work is needed. The prices of daily items have skyrocketed. For example, 50kg coal was 45 yuan before and now it is 100 yuan, and even at that price it's very hard to find. The government has set the price for many items like rice, cooking oil, etc. The $2,500 CHI sent to Guiyang helped foster families purchase food, quilts, etc.
Jiujiang: Things are getting better and they have water and power. Life has almost returned to normal for the children and the workers in the welfare home.
ChiBi: Water and power are back. They are in need of $7,000 to repair the roof and the building due to snow damage ( $3,000 has already been sent).
TongRen: Things are getting much better, and water and power are back to normal. Donations helped them buy diapers and charcoal.
XinYang: They have used the donations to buy diapers. Now they have 4 heating/AC units that will soon need to be replaced at a cost of $2,000.
Hefei: Things are much better, life is normal, and the snow has melted.
Qiandongnan: They purchased winter coats and three heating/AC units. One has already arrived and they are waiting for the other two to come.
Children’s Hope Associate Director Melody Zhang is posting updates from China on her blog, www.melodyzhangorphans.blogspot.com, as she coordinates efforts; keep visiting for details and updated photos. Also, view and share this information with your friends on MySpace by visiting www.MySpace.com/ChildrensHope.
