Who are the children we serve?
In China's government welfare institutions, where Half the Sky operates its five programs, the majority of healthy children are little girls. Especially in rural areas.
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In some of China's larger cities, with a significant "floating population" of migrant workers, there are often as many boys as girls given up by parents unable to care for them.
The majority of children older than two years have developmental or physical special needs.
What the children all have in common is that they have lost their families. They are alone in the world.
Conditions in China's welfare institutions have improved greatly since 1998, when Half the Sky Foundation was established in order to provide nurture and education to orphaned children.
But there are so many children, that even the best welfare institutions can only provide for basic needs...food, shelter, medical care.
What the children lack is what every child must have for a healthy start in life: the nurturing love of someone who truly cares.
In 2005, the Ministry of Civil Affairs proclaimed, “Our goal is, through our common efforts, to let orphans and handicapped children in social welfare institutions live in a richer and more stimulating environment of love, enjoy a standard of living best suited to their healthy growth, receive inspiring education and have their individuality and potential developed fully so as to prepare the conditions and lay a good foundation for them to return to families and society.”
In 2006, China’s President Hu JinTao said, “Party committee and government at all levels must put these special children in their hearts – improve their care and education. We must mobilize the whole society to share in care and love for the orphans. We must bring them to the same level as other children, to live and grow happily under the same blue sky of the motherland.”
Change is coming. As China begins to prosper, over time, all of its citizens will benefit. Even its youngest and most vulnerable. Over time.
And yet, for most of the hundreds of thousands of children who live in China’s orphanages without knowing a parent’s loving touch, the days remain empty and long.
