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Sign up with Google Sign up with FacebookQ: What charity would you create in China?
If you had mad stacks and wanted to give some back to the country that gave you nothing but laduzi, and you had the opportunity to start a charity or organization to help those in need in China, what would it be?
I have a couple of ideas.
I'd really like to see professional ambulance people. I would ask the local government to be allowed to have a dashcam on the ambulances and fine people who do not get out of the way. Use this as further funding. Ambulance drivers would need to be trained to US paramedic qualities, so they actually become more than just people driving a van.
I'd really like to offer training to provide understanding of Modern Medicine, sort of a reversed Confucius Institutes to help people understand the misconceptions that TCM has given them.
I'd really like to see school children being educated to know more than to just sit in a classroom. A summer school or weekend class kind of deal where kids fix bikes, cook (with hygiene in mind) pet a goat, whatever, something to do with real life rather than books.
Too many things need fixing here but in my order of priority, the list goes as follows:
1. Educate people on hygiene, both personal and that of peers
2. Orphans, these poor kids have no where to go, no future, breaks my heart to see them suffer and a government and people that don't care
3. Mannerism classes all over the country, atrocious manners they have now, common pleasantries are non existent
That's it.
Scandinavian:
1 & 2, I fully support. But there might be a hint of a hidden agenda in the question. Because when do we "fix" and when do we "westernize". My point being, no one in China would move as much as a nostril over most behavior, so does it need fixing? Whereas 1) perhaps people don't care, but then again, if they get severely sick and die, then someone hopefully cares.
louischuahm:
So we need to wait till someone dies or perhaps a pandemic before the government lifts a finger to do something about it? Maybe something a the scale of the Black Plague?
Scandinavian:
I don't know why you think the gov would do anything just because something severe happens. Look at the half assed handling of avian flu... of course that is a bit of a pseudo threat as the normal flu kills so many more people, but they also do nothing about that (ie. encourage hand washing)
louischuahm:
Which is why I said perhaps they would only do something if and when something like the Black Plague sweeps across the country killing millions upon millions.
sorrel:
maybe they would look on something like the Black Plague as a good way to control population. After all, if you are in your ivory tower with a safe food supply and strong security, you have nothing to fear
louischuahm:
Sorrel@ I'd imagine a plague of that magnitude would certainly reduce the population drastically but it is a very cruel way of doing so. The attrition rate would devastate the world economy. Btw, the cause of the actual Black Plague wasn't known was it? It just blew over when people start locking themselves at home and the contagion just died out.
sorrel:
@ Louischuahm, yes cruel.
But any more cruel than over 30 million peasants dying in the name of economic progress?
any government can claim there was nothing they could do about a pandemic
louischuahm:
Sorrel@ Yes, that was insane but history doesn't need to repeat itself. I would've thought after all these years, governments would be smarter and with all the technology available mindless deaths should not happen again. There are always better ways than to let people rot to death because of poor hygiene.
I would create vocational schools to train plumbers, all kind of repairs, window installation, etc. in 3 years. It would be under the Dr. Monkey Fundation
* The school is free, students have to be from poor countryside. Wealthy city dwellers, nope.
* First year is just English training, Chinese writing and basic accounting, with Western methods of teaching (not rote-learning of list of words and grammar).
* Students learn to maintain their bedrooms, clean the toilets and the whole school. Fail to comply, you're banned for 5 years.
* Running and kung-fu practice are mandatory through the 3 years. The idea is to teach mental and physical discipline.
* With teachers from abroad, paid 2x time what they would earn anywhere else
* The foundation run a chain of repair-it-all shops.
* The students have to give-up 20% of their income the 3 years of work for the foundation. After, they are free to do what the hell they want, or stay and get full income.
After 10 years, if it works, same thing, but to train engineers and service industry workers.
Scandinavian:
Great idea, I see a small plastic sign saying "The squatters in this hellhole of a bathroom have all been installed by Dr Monkey School of toilets graduate"
Vocational training to kids from poor areas is a really good idea. Being a plumber would be much more useful than being the guy who opens doors at a hole in the wall noodle place.
Offer free diapers or nappies to all parents who agree not to let their children relieve themselves in public places.
It seems to me that people have too much of an individual mentality here where they only think about themselves and their family. Therefore, I'd like to see team sports and community service programs where they learn they have a responsibility towards others and the environment they live in.
expatlife26:
I second that...I feel I took a lot away from playing team sports growing up, if for nothing else than just the social skills/cooperation and physical fitness.
Brian to the masses; "You are all individuals."
The masses, in perfect sync, in reply; "We are all individuals."
Guru to the masses; "Fukoff!"
Masses to the Guru; "How shall we fukoff, Master?"
Expat; "Hahahahahahahahahahaha............"
Chinese person; "Shenma??"
royceH:
Oh, the question...
I'd start up a school for people who want to know the answer to WHY .
Only a small school.
All joking aside,
Probably some kind of Outward Bound-type program for the city kids.
and some kind of etiquette/finishing program for kids from the countryside...you know seriously, teach them how to not stand out from their bad manners and how to dress smartly on a budget.
Education. But I will make sure the school or instance isn't only about test questions, but also teach other useful stuff like etiquette, health, environmental protection, etc.
I would open baby banks. Then, as the tearful parents walked away after leaving their child, I would have someone stop them. The whole complete family would be taken to my reception center where skilled social workers would ask a few questions, and then make a plan of how to keep the family together. The social worker's mandate would be to put the most vulnerable and helpless first.
The social workers would have a massive resource at their fingertips and limitless money to do what they could for the child and the family.
It's sad isn't it? I would use my own money, after tax, to give people the socialism they were promised, a promise made by the people who asked them to die for the cause. The same people who take the tax.
In short, I would have a charity that gave European levels of health service and social care. Without Chinese characteristics.
But why should the second biggest economy embark on such a plan when the biggest economy makes such a public showing of turning it's nose up at it?
I saw a really funny cartoon that was relevant to this. God appeared on a park bench in central park. He said to the guy on the bench " Hello, I am God. I thought I would come visit. Please ask me any question you want". The guy straight away said " Hey God, why do you allow famine and suffering?"
God replied " Funny you should ask that. I came here to ask you the same question".
Hulk:
Then you'd be permanently barred from China for trying to "disrupt the social order."
Eorthisio:
You are stealing the bribes of the officials who are selling those abandoned babies to the couples who can't procreate, prepare to be deported and blacklisted.
Scandinavian:
@Eorthisio. This is hitting the nail on the head. Why are charities not getting more support to operate in China.
ScotsAlan:
My words in my answer were a bit strong, but have you seen the photos on China Smack of parents abandoning their sick children at GZ baby bank? I found the photographs really upsetting. What a terrible decision for a parent to make.
The baby bank is a great idea, and the people involved in setting it up deserve a clap of hands. But ultimately the State will have to pay for the care of the Child, so why not do it with the parents involved?
But I can why some things are done as they are. If everyone was suddenly offered free healthcare, every hospital would have 10 mile long lines of people waiting to see a doctor. Offer something for free here and people will take it wither they need it or not.
So I admit I was wrong in my answer when I said no to Chinese Characteristics. Nothing would work here unless it was modified for the Chinese way.
It get's fustrating at times, living in a society where there seems to be very little compassion or help for strangers. And as a socialist, that fustration is intensified when I see how the current Government in the UK are trying to destroy the social support system we are justly proud of.
Of course, right wingers would not agree anything I say
royceH:
You are wrong, sir. I'm of a Right wing bent and yet agree with almost all of what you say.
Hmmmm Perhaps It's time to re-examine my own political sense of self....
Yes, I'll do that. Tonight, after the footy's over and I'm on my umpteenth cold beverage!
Thank you, chap.
The James Needs a Lamborghini Charity. Sort of a Make-A-Wish thing.
BTW, there are no charities in China.
Scandinavian:
you mean similar to this :)
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/07/06/china.redcross/
Rural education. With the amount of people not living in the cities, there are probably millions of bright kids who just dont have the educational push to reach their potential.
DrMonkey:
YES. It just statistics, amongst them, there are people just ready to shine if you give some light. And contrary to many city kids, poor kids have a respect for work and a reason to struggle. Daddy and mommy just can't pay their way to safety.