A new approach for philanthropy in China?
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Heidi Hu, Managing Director of the China Children Insurance Foundation (CCIF), agrees that the public in China may consider philanthropy means giving and volunteering without earning money.h However, professional organizations need professional personnel to work full-time. It's impossible for everyone to work as volunteers.
Hu is currently working as a volunteer, but she insists that other employees should earn a salary that equals their value.
The One Foundation has finally got approval from the government and registered in Shenzhen City, south China's Guangdong Province, as a fund-raising foundation after confronting many problems in the process of getting approval.
In September, Li's words on this issue, indicating that the foundation might be closed, triggered a wide debate in the media and among the public.
In September and October, two other events in the philanthropic field also drew the attention of the public. Bill Gates and Warren Buffett visited China to hold a charity banquet, and Chinese billionaire Chen Guangbiao made the pledge to give away all of his personal wealth for charity when he dies.
Wang Zhenyao, director of the Beijing Normal University One Foundation Philanthropy Research Institute, says there was much discussion among the public about the events, and the society has gained more awareness about philanthropy.
"I call it a 'mind emancipation movement' for Chinese philanthropy," Wang said.
He added that through a period of reflection on China's philanthropy after the Wenchuan earthquake, a lot of entrepreneurs and former government officials joined philanthropic organizations this year, bringing with them mature management experience and abundant resources in the field.
Also, foundations and NGOs strengthened communications with their foreign counterparts to learn from their experiences and the media has been paying more attention to philanthropy in China, Wang said.
Actually, another important event he wanted to mention is the establishment in September of China's first academic institution on philanthropy - the institution headed by him.
Wang, a retired official of China's Civil Affairs Ministry, admitted that grassroots NGOs have been facing a lot of difficulties in terms of registration, fundraising and sustainable development.
He also noticed that it's impossible to expect any major policy changes in those aspects in the near future.
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