It was one year ago when an 8.0 Richter scale earthquake struck the Szechuan and its neighboring provinces of China on May 12, 2008. The devastating disaster propelled the area into the global spotlight as people around the world focused on recovery efforts and expressed empathy towards citizens in the earthquake impact area. The Kansas City Chinese Association (KCCA) and the KCCA Hope Fund joined forces and organized our largest fund raising event ever on behalf of the disaster relief efforts. The total donation amount exceeds over $100,000 thanks to the support of various corporations and numerous generous individuals. I want to thank each of you for contributing to this wonderful result.
In May 2008, KCCA solicited donors’ input regarding how best to utilize donated funds. The intent was and it continues to be the same - dispersing funds in a manner that maximizes the benefits to those in need. The majority of votes received by KCCA mandates that donated money would be used to re-build a local school damaged by the earthquake. The Hope Fund initially identified three Szechuan Province elementary schools as applicants: Jinzishan Village Elementary School (金子山乡中 心小学), Yinsha Village Elementary School (银沙村小学), and the Yingpan Village Elementary School (营盘乡中心小学) in Qingchuan County (青川县).
Unfortunately, none of the above schools were selected for various reasons stated below. Following the earthquake, the Szechuan region was flooded with billions of dollars from donations worldwide. This publicity and strong demand for new schools increased construction costs beyond what was anticipated. The competitive selection process to acquire funds also resulted in KCCA competing head-to-head with other corporations and organizations that have much stronger financial backing. At times, we were out-bid, and we regrettably had to walk away from deals following weeks of intense negotiation. Other times, when we were successful, we learned that funding acquired would provide minimal or limited benefits (i.e. a new library or a single new building, etc). Consistent with our intent from the beginning, we opted to reserve funds for other activities providing maximum benefit to local citizens. In addition, dispersing acquired funds for a new library or single building would cause KCCA to lose our naming rights for the new school. This is important as these and other conditions must be honored, which aligns with our initial promises to you regarding the allocation of funds.
Although Szechuan Province was the area hit hardest by the earthquake, other regions such as Ningqiang County (宁强县) in Shaanxi Province also suffered substantial damage. As such, citizens in the Shaanxi Province did not receive the same level of attention and financial support they deserved. Since the disaster, local Ningqiang County government agencies and school authorities have been in desperate need of outside assistance to fund reconstruction projects. The chairperson of the KC Friendship School Project, Fred Jiang (蒋战鹏) has been in touch with the local agencies and school authorities since last year, and I’m proud to share that an official contract, between the Hope Fund and the local school authority of the Shenjiaba Elementary School (沈家坝小学) in Ningqiang County (宁强县) in the Shaanxi Province, was signed in January 2009. This transaction was completed following careful and thorough evaluation of the condition of the school and the education needs of local citizens. Approximately 500,000 RMB will be used for school construction and 200,000 RMB will be saved for scholarship and exchange programs. The construction project is scheduled to be completed later this year, and the new school will welcome 200 elementary students.
Making brand-new classrooms available for local students is a wonderful start, but it is just the beginning for the Hope Fund and the Friendship School in Shannxi. To create sustainable, long-lasting educational opportunities for students on both sides of the Pacific, the Hope Fund leadership team has explored and collaborated with strategic partners such as The Confucius Institute. Professor Shi, Yaojiang (史耀疆), from the School of Economics and Management, Northwest University, Xi’an China, was invited to present his findings from a study on the nutritional, physiologic, and academic development of Shaanxi Province school children. Professor Shi and his Socio Development Research Center will help us identify areas where our education and school focused projects can enrich the lives of students and their parents. John Kennedy, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas, also joins our team. He brings a deep understanding of the local culture and social issues in the Shaanxi region, and John has also agreed to visit the Friendship School during and after construction. Anchoring the team is the Confucius Institute at KU, an institution that is ranked among the top 20 Confucius Institutes in the world. Their ability to conduct long-distance learning applications is certainly well renowned. Leveraging the latest communication technologies available, combined with a well-qualified faculty and resourceful student population in Kansas City, will be driving forces ensuring success of the student / faculty exchange program.
In addition to reaching out to the local businesses and institutions for financial support, KCCA Hope Fund has also engaged much of our Kansas City community, particularly young students. We are continuing our efforts to encourage them (and others) to contribute to this project. This summer, three high school volunteers (Andy Yu, Yuqi Hou, and Edward Jiang) will support fund-raising efforts for our school project. They will also travel to Ningqiang County to interview local students and their parents, and assist Hope Fund and local school authorities in the development of the scholarship program. KCCA will continue to update you about the progress and development of the Friendship School Project.
Again, I would like to personally express my deep gratitude for your support thus far, and I’m confident that KCCA and the KCCA Hope Fund will continue making a positive impact and providing hope to our friends worldwide.
CJ Wei
President -Kansas City Chinese Association (KCCA)
- To find out more about how to be part of this unique and exciting project,
please feel free to contact us at kccaboardofdirectors@yahoo.com.
- To pledge your donation to KCCA Hope Fund, click the button below for fast and secured transaction serviced by Paypal.
|
