Community Organizing with Chinese Characteristics
Social Workers in Jianan Refugee Camp
When the earthquake struck on May 12, 2008, the massive need for volunteers, supplies, and resources forced the government to open the doors for NGOs to aid the relief effort. Now with temporary housing built for milllions of homeless earthquake refugees, the government is again officially in charge, and NGOs must now coordinate and partner with the government on projects in order to get access, or risk being shut down completely. But NGOs can still play a huge role in the recovery effort, since they bring needed resources and have deeper access to communities, and as local governments are suffering from financial difficulties and a lack of adequate capacity.
For most refugees, living in the camps is unfortunately the only long-term option. Many lost their apartments in cities like Han Wang, Beichuan, and Mianzhu, and did not have any private insurance to compensate them for lost property. Real estate prices are too high in China today for anyone to invest in a second, replacement home. Many still have debts from their first homes. Their old factories and workplaces have not officially closed, but have ceased operations indefinitely due to infrastructural damage. Now, families of two to five are squeezed into a 13 by 15 foot room, with about 50 households sharing one bathroom. The one camp we were working in had 40,000 refugees, and there were three of them located near Mianzhu alone. Almost all the residents are waiting…for the day in which government will provide them with a new apartment to live in. Some are more anxiously waiting for compensation for lost property, or social welfare support, that both the Central and local governments have promised them. For many, the horrors of the earthquake still run fresh in their minds.
So how do you promote economic development, provide social services, and organize the community in this context? One organization is trying to find out. Composed of 10 college seniors from across China, the Jianan Social Services Center runs like a community organizing venture. Currently, the group is partnering with the government on community-building projects, expanding their network, and gaining trust and recognition amongst the camp’s residents. They have four initiatives going on:
- Sports and Recreation - Organizing basketball, ping pong, and Chinese Chess competitions in neighborhoods within the refugee camp.
- Community Volunteer Corps - Building a group of youth volunteers to help with with the provision of social services, such as visits for elderly residents.
- Temporary Housing Beautification Through Art - Running art workshops with children, and then posting artwork in homes across the refugee camp.
- Chinese New Year Talent and Variety Showcase - Planning and managing the performances at the premiere New Year’s celebration.
Their road has not been easy. On some days, these young organizers work from 8:30am to 11:00pm, planning and running events, writing reports for their funders, conducting research, finding volunteers, and holding meetings to discuss strategy. They continuously run into barriers, including mis-communication with partners, pressures from the higher ups to expand their scope, and troubles getting enough participants in some of their initiatives. But what’s amazing about this team is its commitment to continuous reflect upon its work, learn from its mistakes, and think of creative ways to solve problems; qualities that many here believe is lacking in the way China educates its young people to think.
Their activities are targeted to build morale and social capital within the community. But after you build a better sense of togetherness in the camp, then what? A huge question lies in what the next step should be for this group. How should it start working to address the financial difficulties, psychosocial problems, and skills deficiencies that many of their constituents have? What is their role, especially in relation to the government, in building a better recovery community? In the new field of community organizing and social work here in China, the Jianan Social Services Center is experiencing its growing pains and defining its place under the rule of a one-party state.
But one common analogy I’ve heard throughout this trip might provide some sense of stability for NGOs. The Communist Party built its support based on working within rural communities throughout the 1920s-40s, helping farmers grow food, carry water, and raise livestock. It might very well need groups like Jianan to outreach to local communities again, in order to stay in power.
Written by Lin Yang · Filed Under All Blogs
Lin Yang is currently a second year MPP candidate at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. Prior to Harvard, he spent six months at Tsinghua University in Beijing, conducting research on China's shortage of water resources. He also taught high school mathematics for two years in the Mississippi Delta as part of Teach for America.
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i have been going thru this myself I’m the founder and president of a Florida nonprofit corp and irs 501c3 approved create in response to earth quake of 5-12.
i would like contact addresses email addies for these guys or pls forward my info to them, I’m the process of designing a community center for Tuanje village,fushuan town, maoxian county. the first unit is funded. I came to china in july 15,08 trying to find a path thru to build home for quake victims and to say the least it been a top class roller coaster ride. I admire young people who can band together to do this kind of work, if i can assist then i will in any way i can.my first career after droping out of college was volunteer work. did it 18 yrs. now after 20 yrs i’m back at it and love it, so if i can assit then let me know.
Hi