A Giant Step for China's Orphans

We are happy to support The Half the Sky Foundation, an organization offering "nurturing care for China's orphanaed children." We support them for a number of reasons. First, because we ought to be supporting organizations working to better the place where we live. Next, because supporting China's orphanages is certainly also supporting our Mei Mei until she joins our family. But also because they are a fantastic organization. It is with Half the Sky that I worked with my friends to bring Music Together into the orphanages of China. It is an Half the Sky orphanage I had the privilege of visiting. I have met many of their employees, and I believe in their mission.

All of that to say that we receive their newsletter. And their newsletter had a monumental announcement for China's orphans. I'd love to share it with you. Due to the hard work, effective lobbying and good example of Half the Sky, the Chinese government has decided to:

- Change CCAA (China Center for Adoption Affairs) into CCWC (China Child Welfare Center), making one organization responsible for the welfare of all Chinese children.

- Renew its efforts to find a family for every child, with the recognize that healthy orphans are now rare in the Chinese system but children with special needs still live without families.

- Open children’s welfare institutions to the community, turning them into community centers that provide services like HTS programs for all children, especially those who are disadvantaged: preschools and enrichment classes and guidance for teens and young parents who have no other place to turn. By doing this, CCWC tackles a major failing of all institutionalization – that children grow up in total isolation from the real world.

This will have a huge impact on each of the children under state care in China, bringing them into community with their peers outside of their institution through schools and community events, and placing children without adoptive families into Family Village homes, essentially foster homes with families and true community.

This will also have a huge impact on Half the Sky, as they are working toward putting themselves out of business. They will hand over their institutions to CCWC and become trainers, mentors and facilitators for the Chinese system within five years.

Change can happen fast in China, but quick change generally only happens as it has a positive effect on the economy. It is beautiful to see such a change in the planning stages, knowing that this change will happen fast as well, and will have a dramatic effect on so many Chinese children and so many Chinese families.

If you've had any money seeking a way to make a difference, this would be a worthwhile place to send it.