China
Although the standard of living in China has risen over the past 30 years, there are widening gaps between rich and poor, and urban and rural areas. Two-thirds of China’s 367 million children live in rural areas. Many of them, especially those from minority ethnic groups, live in remote areas and lack access to good quality health services and education.
What we’re doing
- We’ve improved the quality of education for 187,000 children over the past year.
- We set up nine baby care centres after the Sichuan earthquake.
- We provided 49 prefab classrooms for six kindergartens after the earthquake.
Save the Children in China
We helped people affected by severe floods in China in the 1930s and provided food and shelter to victims of the war with Japan. We have programme offices in Yunnan province and in the autonomous regions of Tibet and Xinjiang, and headquarters in Beijing.
Immediately after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, we opened an emergency programme office in Chengdu, and have since set up a permanent programme.
We’re improving the quality of education
Many schools in China have no resources other than desks and chairs, and offer only a limited curriculum. We’ve been involved with teacher training in Tibet since 1992, helping teachers make their lessons enjoyable and stimulating for all students. We’ve now extended the training to two more regions. Read more about our education work around the world.
We’re providing safe places for children
We’ve set up children’s activity centres in villages, poor communities and schools. The centres provide safe places for children to play, learn and socialise. They also function as hubs to coordinate government units and other NGOs to offer comprehensive services for vulnerable children.
We’re saving children’s lives
In December 2007, we started pilot projects in Yunnan, Anhui, Xinjiang and Beijing to improve the health of mothers and children. With the National Working Committee for Children and Women, we’re now training health workers to run workshops and provide care.
We’re helping disabled children realise their rights
There are over 3.8 million disabled children in China under the age of 14. We’re working with the Disabled People’s Federation and other disability groups to advocate for disabled children’s rights. We’re urging the government to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled Children and to develop a child welfare act to strengthen legal protection for vulnerable children and their families.
We’re helping children recover from emergencies
The Sichuan earthquake in May 2008 had a devastating impact. More than a year on, we’re still repairing buildings, providing healthcare and education, and helping communities prepare for future emergencies.