How to Help China
My beloved mother offered this link from the New York Times:
Also, Ryan of the excellent blogs Lost Lowai, The Humanaught (a personal favorite), and The Hao Hao Report, has created a badge that you can put on your website to link to the Red Cross Society of China (along with information and links to other relief work in China):
Xu Yan has recently informed me that the Red Cross in China has received some flak about their strange policy on not accepting used clothing as a donation for earthquake relief. I’m unable to track down any articles about this issue, so please let me know if you find anything.
However, over at Danwei, there is some minor discussion as to the lack of financial transparency within the Chinese Red Cross:
In any case, and despite numerous examples of corruption from similar non-profits, at this point the evidence against the Red Cross in China is hardly damning. I will be placing Ryan’s badge on my site until/if I learn of anything wicked. If you have concerns, though, I suggest contacting the Red Cross in your home country for more information and advice.
In the 1980s the central government in Beijing told people that wearing used clothes is a way to catch AIDS. I never have heard why they told people that. There have been a lot of weird myths about AIDS transmission, especially in the early days of the epidemic. Many Chinese people still believe that used clothing will infect a person. That may explain why the Chinese Red Cross won’t take donations of used clothes. Also we learned during the tsunami event that a lot of goofy westerners just cleaned out their closets and sent all sorts of crap to the affected locations(Banda Ache, Sri Lanka)- things like ski clothing totally unsuitable for the tropics.
shane
20 May 08 at 9:23 pm
@Shane
The 1980’s is a few decades ago, a long time by a ‘capitalist roader’s’ standards, if you know what I mean. Is it possible that this generation of Chinese folks is not afraid of AIDS so much as the stigma associated with hand-me-downs?! Conspicuous consumption appears to be the modus operandi now in China, particularly in urban areas where the massive youth population is sucking down new, new, new like it was a religious experience.
In any case, I agree with your point about the whole tsunami experience. I remember hearing radio reports about relief workers sifting through piles of old, moth-ridden, broken and unusable crap–things that literally became a burden for international aid teams and local victims alike.
Some Chinese, however, including Xu Yan, are upset with the decision to refuse used clothing (if indeed this really happened–I can’t find definitive evidence on the matter). There is a pragmatic thread that runs through their culture, so it defies logic to turn down free goods, whether it’s actually ‘good’ or not. After all, it’s free!
My guess is that this is a non-issue. Water, food, shelter–these things take priority. Some people just get worked up when they feel that they’re being denied the opportunity to help their fellow countrymen. If they’re like me, they already feel kinda helpless, especially after viewing all these horrific news reports (video of broken bodies, crying mothers, etc.). Hell, even donating money feels useless! A sensitive human being naturally wants to reach out, hold somebody in need, give them ‘the shirt off your back,’ if you will.
I don’t know, maybe they could collect stuff for Burma?! Looks like those folks might could use a new t-shirt or something… anything.
rynsa
21 May 08 at 12:05 am