Fuddland
Way back in the mists of I-first-got-to-China time, I said that one of the reasons I had decided to broaden my cultural horizons was a desire to move into the non-profit field. After getting a bit stuck in a rut, thanks to some gentle nudging by Mary, about a year ago I started on a concerted effort to save up a good wodge of cash in order to support myself for a stint of volunteering.
During my travels in Yunnan I had come across a flyer for an organisation that runs a development worker training programme at the Yunnan Institute of Development [YID] in the small city of Yuxi, which sounded right up my alley, so that was where I set my sights. However, as the months went on it became clear that the prospects of employment for Mary in Yuxi were pretty much zero, and we began to wonder about other options. [But that was really my only reason for looking for other ideas. I’ve been in touch with the woman who runs the programme at the YID, and it really does look worthwhile.]
Around the same time, my friend Peter—co-owner of the Bookworm chain—had talked to me about moving to Sichuan and coming to work for his NGO, Sichuan Quake Relief [SQR], which he had founded with a chap called Mark the day after the earthquake struck last year. It was initially involved in the emergency relief efforts, but a year later the focus is shifting towards project-based rebuilding and development work, for which he needs someone to research and write grant proposals in order to secure funding from domestic and overseas organisations, as well as be involved in the operation of those projects. So from September, that someone is going to be me: relocating to Chengdu, capital of Sichuan, doing full-time, practical, real-life work, trying to help rebuild the lives of the millions who are still living in tents, on basic food allowances; still suffering from aftershocks and landslides that hamper their efforts; living in even worse poverty than they were before May 12, 2008. It’s going to be quite the challenge.
