From the Heart
In 2008, the United Nations designated August 19th as World Humanitarian Day. This day brings together partners from across the humanitarian system to advocate for the survival, well-being, and dignity of people affected by crises.
This year, Philip Hayden Foundation will celebrate World Humanitarian Day in China by donating formula and diapers to a needy orphanage in China. Rising costs have depleted their resources for basic supplies…and you can help.
The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest of intention
Oscar Wilde
We have collaborated with Madison Adoption Associates (MAA) for several years. Even with adoptions currently being suspended, MAA still works hard to identify needs of children in orphanages. While the needs are varied from location to location, one need is consistent across the board – diapers and formula. China has periodically quarantined regions to prevent the spread of Covid, but that has disrupted both manufacturing and the transportation of supplies – including formula and diapers. The costs are rising, but the reimbursement rate for each child is not.
Your Opportunity to Make an Impact
Inflation here in the US has impacted our daily life. You have felt the impact whether you have recently purchased groceries or gas. Even so, your small act of kindness through a donation of any size makes a difference. Isolation has impacted us all, and the staff at MAA – both in the States and in China – are encouraged by your donations, by someone noticing and caring. The orphans and the orphanages will be blessed by your action, and so will you.
For this campaign, we’d like to encourage an outpouring of small gifts. In rural China, many families exist on $2.30 per day. Could you join us by donating $10 today? Your donation will make an impact on World Humanitarian Day, please donate today!
Why is Vocational Training Important?
Have you ever wondered why Philip Hayden Foundation has vocational training for individuals with disabilities, particularly orphans reaching adulthood, as one of its core programs? Consider these recent statistics as reported by China.
- 98% of orphans in China have disabilities
- 30 million Chinese citizens of employment age have disabilities
- Only 8.6 million workers with disabilities are registered to work. Not all of those are employed.
- Companies in China with more than 20 employees must hire persons with disabilities. But the current requirement is 1.5% of the total number employed should be persons with disabilities, so as a practical matter, some companies may not have any employees with disabilities.
There are several reasons why the employment rate is so low: accessibility, training, location, and traditional perceptions about people with disabilities. China has pledged to increase the number of jobs for those with disabilities by 500,000 by 2025. They have also committed to improving education, and a university in Qingdao, Shandong province, recently opened to focus on rehabilitating disabled people.
While China addresses these infrastructure issues, Philip Hayden Foundation can impact training by helping more people with disabilities be ready for employment. Many companies face accessibility and training issues beyond the cultural barriers. But if a person with disabilities has already been trained to complete a job, at least one barrier is removed.
Long Term Flourishing
Part of long-term flourishing as a person is establishing independence and a sense of accomplishment. These are the explicit and implicit goals of vocational training.
In China, a person with disabilities must hold a disabled person’s ID and be registered as eligible to work. Wendy, one of our Shepherd’s Field alumna, accomplished this step through her own initiative. Wendy has limited mobility and uses a wheelchair. But while accessibility is improving, many locations and businesses are closed to her. But that did not stop her.
Wendy returned to her home province to obtain her disabled person’s ID, handling all the logistics herself and traveling solo. (See our October 2020 issue of Heartbeat). PHF continues to help Wendy explore opportunities for employment that are personally satisfying to her. She has worked in office environments but is interested in a more creative job. Our vocational outreach is designed to help Wendy and others like her flourish.
Providing Hope for YiMan
YiMan was born to loving parents eight years ago.
“His birth brought joy and hope to the whole family,” his mama remembers. “I thought about what he would look like in the future: he would be excellent or ordinary, but I didn’t expect him to be an autistic child. It was a heavy blow to my family and me.”
As little YiMan grew up, his mama learned what she could about Autism from books, videos, and his teachers. But “the difference [between him and the other kids] was getting bigger and bigger. We also thought about sending him to a therapy institution, but we gave up since the cost was not affordable for us.” To make things worse, the closest therapy center was far away from their home.
Last summer, a new therapy center finally opened in their county. They enrolled YiMan immediately. Even after just a few months, “[YiMan] changed significantly in all aspects, and everything was developing in a better and better direction!”
But for all their determination, life was still not easy. “The cost of the child’s therapy is almost the entire family income.” They did what they could to save and borrow from anyone that would help them. But money was running out. The thought of taking YiMan out of therapy was devastating to his parents.
They continued to work hard. “To prevent YiMan from being left behind, we relied on growing crops for a living and planted several acres of citrus around the house… We thought it would be sold for a good price. Who knew that due to the pandemic, the economy would deteriorate, and citrus sales would also be affected. The income from a hard-working year could still not cover the cost of YiMan’s therapy.”
Therapy Provides Hope
In their hopelessness, YiMan’s mama heard about Hope Station for the first time. “When the [Hope Station] staff contacted me, I really felt that I saw the hope. It made us more confident.” They signed up for Hope Station’s Family Strengthening Program and started receiving support services right away!
The cost of the child’s therapy is almost the entire family income
YiMan’s therapy fees are fully covered, thanks to Philip Hayden Foundation donors. His family can send their son to therapy with the confidence that he will continue to learn and grow month after month.
“When I’m alone, I always wonder what kind of people you are to be willing to help us strangers, just because of the love in your heart. I’m really touched… I will never fail to live up to your love, and I will do my best to help my YiMan get better and better.”
A Fresh Look for PHF
We are excited to announce that work is underway on a fresh look for our website! The updated website will appear in September, be tailored for mobile use, and meet all recommended accessibility guidelines. Another feature will be the ability to accept Venmo, Apple Pay, or Google Pay when you make a donation from your mobile phone.
The new layout will showcase the stories of children whose lives have been transformed. It will be even easier for you to share stories of kids still needing support to survive and thrive with your friends and family.