1. Volunteering in
China
With
Fairworld Travel
a joint
Students in Free Enterprise
(SIFE)
Social Enterprise
2. The Issue
• China’s production lines and construction sites
rely on an army of low-wage migrant workers.
• The workers travel from rural areas.
• China forbids these workers from putting
down roots under a system of
household registration,
known as the hukou.
3. The Issue
• Around 252 million Chinese (2011) left the
countryside and migrated to the cities.
• a number equivalent to two thirds the
population of the United States and
four times the number of people
who emigrated to American
from Europe over a century.
4. The Issue
• The hukou, the city household registration,
was developed to keep the rural poor from
swamping the cities.
• Without hukou, migrant workers do not get
– social benefits
– They have difficulty sending their children
to school.
5. Migrant’s Children
• China has about 20 million children of migrant
workers living in the cities.
• Xu Ling, a teacher in Zhangjiagang, wrote a
popular novel about them
– Floating Flowers
(Xiwang de Huaduo, Xiwang Publishing House, 2009)
One of the Top 10 children's literature
works since 1949
6. Migrant’s Children
• Xu says: “Students from the countryside are
very sensitive and fragile psychologically. They
look strong and tough… but actually break
down easily.”
• … “But they are only children and they
need happiness and encouragement
as they are growing up.” [Ibid]
8. How you can help
Fair World Travel (FWT) a
social enterprise set up with
Sheffield SIFE
FWT is developing volunteer programmes
in China and Africa.
9. How you can help
• Liu Zhen – Jane – is from Beijing and she is
setting up these links for us.
– She is a Sheffield University PhD student.
• Jane & FWT are working with the
Dandelion Schools & the Chinese Red Cross
to set up volunteer programmes
in China.
10. How you can help
• The Dandelion School has an established
volunteer programme – they work with Duke
University in the USA.
• Sheffield can help too!
11. The Benefits
• The benefits of volunteering are great
– It is immensely rewarding
– You make genuine connections with people
– Volunteers keep returning to volunteer again &
again
– The Dandelion volunteer programme is
established with various opportunities
for volunteers
12. The Benefits
.
Jane can help with the Beijing Reception.
To help you find your way around Beijing and
make the most of your visit.
Can help make your Chinese
experience unforgettable.
13. A Dai Village?
Where else would you
like to go in China?
Xishuangbanna?
Jade Dragon
Snow
Mountain? Shangri La?
Lijiang?
14. Please consider volunteering
during your stay in China
The FWT website is at
WWW.Fairworld-travel.com
We will post more information about
volunteering on this website –
Or you may contact
f.birkin@shef.ac.uk
