236 CultureShock! China
Volunteering
One of the most rewarding ways to become involved in the
community in China is through helping with a worthwhile
cause. There is an immense amount of good that can be done
merely through taking an interest and putting time, money,
or both, into charities in China.
Once living in China, you will note that most business and
social organisations have at least one annual charity event.
If you want to passively participate, attend a ball or auction
where the proceeds go to charities that the organisation
has vetted.
More active participation requires more due diligence as
some organisations that have deemed as ‘legitimate’ by the
Chinese government have been fraught with scandal and
corruption, while other organisations that have not been
allowed to register in China have demonstrated integrity
and transparency.
Part of this discrepancy stems from the fact that the only
‘legitimate’ charities in China historically had to be registered
through the government and funds filtered through an official
government body which, in the not so distant past, had a
way of diluting the amount of money that ended up in the
chosen charity.
Because charity has to do with taking care of Chinese
people, it is a sensitive point with the government. Remember
that the purpose of the Chinese government, according to
her citizens, is to improve their quality of life. The issue with
this is that there are such a vast number to care for in China,
and with very limited resources.
Another factor that contributed to government scepticism
toward NGOs may have to do with the fact that during
colonial times, much charity came with a caveat of religion
as missionaries made their way into China to convert her
people. Under the guise of doing good, many were furthering
their own purpose, either to persuade others to throw away
tradition or using the guise of charitable action to penetrate
the interior and report back to government as spies. Many of
the historical challenges to China’s government have come
packaged in religion.