You Dao - the migrant's friend
01.09.2008
Fr Warren Kinne is one of the founders of a non-government organisation You Dao in Shanghai, China. He lectures in Fudan University in Shanghai. After 10 years of living in Beijing and Shanghai he has a deeper understanding of what is happening to some of the people in China, in particular, its internal immigrants. Ms Audrey Leung a corporate lawyer, working at the highest executive level, with credentials in both China and Australia is another founding member.
You Dao is raising awareness about the internal migration of millions of people from the poor rural provinces to the mega-cities in search of a better life. There are estimated to be about 150 million internal Chinese immigrant workers. According to the directives of the government, if these people move without permission, as they have done in their millions, the authorities will not give local medical support to or education to their children.
You Dao has now experimented with a number of projects to help these immigrant people, such as a school for their children and a dormitory for young women seeking work. Each journey begins with the first step.
Some statistics tell the story of internal migration.
For example, 4.3 million people have left Hunan Province for the cities looking for a better life. The cities of Beijing and Shanghai as well as the province of Guandong have received an influx of approximately 25 million people. Guandong is now the most populous province in China.
The reason is simple; Guandong contributes at least 13% of the national economic output. Guangzhou, the provincial capital and Shenzhen, an economic hub, are among the most important cities in China as the province propels China forward as a major economic power. In 2005 Shanghai became the world's largest port.
These migrant people work in the textile and electrical industries, construction, anywhere they can obtain work.
Their lives are often enmeshed in unfair employment terms, discrimination in educational opportunities for their children, harsh living and working conditions and weak civil rights. They are not recognised as part of the wealth-creating people. They work long hours for low wages averaging three times the legal limit. Wages often go unpaid with no redress.
Education for their children is poor. The public schools refuse to admit their children; tuition is too high and mobility affects them. They have a poor appreciation of education and rampant psychological disorders that lead to juvenile delinquency. There may be 400,000 migrant children in Shanghai alone.
You Dao's vision is to find a way to give support to migrant workers and their families. You Dao's mission is to raise the awareness of individuals and corporations; to build alliances with them in order to address the needs of these marginalised people.
You Dao's goal is to improve their working conditions through dialogue and to provide educational and professional assistance, which will help them to achieve their personal aspirations through their own labour.
Fr Warren Kinne lectures at Fudan University in Shanghai.
Read more from The Far East September, 2008
