Sichuan Quake Relief (SQR)

The following is a translation of SQR Outreach Coordinator Li Yuanyuan’s original Chinese:

Cargill, an international producer and marketer of food, agricultural, financial and industrial products, has built 34 enterprises of either exclusively invested or joint venture in 20 provinces and cities in China. On December 20th, the third Cargill Seed Oil Festival grandly opened in Chengdu. Cargill took the opportunity to organise a fund-raising dinner party in support of SQR.

In the afternoon on December 21st, four volunteers from the South West University of Nationalities and I, accompanied by over 100 Cargill employees and clients went to the Dazhonghua Community Centre in Luoshui. When we arrived mid-afternoon, the local children joined us in games and activities. Because there were so many people involved, I divided them into two groups. One group stayed with the kids and the other group, led by the director of the community centre, Mr. Yang Yunxiu, went to visit the community.

“There are 995 families still living in the Dazhonghua Community Centre,” Mr. Yang explained, “and they are provided with facilities within the community, including a supermarket, a clinic, a barber shop and restaurants. The city of Shenzhen helped us to build the temporary houses so we could move in 3 months after the earthquake, and we have been living there since then. It is planned that before May 12 next year, we could move in the new lianzufang (cheaply-rented apartments designed for people in quake-hit areas).” He showed us a kitchen in a temporary house. “This kitchen shared by 10 families.”

Mr. Yang continued as we walked out of the temporary house, “Luoshui was one of the hardest-hit areas. 95% buildings collapsed during the earthquake, and all the businesses halted at the time. Now all the young people have gone to other places to make money, leaving the seniors and the kids at home in the town. The kids barely have any activities, so whenever you come to play with them, they are very, very happy.”

While we were visiting the temporary houses, the other group played happily with the kids in the recreational area. They enjoyed skipping rope, basketball and bowling. After 40 minutes, the two groups swapped activities. At half past four I gathered all the kids together so that all the people who joined this trip could give well-prepared presents to them.

We finished all the activities at the community centre and were on the way back to Chengdu around 5:30. Though we were tired and still had to spend a few hours on the road, we were satisfied: we now know better about the people affected by the earthquake and their conditions; we are happy that life is slowly improving and eager to know what else we can do for them in the future.

The dinner party sponsored by Cargill began at 7 o’clock at Daronghe restaurant. Two employees from Cargill took charge of the auction. Various things, including cloth roses made by the students of Weichuan Shuimo Middle School, baseball bats, footballs, CSA T-shirts and Cargill Olympics medals were auctioned for a total of 122,500 RMB. Our special thanks go to Grace and Simon from Cargill, who had worked hard to make sure that the auction could go smoothly.

On behalf of all the members of SQA and CSA, I would like to thank Cargill employees and clients who participated in the activity and the auction for their consistent support. We will make good use of the money, and let it reach the places which need it most.