Sichuan Quake Relief (SQR)

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Following on from two years of relief work with communities affected by the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, SQR has constructed a community centre in Guangji Town, Mianzhu County. SQR is now working with local government and community groups to establish the centre as a social enterprise, facilitating the work of local grassroots organisations, and enhancing their ability to work with people affected by the earthquake.

What is the Di Kang Le Community Centre project for?

In the months that followed the earthquake, dozens of local, grassroots organisations sprang up following the massive upsurge in voluntarism and civil society activity. Some of these groups have sustained themselves beyond the urgent relief phase and other grassroots groups have formed since, to work on issues such as rural development, income generation, literacy, parenting skills and senior citizens’ issues.

Having completed the relief phase of work in the earthquake zone, SQR aims to support this nascent network of grassroots groups, and build the capacity of local people for community development and economic regeneration. We have completed construction of an environmentally-friendly, earthquake-safe community centre in Guangji, a rural region of Mianzhu County severely affected by the earthquake. By actively managing a series of structured activities, the project aims to improve the effectiveness of local organisations and to create a flourishing, sustainable community centre in regular use by the community.

What will the project do?

• Provide resources such as IT equipment, an NGO reference library and events space.
• Enable informal community groups such as senior citizens, agricultural cooperatives and other bodies to hold meetings and events.
• Organise and conduct skills-development sessions such as English language classes.
• Run a series of training sessions for local NGOs in key aspects of organisational development such as how to apply for local sources of funding, transparent financial management, and project development and management.
• Provide support for local groups in applying for external sources of funding.
• Distribute small grants under SQR’s own application and assessment procedure.
• Train one local group to take over management of the centre going forward.
• Provide a welcoming, comfortable and safe environment where community members can meet, socialise and organise informal activities such as movie nights or mahjong evenings.

Who will benefit?

People in the Guangji area were severely affected by the earthquake, which destroyed over 95% of buildings. Most have had to repair or reconstruct their own homes, in many cases while coping with injury and bereavement. A large proportion of the adult labour force are migrant labourers who send their earnings home to support their family, while the older generation remain on the land to farm and take care of grandchildren. The main source of income is farming and irregular day labouring, with the average annual income being just over 6000 RMB (approximately US$880 per year, or US$2.4 per day).

Guangji lies on largely rural lowland several miles from Longmen Mountain, close to the earthquake fault-line but away from areas prone to flooding and landslides. It is within a few miles of other seriously affected towns like Hanwang and devastated villages like Hongbai and Zundao. Guangji encompasses six villages surrounding the main town, with a total population of approximately 23,000. Guangji, Hanwang, Hongbai and Zundao have a combined population of 95,000.

Local community groups who will be involved in the project include Guangji Fisheries Association, Longgang Ecological Breeding Cooperative, Minle Village Farming Cooperative, Guangji Pesticide-free Farming Association, Xinlong Village Women’s Mutual Aid Cooperative, Mianzhu Yongshun Mushroom Farm Cooperative, Shuxiang Painting and Embroidery Society, and Shihe Village Seniors’ Society. The latter group was set up with the help of SQR, and provided with a grant to fund initial equipment costs.

What will happen afterwards?

SQR will identify one group to take over management of the community centre when the project is complete and will work with them over the course of the project to ensure they have the necessary skills and support to sustain the centre’s on-going activities. Once the project is complete, these groups will continue to develop using the models and practices they have built up, which will help them to grow further as organisations in their own right, but also continue to benefit members of their community.

How can you help?

SQR exists and has achieved so much because of support and donations from generous individuals, organisations and companies. We are now seeking support to fund the costs involved in planning and running these activities in the months leading up to the third anniversary of the disaster.

Please contact us for more information, or make a donation to support our work.