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Cultural Regeneration Research Society (Worldwide) Foundation and Chinese Christian Missions Vancouver held a press conference on the latest post-earthquake reconstruction plans in Sichuan, revealing the work progress to all sectors of the society.

The following are items on the latest reconstruction plans:

Beginning Steps of Work Development

(1) Support the tuition and living expenses of 1,000 elementary students in Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province;

(2) Establishing “Hope Centre” in Anxian County;

While the hope centre is named CRRS Foundation Children’s Hope Centre, its services include the following:

i) Orphan adoptions;

ii) Support for children with single parent;

iii) Assist the schools in the area to acquire basic facilities;

iv) Assist in caring for the children with their difficulties in daily lives;

v) Help local government to provide a platform for distribution of resources;

vi) Provide counseling services for the children;

(3) Support the printing of 30,000 books in topics of spirituality and the making 5,000 “Hugging Love” teddy bears;

The CRRS mainland partner has began a mental health healing training plan that is scheduled to last for a year in the Sichuan disaster area. The training is targeting school teachers, social workers, and professional mental health counselors.

The donation of these books on spirituality is one of the ways to assist this program. Through a series of mental health counseling courses and the assistance of books on spirituality, these traumatized children in the disaster area can receive a long-term stable counseling service. The “Hugging Love” teddy bear is one of the tools used to help promote the mental health training plan.

(4) Assist in the setting up of “Little Lamb Children’s Home”;

The Little Lamb Children’s Home is to provide the homeless children with educational services. The school holds activities such as themed teaching activities, music with physical educational games, family activities, children’s story telling, etc.

(5) Assist Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) to develop mental health counseling plans in Sichuan;

After the earthquake, many university students and their families were faced with pressure to adjust and mentally distraught. PolyU plans to train local social workers in the disaster areas, pushing forward the opening of social work’s employment role in the schools; to help provide all kinds of counseling services for the students in the disaster areas, so they may be able to adjust the new physical conditions and new environment, strengthening their abilities to overcome difficulties.

(6) Provide computers and multi-media equipments to three schools located in Anxian County;

After the earthquake, many of the school equipments were damaged heavily. CRRS (Worldwide) Foundation and CCM provided assistance to three schools in Anxian County. Altogether, they’ve purchased 25 computers and various multi-media equipments.

(7) Provide help to a dance teacher who broke both of her legs from the earthquake disaster so she can be reconnected with artificial legs;

Liao Zhi, a former Ms. Universe finalist who gave a dance performance at the final competition in Chongqing, remained optimistic after losing both of her legs. She said that prior to the earthquake she was never strong in character, but she could not believe that she still maintained her strong composure even after facing the disaster. Her attitude inspired many people.

In November, Liao began doing volunteer performances in hope to be able to fund-raise to donate clothing for the disaster victims living in her hometown. She said that on an average Mianzhu’s daytime temperature stays above 0 degree, but its nighttime temperature drops to negative five to six degrees. About half a month ago, her family friends from her hometown Mianzhu brought news that biggest challenge for the disaster victims are the lack of winter clothing to get through winter time. CRRS Foundation and CCM have promised to help her reconnect with artificial limbs.

Future Working Plans:

(1) Explore the work of “School Reconstruction Plans” in the disaster areas;

(2) Provide Support for the plans to establish “Social Work Station” in the disaster areas;

(3) Strengthen the partnership with PolyU in the plans for developing permanent social work services in schools;

[Source: CRRS Press Release]

[Editor's note: reporter Cathy Li from Vancouver contributed to this article.]