Focus
One NGO inspires those in need
By Christine Laskowski (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-03-16 10:31
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 Meng Weina (center), founder and director of Hui Ling, an NGO devoted to taking care of mentally-challenged people, plays a game with her students before a workshop. Wang Jing / China Daily |
Within the walls of a siheyuan, Hui Ling fulfills its mission of helping people with special needs, Christine Laskowski reports
For the past decade, Hui Ling has provided services for people with special needs. More incredibly, the school has created a sense of normalcy within its walls.
Meals are prepared by a student who has been trained as a cook (earning a salary for his services) and served daily in the common room, where students, teachers and volunteers all sit and eat together.
Splendidly decorated with paintings, jewelry, cards and masks created by its 50 students. Hui Ling caters to all needs ranging from Asperger's Syndrome and autism to Downs Syndrome and cerebral palsy.
Once at Hui Ling, it is apparent that everyone is made welcome whatever their needs.
Offering classes to develop skills in various areas, such as home life, work and job opportunity training, social skills, and emotional health and hygiene, Hui Ling's goal is to make them not merely functional, but fulfilled members of society.
For those with better motor skills, there is training in making handicrafts, jewelry and cooking.
When asked his age, Qi Yongjie's response was an excited one. "I'm a chicken!" he said, referring to his Zodiac sign. At 69 years old, he is one of Hui Ling's oldest students and has been coming to Hui Ling Monday through Friday for the past six years. Drawing is his favorite part of coming to Hui Ling, he said.
Wang Hengfeng is 30 and, through Hui Ling, discovered a passion for painting that has now become a profession. Hui Ling's Beijing program manager, Helen Lu, told METRO that some of Wang's paintings have sold at auction for more than 1,000 yuan. Without the faculty to answer questions independently, Lu pointed out which works on the wall were Wang's.
"You can see that among all the others, he really has a very distinctive style," she said.
According to Hui Ling's founder and director, Meng Weina, Hui Ling's significance lies in its full-time dedication to those in Beijing with special needs. Hui Ling provides full-time services for the mentally and physically challenged that the government organization Wenxinjiayuan does not.
"For one thing, they have limited hours. They open at 9 pm and close at 11 pm then they will open 1 pm and close at 4 pm. For these mentally challenged people, the time isn't convenient," she said.
"They are taught skills so they can find jobs, but not enough emphasis on the individual and their emotional needs."
Lu told METRO that all Hui Ling students receive a personal assessment.
"We find out what they are good at, what they need special training for," she said.
Noel Zhou, a volunteer social worker from Hong Kong who visits Hui Ling on a monthly basis, told METRO that much of her job is the supervision of other social workers and provision of training.
"I think, in Hong Kong, there's a more systematic approach to dealing with special needs - how to assess mentally challenged people and to provide more services to them," she said.
Zhou's pedagogy, derived from more than 10 years experience, centers on games.
"For instance, if we're trying to teach them social skills, we'll hold a party," Zhou explained.
"Then, we will let them work together to decide the date, who to invite, what food will be served. These are task-oriented but they are also fun.
"Because, if we just talk and lecture, it's simply not an effective learning method for them."
As a national NGO that has presence in 10 cities in China, Hui Ling's operational costs vary city to city. In Beijing, the students pay fees that cover only 30 to 40 percent of costs, Meng said.
Relying heavily on sponsorship, Hui Ling's Beijing school charges students 500 yuan a month. People also have the option of assisted living in a nearby dormitory for 900 yuan a month.
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"Sometimes, we participate in the charity auctions with them in Beijing," she said, adding that the group also get sponsors from an Australian travel agent, Intrepid, who brought travelers to visit them.
Hu Bo just turned 25 this year and has been coming to Hui Ling for the past three years. Like many of the students, Hu is paid to do certain jobs, such as escorting other less-able students home, or cleaning the office.
Hu likes the fact that he has made so many friends there.
"People listen to me," he said. "I can also learn how to do things."
The best thing about the environment is that the laughter is constant.
When asked what he would like to tell the world about people like himself, he hung his head for a moment with his eyes closed. Anticipating a deep, philosophical response, Hu countered with a big grin: "We're handsome."
The entire room erupted in giggles.
