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Home » Opinion » Chinese Views
Charity workers deserve decent salaries, not crumbs
By Wu Chen |
February 12, 2011, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINESE non-governmental-organizations, especially grassroots charities, have been facing a shortage of talented staff due to lack of funds.
A recent survey shows that 65.7 percent of the 451 [registered] NGOs plan to hire more people in 2011. But many vacancies cannot be filled by qualified people, due to the low pay and the lack of opportunity for career development.
Currently only 45.4 percent of the NGOs have staff responsible for fund raising and communication, but 30.1 percent for research, according to the survey jointly conducted by Tencent Foundation, Narada Foundation, and Liu Hongru Financial Education Foundation
It says 90 percent of the people working for NGOs earn a monthly salary of less than 5,000 yuan (US$750).
Tian Chen, CEO of an organization to popularize science, the "Hi Science" Center, which just received certification to operate from the local civil affairs department, agrees that low paying jobs are a big problem.
"When interviewing job applicants, we tell them clearly that they cannot rely on the salary to feed a family or live a decent life," she said.
Wu Yiqun, deputy director of the Think Tank Research Center for Health Development, has always worried about who will succeed her and the director when they retire. Both are in their 60s.
As an NGO focusing on tobacco control, as well as other public health issues, Think Tank does not have much difficulty in getting money, but that's only in terms of projects.
For example, they started a "smoke free" project in 17 Chinese cities with Emory University in 2009; it was funded by around US$10 million by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
But Think Tank cannot offer good pay and it does not have a quota for household registration (hukou)in Beijing. In other words, it will lose its lure to job applicants outside Beijing. A local residence registration entitles holders to various benefits, including schooling.
Heidi Hu, managing director of the China Children's Insurance Foundation, says Chinese public may consider philanthropy means giving and volunteering without earning money.
However, professional organizations need professional personnel to work full-time. It's impossible for everyone to work as volunteers. Hu is currently working as a volunteer, but she insists that other employees should earn a salary that represents their value.
Private foundations
In September and October, two other events in the philanthropy field also drew attention. Bill Gates and Warren Buffett visited China to hold a charity banquet, and Chinese billionaire Chen Guangbiao pledged to give away all of his personal wealth to charity when he dies.
Wang Zhenyao, director of the Beijing Normal University One Foundation Philanthropy Research Institute, says there was much discussion among the public of Chen's pledge and philanthropy in general.
"I call it a 'mind emancipation movement' for Chinese philanthropy," Wang .
Wang, a retired official of China's Civil Affairs Ministry, said grassroots NGOs have been facing a lot of difficulties in terms of registration with the government, fund-raising and sustainable development. He said major policy changes in these areas are virtually impossible in the near future.
He foresees a new approach to philanthropy: encouraging entrepreneurs to establish family-owned private foundations.
"It's easier for them to establish a foundation as they have enough money," he says.
In May, billionaire Cao Dewang from east China's Fujian Province cooperated with the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation by donating 200 million yuan to five drought-affected provinces in southwest China.
Unlike many other donors, Cao strictly regulated disbursement of funds to ensure each family receives 2,000 yuan. Penalty clauses are part of the contract. Cao organized a team of reporters to "supervise" the allocation.
Wang says more private foundations will be a positive development for grassroots NGOs. "When more entrepreneurs establish their own foundations, they can support more grassroots NGOs in accordance with their own philanthropic preference when they consider spending money," Wang said.
Heidi Hu agrees that more private foundations will help grassroots organizations to develop, especially in China.
Hu's foundation, now a project under the China Children and Teenagers' Fund, hires a professional team of insurance, IT, and communications professionals to promote insurance for orphans across China to protect them against critical illnesses. It only has a small amount of money for management, so it raises funds from a company.
"It may still be difficult for the public to accept that part of their donation will be used to pay our employees, but it's easy to understand for the companies," she said.
A recent survey shows that 65.7 percent of the 451 [registered] NGOs plan to hire more people in 2011. But many vacancies cannot be filled by qualified people, due to the low pay and the lack of opportunity for career development.
Currently only 45.4 percent of the NGOs have staff responsible for fund raising and communication, but 30.1 percent for research, according to the survey jointly conducted by Tencent Foundation, Narada Foundation, and Liu Hongru Financial Education Foundation
It says 90 percent of the people working for NGOs earn a monthly salary of less than 5,000 yuan (US$750).
Tian Chen, CEO of an organization to popularize science, the "Hi Science" Center, which just received certification to operate from the local civil affairs department, agrees that low paying jobs are a big problem.
"When interviewing job applicants, we tell them clearly that they cannot rely on the salary to feed a family or live a decent life," she said.
Wu Yiqun, deputy director of the Think Tank Research Center for Health Development, has always worried about who will succeed her and the director when they retire. Both are in their 60s.
As an NGO focusing on tobacco control, as well as other public health issues, Think Tank does not have much difficulty in getting money, but that's only in terms of projects.
For example, they started a "smoke free" project in 17 Chinese cities with Emory University in 2009; it was funded by around US$10 million by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
But Think Tank cannot offer good pay and it does not have a quota for household registration (hukou)in Beijing. In other words, it will lose its lure to job applicants outside Beijing. A local residence registration entitles holders to various benefits, including schooling.
Heidi Hu, managing director of the China Children's Insurance Foundation, says Chinese public may consider philanthropy means giving and volunteering without earning money.
However, professional organizations need professional personnel to work full-time. It's impossible for everyone to work as volunteers. Hu is currently working as a volunteer, but she insists that other employees should earn a salary that represents their value.
Private foundations
In September and October, two other events in the philanthropy field also drew attention. Bill Gates and Warren Buffett visited China to hold a charity banquet, and Chinese billionaire Chen Guangbiao pledged to give away all of his personal wealth to charity when he dies.
Wang Zhenyao, director of the Beijing Normal University One Foundation Philanthropy Research Institute, says there was much discussion among the public of Chen's pledge and philanthropy in general.
"I call it a 'mind emancipation movement' for Chinese philanthropy," Wang .
Wang, a retired official of China's Civil Affairs Ministry, said grassroots NGOs have been facing a lot of difficulties in terms of registration with the government, fund-raising and sustainable development. He said major policy changes in these areas are virtually impossible in the near future.
He foresees a new approach to philanthropy: encouraging entrepreneurs to establish family-owned private foundations.
"It's easier for them to establish a foundation as they have enough money," he says.
In May, billionaire Cao Dewang from east China's Fujian Province cooperated with the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation by donating 200 million yuan to five drought-affected provinces in southwest China.
Unlike many other donors, Cao strictly regulated disbursement of funds to ensure each family receives 2,000 yuan. Penalty clauses are part of the contract. Cao organized a team of reporters to "supervise" the allocation.
Wang says more private foundations will be a positive development for grassroots NGOs. "When more entrepreneurs establish their own foundations, they can support more grassroots NGOs in accordance with their own philanthropic preference when they consider spending money," Wang said.
Heidi Hu agrees that more private foundations will help grassroots organizations to develop, especially in China.
Hu's foundation, now a project under the China Children and Teenagers' Fund, hires a professional team of insurance, IT, and communications professionals to promote insurance for orphans across China to protect them against critical illnesses. It only has a small amount of money for management, so it raises funds from a company.
"It may still be difficult for the public to accept that part of their donation will be used to pay our employees, but it's easy to understand for the companies," she said.
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