Project Integration

Project Integration

Acknowledgement for Donations
Contact

Every Child deserves a Chance - Education for Migrant Workers' Children

In 1998 Dr. Sabine Rudischhauser and other Germans living in Shanghai started "Project Integration" as an initiative to help 25 needy migrant families in Shanghai pay school fees for their children. By 2007 Project Integration had grown in such a way that it was registered as a program with the Shanghai Charity Foundation.

In 2008 the school fees for 222 migrant children were being sponsored by Project Integration, thanks to a large number of steady supporters and donors.

In 2009 Project Integration is adjusting to changes in the legal framework regarding migrant children in Shanghai. Happily, these changes mean we can widen our focus from strictly paying tuition to paying for school lunches, medical insurance and one school outing each semester.

Why do migrant children have to pay school fees in Shanghai?

Migrant workers can register for a residence rights in Shanghai, which entitles their children to attend public schools for free. However, many migrant children cannot obtain the necessary permits for a variety of reasons, including their parents not having formal employment in Shanghai, or their birth not being correctly registered. 

By law municipal schools cannot enroll the children of unregistered migrant workers. The 500,000 registered migrant children of school age alone exceed the capacity of public schools in Shanghai. More than 200 migrant schools try to fill this gap. These schools are usually poorly equipped and receive little financial support from the authorities. With 60% of all migrant households living from a monthly income of RMB1,000 or less, the tuition fee at migrant schools – on average RMB 800 per semester – becomes an often insurmountable burden for these families.  Even when the tuition fee is covered, the other costs of getting an education - school lunch, bus, uniform, outing and other fees – add up to RMB600-800 per semester.

Who are the migrants in Shanghai?

There are families from just about every province in China, who come to Shanghai in the search for a better job and future. Many of them are from rural areas where hidden unemployment is high and social security scarce. The children in Shanghai’s migrant schools mainly come from Anhui, Sichuan, Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Henan, Hunan, Shandong and Hubei.

Can migrant children go to school for free in their hometowns?

Yes, they can, but provincial schools are often being closed when so many families move away. As a consequence, many of the teachers in Shanghai’s migrant schools have ‘followed their students’ to the city.

Another dilemma for migrant parents is leaving their child behind in the home province. Will the grandparents be able to cope with raising a young child? Children can be put in boarding schools as well. While this alternative is financially viable for many families, reports show that children are often suffering in these institutions, caring and competent teaching staff notwithstanding.

What does the government do to improve the situation?

The Shanghai Municipal Government is currently implementing a plan to upgrade migrant schools to the standards of municipal schools. The goal is to provide free schooling for all children in Shanghai by June 2010. Of the five schools Project Integration is working with, three have been upgraded and three more are applying for this upgrade. Project Integration will continue to monitor the situation and to support those children who are already enrolled in our program as long as that support is needed.

Why should we want to help migrant children’s integration?

Children are the future of any society. Living and working in China, we all have an active interest in the development of Chinese society. Peace and prosperity in China will benefit everyone living in this country. Both are closely linked to education and integration into society. Every child deserves a chance, regardless of where it was born and who its parents are.

How can I help?

Both cash and money transfer donations can be made to the Shanghai Charity Foundation for Project Integration. Please download the PDF-File ‘Donations SCF_Procedure for details.

Besides donations, we are offering colorful and unique greeting cards which some of the children enrolled in our program created – at only RMB 25 for a set of five cards with envelopes they are a real bargain! You can purchase the cards at the German Chamber office and the German Centre for Industry and Trade in Pudong or by contacting Maja von dem Bongart (see below) and making an appointment.

We also sell ‘Shanghai Promenade’ by Steffi Schmitt; still the most in-depth German language walking tour guide to Shanghai. This book is a great present for all those who take an active interest in history and want to trace it through the streets of Shanghai. Well researched an immensely readable you will enjoy deepening your Shanghai experience. By purchasing this book, you help make an important change in the lives of Shanghai’s migrant children. You can purchase the book in Pudong at the German Centre for Industry and Trade (contact person: Kerstin Kaehler, ph: 2898 6897) or in Puxi at The Last Frontiers’ office on Donghu Lu (contact: Sigrid Seel or Martin Botz, ph: 5404 8806).

Acknowledgements for Donations

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all those who made donations, as any amount helps!
 
Special thanks to the following supporters:

• Shanghai International Football League (www.eteams.com/sifl)  for turning "fouls" into something fair each season
• The German Club for their generous donations over the years
• The Parents Association of DSS (German School Shanghai) for their continuous support over the years
• The German Chamber of Commerce Shanghai for their unfailing support throughout our existence both financially and by hosting us on their website
• Image Check for printing our latest collection of greeting cards free of charge
• Mr. Peter Schlarb for donating all proceeds from the sales of his beautiful 'Shanghai Calendar' 2008 and 2009

All photos © Mrs Karin Wiedenhoefer

Contact

For inquiries and sponsorship, please contact:

Ms Corinne Richeux Hua
Email: projectintegration(at)yahoo.de
Tel: +86-13003215277

Ms. Maja von dem Bongart
Tel: +86-1391 6022742
 
Ms. Yandi Li
German Chamber of Commerce in China - Shanghai
Tel: +86-21-5081 2266 *1609
Email: li.yandi(at)sh.china.ahk.de