Yesterday afternoon Beijing’s very own baker-turned-philanthropist Camilla Kongshavn started circulating a call for help in various WeChat groups and on Moments.

“Calling for help! For Bread of Life Bakery, a bakery unique to any other and I believe we together will be able to help them realize their dreams faster. They are a non-profit bakery, not only supporting the special need orphans at Agape Family Life House, but this bakery is run by handicapped young adults.  When I first found out about Bread of Life Bakery I couldn’t stop myself from reading more about them. I contacted them directly to find out how we in any way could help them make life easier. For them to operate their bakery more efficiently they have items on their wish list that would help them immensely. I’m Hoping we together as a community can collect the needed amount and purchase this for them. If you have any money to spare, please consider a donation through the flyer with options for both WeChat and Alipay, any amount is of matter and we thank YOU for the care and support!”

Within minutes the message was reposted and shared around Beijing’s digital community.

The goal was to raise RMB 21,652 which would be used to purchase new baking equipment for the children, and within two hours that goal was reached thanks to the generosity of the community.

Agape Family Life House’s (AFLH) main focus is to care for children with osteogenesis impefecta (brittle bone condition), by providing a safe and loving environment for those who live there and giving them the opportunity to thrive through education. AFLH strives to offer orphans with special needs a family and a place to call home.

Bread of Life is a sister organization of AFLH. Its mission is to provide young adults with disabilities not only a job but a promising, independent future through education and job training. The bakery operates as a non-profit and is run by young adults with special needs who have grown up in orphanages throughout China. All the profits of the bakery are used to provide funds for surgery and other needs for orphans and children with handicaps in China.

With their hope for new baking equipment realized, Kongshavn is taking the initiative one step further and asking the Beijing community to continue to donate however much they can to AFLH. The money will go towards medical bills for the kids’ surgeries and dental care.

To make a donation, scan the QR code below.

Once Bread of Life has its brand new baking equipment up and running we’ll be sharing details of their baked goods and how to order. Until then, please consider donating to this worthy cause.

KEEP READING: Teens from Different Cultural Backgrounds Talk About their Philanthropic Work

Images courtesy of the organization

Earth Day falls on Apr 22 every year, and every year it seems to sneak up on us. But we don’t need to have a whole curriculum planned to participate. Earth Day is really just about taking the time to consider how our everyday activities affect the Earth. When you’re in a big city like Beijing, it’s hard to make time for our planet. But it’s a necessity.

What are some simple ways we can introduce environmental stewardship in our kids’ lives? Watch this video below for more details on using our tips in Beijing.

Click the link to get all the hot tips

Track All the Plastic in Your Home

Take a box and have every member of your household place all the plastic in it for just one week. Acknowledge as a family the amount of waste and brainstorm how to reduce it.

See all the WeChat groups for moving towards a more sustainable lifestyle here.

Take Them to a Donation Center

Don’t just donate gently used items to a charity. Make a field trip together and see how reusing or upcycling works. Better yet, make time for kids to spend time volunteering to sort items.

Roundabout will often have chances for kids to volunteer with parental guidance. Add WeChat ID: Roundabout_volunteer for more info.

Visit a Farm

Showing kids where their food comes from brings up a whole load of other questions related to the environment. Why is some food fresh and others frozen? Take a trip to pick strawberries and get ready to answer some hard questions!

Two strawberry farms you can visit are through WeChat IDs: Selinaml and dingguoguo6886

Just Go Outside

It’s that simple. Find yourself a park nearby or walking trail, and just go on a nature walk with no objective. Keep your phone in your pocket and breathe in the world around you and your kid. 

Remember, the very first step to caring about the Earth is to appreciate it.

Even if you don’t have time for a field trip, take the time to talk about Earth Day with your kids and follow their lead on how to help our planet.

KEEP READING: Pay to Play in Parks? What a Beijing Culture Shock

Image: Canva

Mom Felicia Li and her family moved to Beijing in 2011 for her husband Barry’s new job. The couple has two daughters, Hannah, 13, and Ann, 10.

Do you do any philanthropic work together as a family? If so, how did you get started?

Our family began to participate in public welfare activities in 2016. At that time, it was through the school where Hannah was studying. It arranged a Lei Feng Day homework for the students, requiring them to complete an activity related to public welfare. I took my two daughters and their classmates to a hearing rehabilitation center to perform for a group of deaf and hard of hearing children from rural areas around Beijing. Since then, my family has become volunteers for these children.

What are the causes that you and your family are passionate about? Why?

Our family have accompanied deaf and hard of hearing children since 2016. In 2017, we launched Rainbow and Angel Coffee Shop and started to teach them to make snacks for free. In the beginning, they had no idea how to make them, but they were very brave and overcame the obstacles of their hearing loss. Today, they have become professional bakers and their products are loved by many people which makes us feel very proud.

Do you prefer to give to one particular organization or to multiples?

I prefer to give to one particular organization. I believe that only by deeply understanding the people I am helping can we give them the help they really need.

Was philanthropic work a part of your life growing up?

I used to be a financial analyst in the financial industry with a good social status and salary conditions. However, I left the financial industry and devoted myself to public welfare because I saw a greater power than money which is love. Love can bring influence beyond imagination. Love can change a person’s life. This is the truth that I will never understand and feel in the financial industry.

Do you think it’s important for children to learn the importance of giving back to the community? Why or why not?

It is very important to teach everyone to give back to society. I think that everyone can really exert the greatest influence in life only after learning to be grateful and giving back.

What motivates you and your family to continue your philanthropic work?

Public service can bring a family together in a positive way. This cannot be learned in school or in books. I regard public service as a very core lesson in family education. This is the main reason why I insist on taking children to do public service.

What do you think that helping others who are less fortunate teaches your children?

It helps my children learn to be more grateful and cherish what they have.

What’s the most rewarding part about doing philanthropic work together as a family and would you recommend it to others?

I think the biggest gain is that we witnessed how the power of love has changed the lives of these deaf and hard of hearing children. Seeing the changes in these children in person makes my children not only feel the great influence of public service but also feel the upward power of life from these brave youth.

Jood Q and her family moved to Beijing from Saudi Arabia. Dad Mushahab is the VP of Marketing at Aramco Asia and mom Mona is an entrepreneur. Their four children Jood, 17, Sadeem, 14, Mohammed, 9, and Nourah, 7, are all students at the Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB).

Do you do any philanthropic work together as a family? If so, how did you get started?  Was philanthropic work a part of your life growing up?

When we lived back in Saudi, mom Mona was a part of the administration for a charity that raised money for families in need through charity balls, bazaars, charity membership fees, etc. During the bazaars, the kids would book booths and sell homemade traditional snacks that Jood and her mom made together.

What are the causes that you and your family are passionate about? Why?

Giving to the people that need it most. We’re a Muslim family; giving to others is actually one of the pillars of Islam, therefore, we make sure to plant it within from a young age.

Do you prefer to give to one particular organization or to multiple?

If we [run]a charity we let [our children]handle where the fundraised money will go. In 2016, the year we first came to Beijing, our school had started a new community called “Days for Girls”. I joined and participated in every fundraiser I could join. This academic school year is my fifth year joining DFG, and I am now the student leader for the past two years where I get the privilege to spread awareness about all the unfortunate girls around the world that don’t get to have the benefits that I have, such as sanitary menstrual health tools to aid with their monthly periods.

Do you think it’s important for children to learn the importance of giving back to the community? Why or why not?

Definitely! It is important because giving back not only benefits the people, but it plants love and generosity within our children!

What motivates you and your family to continue your philanthropic work?

Giving back restores my faith in my religion and makes me more aware of everything I have been blessed with. Giving back makes me aware of my privileges and provides me with a reality check.

What do you think helping others who are less fortunate teaches your children?

Giving back teaches us and our children to care for one another when times are hard for some. It also teaches us all to acknowledge our daily privileges, from being able to eat breakfast every day to simply walking down the street safely.

What’s the most rewarding part about doing philanthropic work together as a family and would you recommend it to others?

The most rewarding part is when your children continue to give back to others without being instructed to do so; it makes me feel like I did my job of raising my kids well to care for others and give back. It’s truly an amazing feeling. I definitely recommend teaching children to give back from a young age so they can continue to do so by themselves.

KEEP READING: Stories From Shunyi’s Pop Up Nucleic Acid Testing Centers

Photos: Uni You, Jood Q.

This article appeared in the beijingkids 2020 December issue

Beyond raising happy, healthy, intelligent children, most parents hope for their children to become kind, generous, and giving people. Now more than ever, parents are focusing on growing their children’s emotional intelligence, on empathy to counteract the increasingly self-centric attitude to life that seems to be the norm. Empathy is evidently on the decline, according to a 2009 study of American college students in The Atlantic. Between 1979 and 2009, students grew far less likely to be concerned by the situation of those who were less fortunate than them, and even worse, appeared to feel less bothered by seeing others being treated unfairly.

Not All Heroes Wear Capes!

This is where Sharon Ringrose, a Geography teacher at Harrow Beijing (HBJ) steps in. After holding this position for eight years, Ringrose knows not only about the physical geography of Beijing, but also the philanthropic lay of the land, and strives to guide her students through it. “I have always loved Geography and feel that it is important to teach children about the world around them,” says Ringrose. Recalling my own time in school, I remember Geography as being one of those polarizing subjects, right up there with the hard sciences. One either adored it or abhorred it. So how does a teacher deal with this possible polarizing effect of the subject about which she is passionate? “I try to make learning fun and lessons interesting,” is Ringrose’s response, also adding, “If a teacher is enthusiastic about what they are teaching then it is easier to engage students and get them to work hard.”

In A World Of Our Own

As foreigners living in Beijing, it is easy to exist in an expat echo chamber, insulated from the world beyond our social circles. This also goes for children from international families. Granted, they attend culturally diverse schools, but their potential social status in a country like China might mean they are isolated from those who are not as fortunate as they are. So how does one rectify such a situation? Ringrose has devised a unique way to combine charity and school resources. As she explains, “I have volunteered at Alenah’s Home [a home for orphans with special needs]for seven years. This has included taking students to the home every week and running a swimming program on Saturdays in the Harrow swimming pool. Going swimming was often the highlight of the week for the children.”

A Little Goes a Long Way

As a teacher and parent herself, Ringrose feels doubly obliged to encourage her students to not only start but continue sustainable charitable initiatives. “I also encouraged my students to organize and run fundraising initiatives such as making and selling hot chocolates and cookies to raise money for local charities,” explains Ringrose. But beyond extending generosity to those outside of their classrooms, Ringrose also encourages kindness in her classroom. As Ringrose explains, “I encourage students to be kind to each other; this might be through buddying with new students or group work.“

A Future of Kindness and Geography in Beijing 

Ringrose admits to having utterly fallen in love with Beijing. “I love living in Beijing, there are always new restaurants to go to and places to see. I love the fact that we are close to the mountains for skiing in the winter and the fact that there is so much history to explore within the city,” says Ringrose, revealing her affinity for history as well. What the future holds for Ringrose in Beijing, only time will tell, but she hopes to continue doing what she loves – teaching Geography and helping create a kinder, more compassionate generation of learners. As she puts it, “Kindness inspires kindness. In the last eight years, I have worked with many wonderful students who have inspired me to be kinder and more patient.”

Learn More about Alenah’s Home and how to support their mission:

Website: www.childrenshope.net

Ph: 6431 8202

Email: chif@childrenshope.org.cn

KEEP READING: Best Buddies with Zhichao: Harrow Students Learn from Children With Differences

Photos: Courtesy of Harrow Beijing (HBJ)

This article appeared in the beijingkids 2020 December issue

“Giving back” is such a loaded term. We say it all the time, yet the phrase itself assumes that you have more than you need, and then it feels like only something the very rich and privileged can do. But the world holds many ways that people can give back to their communities, and in this holiday issue, we cover the most important topics to Beijing families.

First, there is simply the generous philanthropic spirit of our capital city. We have eateries that give back, both with food specials and job training (p. 18), and Feast (Food by East) that offered our student writer Qinglan Du and her mother, fresh out of quarantine, a joyous culture shock after such a difficult year (p. 16). You may have heard of Beijing’s blind massage parlors and wondered if they’re real or legit. Contributing Writer Robynne Tindall looks at their history and also tries one herself, learning how what some see as a disability actually helps the masseuse go deeper in their work to help people relax (p. 26).

Giving goes beyond simply nonprofits and charities, however. Beijing has teachers who use their talents in geography to show kids their place in the world (p. 28), and art educators who help students express their whole selves through artistic expression, as our Harrow Beijing students demonstrate (p. 30).

I know when it comes to my children, it’s hard to reconcile the consumerist messages they get around the holidays with the values of gratitude and generosity we want to instill in them. Resident Early Education expert Julie Wolf shares some excellent ways to counter the societal need for gifts with new holiday traditions that leave everyone satisfied (p. 34), while many local families tell their own stories of giving back together, and how that’s affected the ways their children view the world and their own privilege (p. 22). I tend towards books to open pathways for us to discuss complex subjects and chose some of my favorites for gift giving this year (p. 36).

Finally, Beijing mom Vivienne Rush shares her family’s “foster fail” story when they jumped into fostering for Lost Puppies with all their heart, soul – and perhaps a little too much attachment to the sweet pup Kamina on our cover (p 40).

We hope this issue can be beijngskids’ gift to you: we wish for everyone reading to feel a bit more hope in our world, in the great and generous people who contribute to it, to learn of more places where you can eat, enjoy, and volunteer as a family. We hope you can find a few more ways to instill both the kindness and responsibility needed in our children to make sure that 2021 is better than 2020 and beyond.

KEEP READING: Kids + Arts Camps = Empathy

Photos: Dave’s Studio

This article appeared in the beijingkids 2020 December issue

In another life, I’m a notorious over tipper. Even — or especially — when I had little money of my own to spare, I always added whatever I could to the tip jar, automatically calculating 25% for restaurant or delivery service, minimum. It likely comes from all my years of working for tips myself and knowing how hard a customer-facing position can be, especially in a world where “the customer is always right.”

Moving to a country where you don’t tip out of respect was a hard transition, so I channeled my energies towards the reviews or ratings at the end of a DiDi ride. It seemed like a no brainer way to show my appreciation and took just a few seconds.

I never think of rating my package delivery services, however. I certainly never dug back into an order once I had received it just to praise a delivery person for a job done well. I also rarely complained unless I didn’t get a package at all. After reading this article on npr about how overburdened and harshly punished delivery workers are in China, however, that will change.

According to the article, “Good customer reviews earn delivery workers virtual points in the app, which serve as a buffer against deductions. In the case of a late package or a three-out-of-five-star review, the app will knock off points. Too few points, and a worker gets fined….If Wang fails to garner at least one five-star review a month, he gets slapped with an $8 pay deduction. If someone complains by email, Wang is fined about $300, nearly a week’s wages. Lesser offenses can carry fines of about $30 to $80.”

Now I feel bad about a time last year when I ordered two small coatracks and neither one arrived. The delivery person said he only had one, and he offered to pay for the one he delivered to the wrong address, almost RMB 250. After reading that article, now I understand that it is possible only one was in his care, where it sounded like a weird trick at the time. Although I didn’t allow him to pay for the mistake, as it seemed like too much for one person to fix out of their own wages, I hope my messages to customer service didn’t cause him more trouble.

I usually don’t like to patronize companies who use such punitive measures, and that sentiment was echoed in one or two WeChat groups where I shared this article. It’s not always that simple, however, since ceasing to use delivery services ultimately only harms the very delivery people we want to help. Without more orders to deliver, they’ll likely lose their jobs, or get wages cut even more.

There’s no way to know what happens on the other side of a delivery, and I’ve never actively tried to get someone in trouble. But I’ve never gone out of my way to write a nice review either. I tend towards Baopals and PandaBoo, but friends use Taobao and showed me where to leave a rating:

I even returned to a recent order and reviewed it, for good measure.

This wasn’t just to make myself feel better, or so I could tout my virtue in this article. I know how difficult it is for me to get everything together, get the kids to school and myself to work, and that’s with a very family-flexible office a mere ten minutes away. I could walk there if necessary. The holidays are coming…who am I kidding? They’re here! And that means more deliveries, more traffic, more people upset, and probably more chances for screw-ups than normal. If there’s one thing I can do on a micro level that might mean a lot more to my receiver, it’s to take 30 seconds to rate and write a review for a job well done.

We have been talking a lot about gratitude and kindness around the beijngkids office lately, as it’s the theme of our next magazine. Let’s just remember that in this case, a job well done is merely a package delivered; where we might normally tip the minimum, we must type the minimum. Be thankful, be kind, and for goodness sake, leave a five-star review!

KEEP READING: How to Use WeChat Subscriptions For All Your Beijing Family News

Photos: Cindy Marie Jenkins, Public Domain Pictures

I don’t know about you, but I’m in the process of slowly streamlining the books and toys my kids have so we 1) have space for the gifts we’re going to get this year, and 2) help our kids understand the idea that if they don’t play with something anymore, they should give it to someone who will.

We talk a lot about how we have more than other people do, and why it’s important to share when we can. The concept of “giving back” must have worked its way into their brains over the last few months, because one day my 6-year-old woke up and said, “I want to sort my LEGO bricks and give some to kids who don’t have any.” So we did. It might have been the proudest parenting moment I’ve had to date. We’ve come a long way from their toy drive at school last year when I wasn’t sure their offering would make it out of their backpack!

If you’re doing the same, but don’t know the best place to donate your toys, here are some of the Beijing charities looking for toys at the moment:

You can donate almost anything to Roundabout: books, clothes, toys, and household items. They’ll pick up at a convenient time. Just add this WeChat ID and arrange your donation!

Zarah is hosting a “Give a Present” Christmas Market on December 13 from 11am-4pm. You bring a gently used toy as a present to the Migrant Child’s Foundation, then enjoy some warm drinks while shopping from local artisans.

Why not give a little, get a little? O’Steak will take 1% off your bill for toy donated to less fortunate disadvantaged children before December 13. There’s a limit of 20 toys, though, so don’t expect a free meal, even for a great haul!

Everyone knows Toys For Tots, and you probably already got an invitation to someone’s private group. As of now, this WeChat group doesn’t have specific information, but the organizer assures us that soon they’ll be drop off points and also monetary donations collected for families in need. Might be good to join in case you don’t make it to one of the cool events listed above.

KEEP READING: The Beijinger Pizza Cup is Back!

Photos: courtesy of organizers, Cindy Marie Jenkins

Beijing’s biggest winter bazaar is back! Western Academy of Beijing (WAB) is famous for its annual Winter Charity Bazaar, and although this year they are relocating to Beijing Riviera Club (we all know how difficult it is to get onto campus due to COVID-19 restrictions), it’s set to be even bigger and better than ever! The event will feature a wide range of Beijing’s best makers and gift sellers, as well as loads of food and drinks, charity organization booths, and live entertainment.

Plus, beijingkids and Jingkids will be there, too! Check out our booth for the latest magazines, a fun gratitude-themed craft for the kiddos of all ages, and learn how to keep up to date on the best that Beijing has to offer families!

Proceeds will go towards supporting EGRC, which provides scholarships for girls in rural China, as well as Operation Blessing Love and Hope Center, the Migrant Children Foundation, RenYuYuan Learning House, Roundabout, and Surmang foundation.

What a perfect way to spend a Saturday! Please do say hello and tag your photos at our booth with #beijingkids on WeChat Moments.

10.30am – 3.30pm. Beijing Riviera Country Club. Free admission

KEEP READING: Beijing’s Best Family-Friendly Events Nov 20-22

Photos: WAB, Unsplash

Halloween has passed and I am nearly ready to tell the kids that their treats have been consumed in large (garbage-bag-sized) mouthfuls by hungry ghosts. The influx of sugar into the house has meant an ear-splitting spike of hyperactivity and misbehavior.

“He stole my candy!”

“She has more chocolate than me!”

(These are the types of phrases that inspire the imminent arrival of said hungry ghosts.)

“Generosity” or the adjective “generous” have been words I’ve used with the kids since they were babies. I like it better than the typical, urging word “share,” even though we as parents invariably tell our battling kids to “share,” by default, when Halloween candy wars start to invade household peace.

It’s not that sharing isn’t important as a concept; it’s more that generosity, to me, is about having the kindness to give without thinking about oneself. Sharing, on the other hand, is about giving some and keeping some. This may be easier for kids to comprehend and accept, but I’m not one to care about age-appropriateness when it comes to concepts. I tell my kids to “be generous” or “show generosity” because I want them to understand that when we give, we don’t always have to retain something for ourselves. We can just let things go. True giving is without the expectation of getting.

All that sounds nice, but after the overflow of Halloween follows the abundance of Christmas. How can we reinforce this concept of generosity when “getting” is what these two holidays seem to communicate to kids? No matter what, those hungry ghosts better come quick to strike an armistice to the candy wars so my children can narrowly avoid Santa passing judgment on the “naughty or nice.”

Recently, I talked to the kids again about the notion of charities and how there are many children in the world who never get Halloween candy or Christmas presents at all! (And not just because they don’t celebrate these festivals.) For kids, it’s really not easy to imagine the lives of other children who aren’t as lucky as they are.

So, I proposed a deal: with every Christmas gift they’d like to receive, one item from their toy boxes must be removed to be donated to charity. I explained that if some kids weren’t going to be getting presents this year, maybe it was time for my kids to be the givers themselves. They could be like Santa, I said.

This message got through. Already, they have sorted many toys they don’t play with anymore and would like to give away. The arguing about items has been kept to a minimum and they’re keen on making a trip to Roundabout before the holidays. What’s more, both kids are very proud that their stack of giveaway toys are much more numerous than the items on their wish list to Santa. Perhaps this means they’re getting closer to truly understanding the meaning of generosity after all.

Then, my nearly-eight-year-old daughter had a very interesting insight:

“Mommy?” she asked, “You know those hungry ghosts you say are going to come and eat our Halloween candy? Maybe they’re not really hungry. Maybe they just want to give our candy to kids who didn’t get any on Halloween?”

I smiled at her. She continued.

“But then we can’t call them hungry ghosts anymore.”

“Okay,” I answered, curiously. I wasn’t sure where she was going with this as I took in her mischievous smirk. “What should we call them, then?”

“GENEROUS GHOSTS!” she yelled out, laughing.

And so it was that Halloween finally ended. Merry Christmas to me!

KEEP READING: The Pack Off Your Back: Roundabout Announces a Backpack Drive!

Photos: beijingkids

About the Writer

Ember Swift is a Canadian musician and writer who has been living in Beijing since late 2008. She has a daughter called Echo (国如一) and a son called Topaz or “Paz” (国世龙).

This article first appeared in the beijingkids December 2019 Giving Back issue