Group sets new standards for child welfare

A devastating fire that trapped and killed seven children inside an unlicensed Henan orphanage last year was the drive behind Sowers Action.

Tucked away in the middle of Mong Kok amid construction companies and hardware stores, the unassuming headquarters of Sowers Action is responsible for educating thousands of poverty-stricken children on the mainland.

This year, the non-profit group - a beneficiary of the annual Operation Santa Claus fundraising campaign organised by the South China Morning Post and RTHK - has stepped up its efforts by opening a children's home in Shuifu, Yunnan , for adolescents in need.

Sowers Action chairman Albert Ho Ngai-leung, said that after the fire they saw an opportunity to diversify their work. "We want to do a good job at providing welfare for the children in a professional way. We hope to set a standard."

The orphanage is already home to 56 children of different backgrounds.

According to Brianna Hui Bun-bun, chief executive of Sowers Action, the death of a child's father will often result in the mother's abandonment, as she needs to remarry for financial support.