HK$2 can help a family
Many survivors of the Sichuan earthquake, whose homes were destroyed by the disaster, are still homeless after almost a year. They have been living in makeshift shelters made of plastic sheets and old boards.
The situation is particularly serious in Qingquan , a village hit hard by the quake and its relentless aftershocks, with 95 per cent of its buildings flattened. More than 2,000 people, many old or handicapped, were made homeless.
Villagers know that the shoddy construction of their houses with bricks, wood and mud was the real killer in the disaster on May 12 last year that claimed 88,000 lives and injured 400,000.
They want new permanent homes to be made of concrete, strong enough to stand the test of a magnitude 8 quake. But they just don't have the funds to do that.
The South China Morning Post started a reconstruction project, Homes for Hope, to raise funds to rebuild the torn community and construct homes for the displaced.
Students also have a role to play in rebuilding Sichuan and giving hope to the needy. Instead of spending your pocket money on snacks, you may want to contribute HK$2 to buy concrete for building homes for quake victims.
As part of the project, SCMP Charities launched a HK$2 donation campaign. Donation envelopes have been sent to many schools, which will collect money from today.
Queen's College will hold a mini-bazaar at its school open days on Friday (11am-7pm) and on Saturday (10am-6pm) in the North Court. It aims to raise HK$10,000 for the project.
SCMP staff will be visiting YCH Wong Wha San Secondary School and St Francis Xavier College during morning assemblies tomorrow and Thursday. They will tell the students more about the Homes for Hope project and the situation in Sichuan.
Homes for Hope aims to raise HK$18 million to build 970 houses for villagers of Qingquan and two nearby villages. It also wants to build infrastructure and restore electricity and water supply to Shengnan.
The houses will be 375 sq ft for penniless families. Homes for families that can afford part of the building cost will be from 860 sq ft to 1,180 sq ft.
The project will provide materials worth about 4,000 yuan (HK$4,500) per villager to build earthquake-resistant houses.
Building of the first 160 houses started last month. The work is expected to be completed by September in time for winter.
Meanwhile, a string of fund-raising events are under way. University architecture students have been invited to design practical, cost-efficient, earthquake-resistant homes.
A charity auction and dinner will be held on May 12.
The project has received HK$10 million from a government trust fund and HK$3 million from Operation Santa Claus, an annual charity campaign organised by the South China Morning Post and RTHK.
You can also make a deposit via ATM or any HSBC branch to 'SCMP Charities Ltd - SCMP Homes for Hope', account number 808-580443-292 or post a cheque payable to 'SCMP Charities Ltd - SCMP Homes for Hope' to: SCMP Homes for Hope, 4/F Morning Post Centre, 22 Dai Fat Street, Tai Po Industrial Estate, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong