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 About
Grassroots Community
On
a sweltering summer afternoon in 2000, a flock of enthusiastic youth
met again in a small restaurant on Zhengtong Road (Shanghai, China)
near Fudan University. It is these young people who set up
China's first student-run legal aid center - The Student Legal
Aid Center - during their school time in Fudan University.
Though most of them have graduated, the faith to civil society and
responsibilities to the society reunited them to build up a new
community mainly consisting of young professionals. It is the birthday
of Our Community (now named Grassroots
Community - Youth Community Service Volunteer Station)
coming into the world quietly after a long-term pregnancy.
One
month later, on a sunny morning, we started our first project in
a slum in the north of Luwan District, Shanghai, China - the
Slum Project. We cleaned up a shanty and put up a sign in the
lane. Under the curious and kind notice of the residents, we began
our first voluntary service.
We are calling in lawyers, scholars, doctors, scientists, teachers,
clerks and all the youth with the ideal of public service to be
close to the underprivileged people, exert their professional knowledge
and skills to serve the people and build up with the poor people
a harmonious society of and for all the people living on the same
land. We are setting up a station for people of different colors
or classes, from different organizations, regions or countries and
with different religions or beliefs to communicate and get understanding
for a more peaceful and beautiful global village.
We
are the youth in a changing society and a changing world. When China
is opening its door to the outside world, a profound reform is ongoing
inside in our economic, political and social life. China is developing
its market economy and thereby a completely new social security
system. A democratic, wealthy, strong and united country is growing
up. However, we have to recognize that it is not perfect enough.
With the development, there are increasing disparities between the
poor and the rich, environment pollutions, regardlessness to public
ethics as well as other problems. Especially in the communities
of the underprivileged people, all of these problems stood out.
However, there are too many complaints but few communication and
actions. We could not depend on the government to solve all the
issues only. We shall act with the government, other organizations
and the common people to render public services. We shall enhance
the communication and understanding between individuals, organizations
and peoples. We are building up a Community of Hope for the underprivileged
people, a Community of Soul for the volunteers and a Community of
Peace for Public Spirit.
Serving
in communities is our beginning. We set up this Youth Community
Service Volunteer Station to provide a path for help the underprivileged
people, a stage for young volunteers to exert their abilities, a
window for the local and the overseas to understand the grassroots
in China and a bridge for communication.
We
are proud for what we did in the past years. Though our work is
not prominent, it is changing the slum quietly but substantially
and changing us deeply. And most importantly, with the enlargement
of our organization, the increase of the supports from various sources
and the maturity of our community, we become more and more prosperous
in the near future. We are going ahead never disappointed and full
of hopes.
We
are on the way, on the way to realize our ideals.
Let
us take this opportunity to express our appreciation to all the
people, who have been supporting and helping our community. They
are retiring workers, local social workers, judges, professors,
entrepreneurs and from other lines of businesses. The power of an
individual is limited; however, the power of an association of individuals
is unlimited. Let all of us make a happier home, a more beautiful
country and a more peaceful world.
Here
we are growing up. Here is our home. We love it.-
Grassroots Community
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