Earthquake in China - 2008

Citizens of Half the Sky city, Chenzhou, are very proud that their hometown is also the hometown of the fabulous Chinese Women's Volleyball Team. The team, which won the world championship five consecutive years, has a hotel named in its honor in Chenzhou: The Five Champions Guesthouse.

LiuShan-Love for Babies

HTS Field Supervisor, Liu Shan (above right):
I started working for Half the Sky as a nanny at the Xinyang Social Welfare Institution. Then I became the Nanny Supervisor. Last year I became an Infant Nurture Field Supervisor and travel all over for Half the Sky.. I loved working as a nanny because I spent so much time with the babies. But my job as a field supervisor is also gratifying....

Home > Our Work > Our Community > Wenchuan Earthquake

The Earthquake in Sichuan

PART ONE - THE AFTERMATH

PART TWO - REBUILDING CHILDREN'S LIVES

PART THREE - THE BIG TOPS

PART FOUR - A 'NORMAL' LIFE

PART FOUR

Sichuan, Fall 2008:
The desire to return to life as it was - before that terrible day in May - is tremendous in the refugee camps near the epicenter. You can feel the need for 'normal' everywhere you look.

In the months since the earthquake, Half the Sky has worked hard to help orphaned and displaced children who've lost so much begin to feel like they can go on and they can reclaim their lives. By providing a safe space, focusing on both building community and responding to the emotional needs the the individual child, the BigTops have become the center of every camp where they stand and HTS staff has become part of the heart of each community.

HTS field supervisor, Jia Zhihua and senior program coordinator, Joanna Ren (above) at the Half the Sky "main office" in Dujiangyan

An "End of Summer" party drew a full house -

The BigTops offer places to work, to create, to be silly, to dream....

Trained staff offer comfort, the space to grieve and quiet places to heal

If you wish to make a gift, please donate to HTS CHILDREN'S EARTHQUAKE FUND: