“Kenny” who is the head of our efforts in China was recently arrested and released after months in prison for protesting against the Chinese government.
Here is a little background on the story...
Kenny is truly a selfless man & master artist who gives his time to train orphans who are aging out of children’s homes in China.
In China orphan teens have to leave & fend for themselves after they turn 16. As a result many end up in exploitative labor, prostitution, and in some cases death due to lack of proper nutrition & health care.
Rise Up has partnered with Scrolls from China & Kenny to provide vocational training and eventually a transitional living program for kids who are leaving the children’s homes. One of the big problems facing orphans in China today is the lack of adequate health care. Last year we lost our own Si Xun, (an art student of Kenny’s pictured above), who died due to deficient health care in the orphanage where she lived. Since then Kenny has been on a mission to raise awareness about the lack of support for the health of orphans who are in government run orphanages. Protest against the government & freedom of speech related to injustice caused by the government is not tolerated. For this reason alone Kenny was imprisoned.
Despite China’s growing economy, the elderly, poor, and orphaned, are often treated like 2nd class citizens & do not have adequate health care & services.
Check out an article in the
New York Times about this issues written a few years ago. The problem has escalated even more since it was written.
If you would like to support an orphan in China to receive vocational training & help them transition into adulthood –
Click here.
Labels: china, Rise Up International
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