Directory of International NGOs


A searchable database of over 200 International NGOs operating in China.
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Zigen Fund


Mission: "To promote educational, social, and economic development in impoverished areas of China."

In China since: 1989

Annual China budget: $140,000

Number of staff: 10 national and expatriate

Mainland China contact:

Tong Xiaoxi (童小溪)
Sociology Department
China Agricultural University
Beijing 100094
Tel: +86 (0)10 6231 0104

International Contact:

38-27, 217th Street
Bayside
NY 11361
United States
Tel: +1 718 321 0587
Fax: +1 718 281 1298


Zigen means ‘nourish the roots’. People of Chinese descent founded this organization in New York in 1988 to provide aid directly to poor communities in China and encourage self-help initiatives. Sister organisations have since been established in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Beijing. On the mainland, Zigen has offices in Beijing and Leishan (雷山) Guizhou.

Basic education was initially the main focus of the organisation, and continues to account for around three quarters of its expenditure. In 2002 Zigen provided nearly 3,000 scholarships to primary and middle school students, as well as making small grants to improve school facilities, purchase library books and teaching aids, and train teachers. Zigen also gave 61 scholarships to high school students and sponsored adult literacy classes and adult classes in agriculture.

Zigen has also supported rural health worker and midwives training programmes. It is now developing a ‘Green Programme’ in which pilot model villages are selected for integrated development projects. Guizhou has to date been the main site for these activities.

The Zigen Fund pays particular attention to project monitoring. As well as regular monitoring by local staff, overseas members and supporters pay their own way to travel to China and inspect project sites.


The Zigen fund raises about 40% of its funds from foundation and corporate donors, but indidividual donors are its mainstay: in 2002, it received more than 500 individual donations, ranging from USD 100 to USD 10,000, from people of Chinese descent living overseas.





  Links

http://www.zigen.org