Nihao From Nanping - Page 3

The four caretakers at the Yanping Social Welfare Institute are from the villages nearby, and have been working at the orphanage for 2, 4, 6 and 8 years respectively.  Their salaries were recently raised from 25 Chinese dollars per child per month in 1992, (approx. US $3.00 per child per month), to $75.00 Chinese dollars per month per child cared for in 1996.

The four members of the institute's administrative staff are paid a similar salary, with the added benefit of 5 Chinese dollars of medical benefits per month.  Because of these poor benefits, it is difficult for them to keep the institution staffed properly, and the ratio between children to adults is much higher than the official stated ratio of 2:1.

After much discussion with the local welfare affairs department, Mr. Lin is now not only able to pay the caregivers a much better salary, but they are also receiving much more money for the children's food budget.  In 1992, they were only alloted $40.00 Chinese dollars, (approx. US $4.80), per month per child for food.  Recently, their budget has been increased to $150.00 Chinese dollars, (approx US $18.00), per child per month.

These increases in caregiver wages and monetary support for the children have all been made available due to the fees paid by adoptive families through international adoption.  Since 1994, there have been 181 children adopted domestically, and 181 children adopted internationally.  Over 100 children are now in foster care in the city of Dahuang Zhen, about a half an hour's drive away.  The foster parents are not paid for their caring of orphans, except the parents who are caring for handicapped children, who are paid 150 a month.  Money for tuition for foster children is still nowhere to be found.  With all these of these numbers in mind, we began touring the various rooms of the orphanage.

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