Shin Shin Received Official Approval to Establish a Representative Office in China
On March 10th 2013, Steve Ting, the President of Shin Shin Educational Foundation (SSEF/Shin Shin) was interviewed by Qingwei Wang, a journalist at World Journal to share the exciting news that China's Ministry of Civil Affairs has formally approved Shin Shin's application to establish a representative office in Beijing. The representative office will be directly supervised by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council of China. The office will enable the foundation to continue its work in promoting education in remote, poverty-stricken areas in China. Many thanks to all the SSEF founding members and volunteers for their time and effort in making this possible.
It is with great honor that SSEF obtains the approval, as it is an extremely difficult task to set up a representative office in China. Only a handful of such applications have ever been approved. This approval is an official recognition of Shin Shin's mission and operations in China, as well as countless volunteers' contributions. It is the result of Shin Shin's long-term efforts in the past fifteen years helping the remote areas of China.
The establishment of an office in Beijing has a far-reaching impact on Shin Shin's future operations in China. Establishing an office in China will allow SSEF be better connected to children in need. We continue to rely on many wonderful local volunteers in China to help the children, so a registered, official office would allow us to recruit even more volunteers in China and expand our range of supporting and assistance to children there.
After the office has been established, SSEF will also be able to cooperate with other foundations, businesses, companies, and individuals in China. Dedicated staff will be assigned to handle those matters and will be very important for Shin Shin's long-term development. Like a company, in order to operate successfully in China, setting up a branch company would facilitate the business process. For a commercial company, all the businesses are meant for customers, but for Shin Shin, all we do is to help the children who need education.
Through the China office, Shin Shin will communicate more timely with the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and other government agencies in China that supervise Shin Shin's operation, and therefore, speeding up the process of matters more immediately and effectively. Overseas donors will be able to transfer their donations quickly to the schools in need through Shin Shin's bank account in China. Shin Shin will also be able to arrange face-to-face interviews with potential volunteers who support Shin Shin's educational mission. Moreover, Shin Shin has accumulated 15 years of experiences in U.S. These experiences will be brought back to China and be exchanged and shared with other foundations.
It is Shin Shin’s first step to set up the office in Beijing. More offices may be set up in other areas in China in the future to better serve those areas. Stay tuned for the further updates on the Beijing office.
Shin Shin Received Honors at the “Family of One” Celebration
Shin Shin Received Honors at the “Family of One” Celebration and Fundraiser on December 10, 2011Cupertino Mayor Gilbert Wong presented a “Proclamation” to recognize Shin Shin's effort in construction and repair of 333 primary schools in China over the past 14 years, and to honor volunteers' hard work and dedication. Qiaoban (National Overseas Chinese Affairs Offices) sent a congratulation letter to appreciate Shin Shin's mission and accomplishments, and to congratulate the 15th anniversary of Foundation's establishment.
Shin Shin Educational Foundation has been honored by City of Cupertino in California
Shin Shin Educational Foundation has been honored by City of Cupertino in California, and by Overseas Chinese Affairs Offices at all levels in China.
At the ten-year anniversary for Shin Shin's establishment, Overseas Chinese Affairs Office's Director Yujie Chen created a calligraphy poem for a painting by a Shin Shin student, to appreciate Shin Shin's efforts. Every year, Shin Shin was showered with thank-you letters from Chinese government agencies and personal notes from Shin Shin students and teachers.
Switch to Chinese to view the list of thank you letters.
In 2009, Orrin Mahoney, the formal Mayor of Cupertino, represented the City Council to recognize Shin Shin, for providing funds to help China build schools in remote poor rural areas to enable students to enjoy a better school environment, the completion of the national basic education, and reduce the urban rural gap; and for participating in the construction and repair of more than 300 schools, and for Shin Shin's strong connection to Cupertino with significant leadership and financial support from the management of the Acorn Campus and a multi-year partnership with the Rotary Club of Cupertino.
Together with many Rotarians, Orrin Mahoney, an active member who served as the President of Cupertino Rotary Club and the Chairman of Rotary International Service, participated in four trips to China and visited over a dozen Shin Shin schools to witness the dedication of the Shin Shin volunteers and to see the positive results of their efforts as seen on the faces of the children at these schools. Their testimonies are the best awards and encouragement for Shin Shin.
