Globalized Communities

China Youth Development Foundation


"The China Youth Development Foundation is a non-profit social organization with a legal status independent of the government founded by the All-China Youth Federation in March 1989." (Visit their website at http://124.42.15.179/gb/english/index.htm to view the quote directly)

This foundation calls for social reform in the realm of early childhood education. Their aim is to educate their children, all across China, in hope to help them "prepare to meet the challenges of [a] changing global society." (Quote found here)
They have partners from several international corporations, such as Motorola, Coca-cola, Nokia, and Lucent (see full listing here), indicating their desire to apply globalization (process of intensified global interconnectedness and movement of goods, information, and people) to early childhood education.

Chris Park, the President of Lucent Technologies Foundation had this to say about the program:

"Education is the key toward helping young people reach their highest potential and to become engaged citizens and productive members of the workforce and society."

As the President of a technologies company (one among several that sponsor the China Youth Development Foundation) it makes sense that he believes early formal education is the key for society... call me a critic, but doesn't that propel his company further? Doesn't globalization of this sort (introducing generations of children to new ideas and quite possibly technology) promise the spread of the technological "culture"? I just want to make it clear though, that I'm not saying this is a bad thing, I actually do agree with giving all children access to education, especially because it doesn't look like globalization has any desire to slow down.

This organization is seeking the financial aid of global corporations who have the capacity for large investments to finance the opening of Primary schools across China (including many municipalities in rural areas). For example, Motorola has donated RBM 24 million to the foundation, which facilitated the opening of 50 schools (10 000 children able to attend),* and Coca-cola has donated $3 million (USD) to facilitate the opening of 51 schools and books to 100 rural libraries. They also sponsored an endowment fund to help promising high school students (in financial disadvantage) further their education.**

I assume that the hope of this foundation is that as these children grow up and enter the adult world, that their education will enable them to enter a work force that will support the countries economy. This most likely would involve internal migration (population movement within state boundaries) from rural to urban centers (push-pull theory), or even the creation of new urban centers. If the children being educated in these school continue to thrive in their education (which is what most Westerners would hope for, do you think it could be different for non-Western ideals?), then their rural homes/villages will not give them the opportunities they need and they will migrate into the city.



Photographs used (click on title for link to original source)
1. Chapter of Desire
(In this photo, the photographer has captured a look of hunger, and through it's use on this website I think that we as observers are supposed to understand that it's a hunger for learning... that this child wants to learn and participate in the growing global community... it's a good thought, an inspiring message, but is that really what the child desires?)
2. Chapter of Hope
(I'm assuming that this is a group of children who have been promised a school. The message I think is being conveyed is that because of the promised school, this group of village children will be able to grow up with a chance at a better future. Is that necessarily true?)
3. Chapter of Love
(These children are... working on homework? Is that the love part? They've been given the chance to learn, the corporations who've sponsored them have shown them love through their donations of millions of dollars? Sorry for being so negative. This is actually an awesome photo with awesome promise. It shows that children ARE being given that chance to succeed in a globalized society.)

Despite my apparent criticism of the project and it's motives, I actually do think that it's a good thing, that children do deserve the chance to learn and thrive in any situation they choose, whether urban or rural.

key concepts used: globalization, internal migration, push-pull theory

*see http://124.42.15.179/gb/english/pro-moto.htm
**see http://124.42.15.179/gb/english/pro-coca.htm