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Huazhou Social Welfare Institution

Original SWI picture

Orphanage Staff

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Huazhou

Hexi District

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www.huazhou.sti.gd.cn/

http://www.gdhz.gov.cn/

[To view these sites in English, go to www.altavista.com, click Translate and enter the Huazhou URL.]

Welcome to this site, which is dedicated to the Huazhou Social Welfare Institution in the Guangdong province of the Peoples’ Republic of China. It was founded in 1930 to care for orphans and foundlings. Until 1995, children lived there until their eighteenth birthday and learned a profession. If they could not get a job, they were allowed to stay at the orphanage until they found one. In November 1995, the orphanage was allowed to adopt out some of the children.

The original orphanage was located near the center of Huazhou City. The orphanage shared its roof with the local police station, with its back entrance through a packed dirt courtyard behind a nightclub.

On September 25, 2001, Huazhou’s new state-of-the art orphanage, shown above, was finished. This new split-wing building sits atop hill, affording its precious tenants a good breeze during the hot summer months. On September 27, 2001 the staff and children officially moved in. The new building’s split-wing design is intended to accommodate elderly in one wing and children in the other.

The map of the Hexi District shows where this orphanage is located.

In the spring of 2002, there were 182 children in residence, 134 under two and 18 were around two years old. Thirty children are classified as special needs and this includes older children. Older children range in age from 7 to 10 years old. Babies are admitted at the rate of about one per day and sometimes more. The new orphanage can handle up to 300 children.

About 80 children a year are adopted by foreign families. Since 1995, more than 600 children have been adopted by foreigners.

Since November 1995, children adopted from Huazhou have gone to live with their parents in Canada, Finland, France, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, The United Kingdom and the United States of America.

Orphanage Staff

Mr. Huang has been the Director of the Huazhou SWI from autumn 2003 to the present. Prior that, he was Associate Director since 1994.

Ms. Peng was the Director from 1994 until autumn 2003. She now works for the local Huazhou Government.

Address

Mr. Huang

Huazhou Social Welfare Institution

No. 31 Education Road

Huazhou City

Guangdong

Peoples Republic of China 525100

Original SWI Picture

Huazhou is located in China’s prosperous Guangdong province, half way between Guangzhou to the east and Hanoi, Vietnam to the West.

Within Huazhou’s borders are many towns and districts, as shown on the map. Huazhou is a river city, containing four rivers: Wei, Luo, Lin and Jiang

The city of Huazhou’s ancient name is lizard or stone dragon. According to legend, there was once a dragon that hid in the Luo River showing various postures of herself; thus the city was called Huazhou for “change state.”

Huazhou is located in the subtropics with a mild climate, abundant rainfall and fertile land. All in all, the environmental conditions are excellent. Huazhou is one of China’s primary vegetable production bases.