Chen Zhongwen, Deputy Director of Yunnan Provincial Public Security Department, issuing certificates to overseas non-government organizations

On March 30, the Overseas Non-Governmental Organizations Management Office of Yunnan Provincial Public Security Department held the ceremony of issuing registration certificates to representative officers of Overseas NGOs in Yunnan Province. In the ceremony, nine ONGOs (The International Fund for Animal Welfare (USA), Family Health International (United States), Health and Poverty Action (United Kingdom), The Federation of Associations Connected to the International Humana People to People Movement (Switzerland), The Fred Hollows Foundation (Australia), MSI Professional Services (Hong Kong), Cedar Network International Ltd (Hong Kong), World Vision (Hong Kong), Matteo Ricci Social Service Foundation (Macau)) were issued with representative offices registration certificates. The Chief Representatives of those nine ONGOs, together with Chen Zhongwen, Deputy Director of Yunnan Provincial Public Security Department, and officials from the Overseas NGOs Management Office of Yunnan Provincial Public Security Department, Yunnan Provincial Health and Family Planning Commission, Yunnan Provincial Forestry Department, Yunnan Provincial Poverty Alleviation and Development Office, Yunnan Provincial Foreign Affairs Office, etc attended the ceremony.

It is reported that, due to the implementation of " The People’s Republic of China’s Law on the Management of the Activities of Overseas NGOs within Mainland China", the registration of Overseas NGOs in Yunnan Province had a good start and went smoothly. The Provincial Public Security Department set up registration windows to accept registration applications from Overseas NGOs in the immigration management hall since January 3, 2017. At the same time, a website was also set up for foreign NGOs for information downloading, information inquiries, online booking, online applications and other convenience services.

According to the understanding of the ‘Yunnan Net’ journalist, Yunnan Province was the first in China to implemented “The temporary regulations for activities of Overseas NGOs in Yunnan Province” since January 1, 2010. During the past seven years, a large number of foreign NGOs in the area of poverty alleviation, environmental protection, public health, disease prevention and control, emergency relief, education and training, infrastructure construction in ethnic minority areas, carried out many charitable activities, bringing a lot of funds, technology and new ideas and advanced experience in social services, and played a positive role for the social and economic progress in Yunnan, as well as made positive contributions to the public welfare development in Yunnan. Through friendly exchanges and cooperation with overseas NGOs, the administrative registration authorities and political supervisory units in Yunnan province have accumulated a lot of valuable experience, and have enhanced friendship with overseas NGOs in Yunnan.

The Yunnan Provincial Public Security Department Official in charge said that in the future, the office will continue to provide convenient and efficient services, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of Overseas NGOs according to the law. Yunnan welcomes Overseas NGOs to set up representative offices and to carry out temporary activities in the province. At the same time, we hope that Overseas NGOs will continue to pay attention to and participate in Yunnan public welfare and charity development, and strive to improve economy, education, science, culture, health, sports, environmental protection, poverty alleviation, economic and social public facilities and welfare undertaking. By promoting international exchanges and cooperation, we hope that NGOs will play a greater role in contributing towards Yunnan's economic and social development as well as public welfare.

Representatives for overseas NGOs indicated that in the future they would strengthen the cooperation with relevant departments and organizations in Yunnan, and continue to serve and promote the development of Yunnan public welfare. Humana People to People (Here in after referred as HPP) is an international non-profit organization that works in education, health and rural development in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. “The Federation of Associations Connected to the International Humana People to People Movement “ has 31 independent national development associations as members. The Federation is registered in Switzerland with its headquarters in Zimbabwe, Africa.


HPP grew out of the anti-apartheid movement in Europe and South Africa in 1977. After that it continued to develop, focusing on fighting with the poor and providing support to people to make changes, improve life and solve problems. HPP believes in overcoming poverty  and to ensure that human development works as a whole process, which includes all people: children, parents, teachers, farmers, health workers, active community members, local leaders, national governments, and International partners.

HPP believes that poverty can be addressed through coordination and community co-operation, combining education, adult literacy, improving people's livelihood, improving production, health and sanitation, women's rights and environmental protection.

HPP currently carries out 860 projects in 45 countries. In 2005, HPP came to China, and in June 2005 HPP began to cooperate with the Yunnan Province Poverty Alleviation and Development Office to set up the "Humana People to People Cooperation Project Office of Yunnan Province". In July 2010, HPP registered itself in the Civil Affairs Department of Yunnan Province as a foreign NGO Representative Office, and set up the “The Federation of Associations Connected to the International Humana People to People Movement (Switzerland) Yunnan Office”.
 

At present HPP mainly carries out projects in four areas: Yunnan, Sichuan, Chongqing and Hubei, covering three fields including rural areas sustainable poverty alleviation and community development (CD projects), Preschool of the Future (POF Projects), and Total Control of the Epidemic (TCE Projects), an HIV/AIDS program. Since 2007, more than 3.2 million people in China have benefited from the projects.

Apart from staff in our Beijing and Kunming offices, our project leaders and community outreach workers live and work at the project locations. By providing technical support and training we assist the villagers to develop their own self-development potential and to become the main driving force in this development, while we bring in appropriate methods and development opportunities and practice solidary humanism.

Michael Hermann is appointed by The Federation of Associations Connected to the International Humana People to People Movement as the Chief Representative of “The Federation of Associations Connected to the International Humana People to People Movement (Switzerland) Yunnan Representative Office”. The Yunnan Province Poverty Alleviation and Development Office is the Political Supervisory Unit of the Representative Office.

Michael Hermann has received the Registration Certificate

“We would like to express our cordial thanks to the trust and support of relevant government departments. This law has for the first time recognized the legal status of international charitable organizations, and has laid a solid foundation for civil society international exchanges and cooperation and the globalization of charity. HPP will continue to serve the people in China's poverty-stricken areas, as we have always done.

Article Sources:
Yunnan Public Security Department, www. Yunnan.c