| On December, 2008, executive chair Ms. Zhou weiyan led all One Foundation Staff to Sichuan quake-affected areas and spent a special Christmas there by revisiting the reconstruction project. In the process of investigation, One Foundation learnt that the local government had been looking for ways to ensure a safe and comfortable Chinese lunar new year for affected people in makeshift settlements. One Foundation decided to work with the local government and sketched a plan to send new year present to the needed. Considering the difficulties of heating in makeshift houses and lack of subsistence goods for a warm dinner on new year evening, One Foundation, together with its professional partner Deloitte initiated a plan called “sharing warmth in winter” to send quilts to needy people. The foundation also worked with its strategic partner Taobao.com for an online subscription of present packages. The package is 111 RMB each and contains ingredients like traditional preserved ham, sausage, rice-glue-ball powder and stuffing, all essential in making a traditional Chinese new year evening dinner. Both actions were part of One Foundation’s plan to send new year presents to the households in disaster area.
One Foundation will employ third party supervisor for equal and transparent distribution of new year presents. One Foundation’s official website and Taobao.com will publish financial reports regarding material purchasing and distribution of the plan.
One Foundation, Deloitte “Sharing Warmth in Winter” with affected people
The plan started from Jan. 5, 2009. Deloitte donated 12,000 quilts to One Foundation for distribution to Magong, Shiba village in Qingchuan, Gengda village in Wenchuan, Yuli, Kaiping and Piankou Village in Beichuan.
Upon receiving, One Foundation quickly made an effective distribution plan. Two quilts for every household. So far, 12,000 quilts have been distributed. 3,000 went to Qingchuan, 2,000 to Wenchuan and the rest 7,000 were sent to Beichuan. Most of the destinations were on plateaus and the roads had been frozen since late 2008. One Foundation staff and volunteers encountered numerous difficulties and dangers such as skidding, low water tank temperature and all sorts of snow conditions. Due to the delay, they had to spend the night cuddling for warmth in the transport truck halfway on the road. The distribution took 6 days from Jan. 17 to 22, one more day than planned.
 
One Foundation, Deloitte “Sharing Warmth in Winter” with affected people (left)
Quick distribution of 12,000 quilts (right)
Online Subscription of Present Packages
The subscription went online from Jan. 12 to 23 and was warmly supported by netizens. They purchased 1,324 packages. One Foundation global family members also reached out to help and with their help, a total of 9,372 packages of new year present were purchased and distributed.
Two days before the lunar new year’s eve, One Foundation’s present expedition reached makeshift settlements in affected areas in Sichuan. The villagers had spontaneously formed a long but ordered queue. After the last package and quilt was distributed, One Foundation staff and volunteers shared their self-brought rice glue balls with the villagers. The air scented of new year celebration.
 
Villagers, One Foundation staff and volunteers kneaded dough together to make rice glue balls (left)
The villagers smile as they hold their present packages (right)
One Foundation Wishes a Happy New Year for Its Family Members
The present distribution plan went smoothly after One Foundation and its global family members overcame the lack of time and logistic support. 21,372 people in makeshift settlements received a new year present package imbued with blessings from One Foundation family members from all over the world.
One Foundation wishes its global family members a happy new year
One Foundation founder Mr. Jet Li oversaw the execution from thousands of miles away:”Reconstruction is a long term challenge, the collective effort of all family members supports the work and passes on the torch of care and love.” |
