Prof. Yang Ganfu
The Chinese Loving Heart Organization was officially established and registered in March 2007 through the Ministry of Health and Social Services.
The objective of the organization is to uplift the living standard of the poor and vulnerable people in Namibia by providing for their basic needs as stipulated in the registration certificate.
The establishment of this organization is in line with the spirit of Chinese culture and tradition. Compared with the Western culture of individualism, collectivism is one of the main features Chinese culture entails.
Regarded as a Chinese national characteristic, collectivism determines that Chinese nationals see it as their responsibility to look after, love and value the society they are living in.
Collectivism also claims that individuals of such society are just part of this group which needs mutual cooperation, and that the existence of each individual relies on the whole group they are living in.
For the sake of existence, development of this society, collectivism calls for kind-heartedness, justice, tolerance, harmony, responsibility and commitment from each member of the group.
Kind-heartedness, justice, tolerance, harmony, responsibility and commitment from each member of the group are also the valuable concepts and components of Chinese humanism. Uplifting the moral and spiritual life and uplifting the material life is what the Chinese humanism claims and undertakes.
In this sense, it therefore becomes a very strong Chinese traditional virtue to uplift the living standard of the poor and vulnerable people by providing in their basic needs.
And such tradition is being carried out in China where we witness frequent activities of donations for and assistance to those poor and vulnerable people by governments, institutions, and communities.
That is why we often read the media reports that the flood-affected people are receiving help from all over the country, not to mention thousands of daily reports about donations and assistance to the poor and vulnerable people in China.
Many Chinese, by one (donor) to one (receiver) mode, even regularly provide financial assistance for thousands of school students, including university students until they complete their education.
Showing a loving heart to the poor and vulnerable people is very popular among the Chinese. Chinese carry on this culture and traditional virtue not only in China, but also in other foreign countries where Chinese work and live like brothers with the local people and value and respect the society they are living in.
As known, the Chinese business community does not exist long in Namibia. However, the Chinese business community has always, while they grow and develop, the poor and vulnerable people at heart. This is because to assist and help the poor and vulnerable people is a traditional virtue of Chinese.
And such assistance is regarded as our social responsibility according to Chinese culture, which also promotes mutuality and reciprocity.
China and Namibia have long shared good relations. They have been supporting each other in international business. China has always regarded Namibians as its good, trustful and reliable friends.
With kind support from the Namibian government, Namibians at large are attributive to the development of the young Chinese business community in Namibia. In view of this, the Chinese community sees it as a part of their own social responsibility to make commitments to the social development of Namibia.
Ever since the Chinese community started their business in Namibia, the Chinese at large have made many valuable commitments to the social development of Namibia.
Many donations of goods and cash have been made and assistance has been provided by the Chinese Embassy in Namibia, Chinese construction companies, Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chinese trade companies and Chinese individuals as well.
In March 2007, the Chinese business community led by Mr Huang Yue Quan initiated a Chinese loving-heart organization. It is a welfare organization with aims to help the poor and vulnerable people and to uplift their living standards in Namibia.
Immediately after its inception, this organization has received a warm welcome from the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Namibia, the Chinese business community and many individual Chinese.
Up to today, this organization has made six donations, of which two donations went to the San people, one donation to the flood-affected people in Caprivi, one cash donation to Omutaku primary school in Ohangwena and two donations to orphans via the First Lady’s office.
The donated goods cover blankets, mattresses, quilts, etc. which are locally manufactured by Chinese companies. The total value of the donations is over N$250 000.
The Chinese donations have received warm applause from the receivers and Namibian society at large.
H.E. the First Lady of the Republic of Namibia in her letter to H.E. Ambassador of the People Republic of China said: “I would also like to commend and applaud you for your good work and dedication to consolidate fraternal relations which exist between our two countries. The Namibian nation will fondly remember you for your genuine support.”
As Chinese culture and tradition encourage, Chinese will continue to shoulder our social responsibility and try our very best to help more poor and vulnerable people in Namibia.
We hope with our effort, the living standard of these poor and vulnerable people can be uplifted to some extent.
We also hope more and more people will follow our example to make the society we are living in, in Namibia, a harmonious, peaceful and prosperous society full of loving hearts.