Beijing Hui Ling  (BJHL) and its counterpart of the same name in Guangzhou are dedicated to helping the mentally and physically handicapped and their families. And despite both being NGO's - non-government organizations - and wholly dependent on donations from grant-making agencies, the business sector and individuals, both continue to perform a crucial role in Chinese society.

Almost uniquely in Beijing, Hui Ling concerns itself with adults as well as children, placing the greatest importance on encouraging harmonious relations between its handicapped and disabled trainees and the able-bodied - a huge challenge in that the physically and mentally disadvantaged are all too often avoided or treated with suspicion by society in general. BJHL combats such ignorance by helping its trainees become involved in the community, simultaneously acquiring an improved understanding of life and people that enables them to more easily assimilate with society in general.

This policy is underpinned by numerous projects, arrangements and facilities that help make the trainees feel secure, and build their confidence when associating with people from all walks of life. Major projects and activities include:

Family Group Homes

These offer trainees in need of security short- or long-term residential services in family-style group accommodation where a housemother looks after a maximum of six residents. Each trainee "mucks in" with household tasks and is encouraged to care for his or her fellow residents, especially if they are confused and lonely. At base, these microcosms of normal homes experience all the usual ups and downs of family life.

Activity Center

Offered are individual- and small-group programs, the learning of skills for independent living and the provision of space for disabled and able-bodied young people to make friends. Routine activities include music, dancing, art, physical exercises, city tours and talking with neighboring families.

Vocational Training

On-the-job training is provided in printing, tailoring, ceramics, craftworks, packaging and other skills. Disabled trainees are also supported in gaining work experience and when pursuing open employment.

Home Visits

Staff make home visits to those unable to join the school's group activities or vocational training courses in order to provide assessment, skills training and counseling. There is also a dedicated team of volunteers, including the disabled, which runs a "friendship program" offering companionship and general help.

Parents' Group and Resource Network

These bring together parents and other family members in a mutual-aid group where they can obtain information, learn from each other and share their strengths. To further support families, they also continually broaden their resource network of professionals, community services officials and information materials.

Arts & Crafts Workshop

Called Three Primary Colors and run jointly by BJHL and the La Casa International Art Project, the workshop provides opportunities for the mentally disadvantaged to integrate into the community through training and employment at a facility in downtown Beijing.

This is one of the three family group homes, and where a family supports the only four physically challenged boys who are registered at BJHL but who live in a first-floor apartment in Andingmen.

Said the housemother: "All the family group homes are in normal communities. The boys go to conventional schools and do the usual everyday things like other boys. Everything here is normal, and we hope the boys can live their lives as other ordinary people do." During this writer's visit, the quartet were as lively, active and happy as any other teenagers, proof of the housemother's skills and experience.

On her apartment wall was a timetable detailing the boys' daily schedule during the summer vacation, including the notation: "Take a walk and chat with neighbors from 8-9pm." Two girl volunteers were playing cards with the boys during a leisure period. Enters a British gentleman, a long-term donor to BJH, who was delivering a TV set for the boys - a vivid demonstration of the generosity that enables the school to continue with its sterling work.

But, as with virtually all such charitable bodies, more donations in cash and kind are always welcome because the huge task daily faced by both BJHL schools is never-ending. Also needed are more volunteers, preferably experienced and able to contribute long-term.