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Hello dear friends,

We've heard from many, many of you who are deeply worried about the babies affected by China's latest disaster - contaminated milk powder. Half the Sky has been in daily contact with the 41 welfare institutions where we work. We've also been in constant contact with the Ministry of Civil Affairs, which has been working to provide guidance to all the institutions that house babies. They have promised us a full report and I hope to receive it before the coming National Holiday. In the meantime, they tell us that a letter was sent out to all orphanages as soon as the crisis was recognized. Orders were to have all children examined at local hospitals and the government will cover all costs, including any necessary treatment. All orphanages using identified tainted brands have changed to either fresh milk or to a brand that has been identified as safe.

Here is what we have learned about the institutions where we work who were using tainted brands:

Tianjin CWI was using Sanlu, among other brands. Forty children were drinking Sanlu and of those, 2 were diagnosed to have kidney stones. Xinyang CWI was using Sanlu exclusively. 43 children were taken to hospital and 2 have been diagnosed to have kidney stones. Yiyang SWC was using Sanlu exclusively. All children were taken to hospital and 5 were diagnosed to have kidney stones. Maoming CWI was using Sanlu among other brands. All children were examined and 2 were diagnosed to have kidney stones. None of the children with kidney stones is seriously ill. All are being treated. Most of the other institutions were using non-affected brands. Nanjing, Chongqing, Shenzhen, Guiyang, Guangzhou, Luoyang, Nanchang and Qingyuan were using affected brands but the children were examined and are all right. We are told that all of the children are being watched carefully. We know the institutions with whom we work will give us further reports if the situation changes. You can be sure we'll pass any news onto you.

For those of you who are worried about Typhoon Hagupit which hit Maoming, Guangdong on Wednesday, I have this report from ZZ, Half the Sky's managing director:

"It was a big wind but not heavy rain, so a few brave people could still go out in the street. At Maoming CWI, they allowed the nannies to stay home and our program has stopped for one day. In the Family Village, some of the windows were broken due to strong wind, but they were immediately repaired.

"In Maonan CWI, the nannies were so brave they came to work, but in the street they had to get help from the trees or the street light poles when the wind was too strong.  Since  they were told that the wind and storm would arrive at about 6:30am, many of the nannies came before then - around 5:30am. What a group of dedicated and strong women!

"All of the children are fine and there is no damage to either institution."

What a year! It may seem lately that Half the Sky is nothing more than a disaster relief center, but that is far from the case. In late August and early September we created three new HTS Children's Centers which will also become Blue Sky model training centers for their provinces: Xi'an, Harbin and Shenyang. We were fortunate to have a wonderful crew of volunteers helping us out in Xi'an and Harbin. Next up in November is the new HTS Children's Center in Qingdao. It will also be a Blue Sky model.

In late October, we will host an international training on child trauma as a result of the Sichuan quake. Together with the US National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement and the Mental Health Center of Huaxi Hospital at Sichuan University, we will be training child psychologists, psychiatrists, school counselors, and, of course, our staff at the Big Top Children's Centers who continue to work with displaced and traumatized children in relief camps. Five of our promised ten camps are in operation now. The centers are hugely popular - a refuge where children can be children again. The government is telling us the need may be for five years.

Our big thanks to those of you who voted for us in the American Express competition. Although you gave us enough votes, our project to help earthquake victims wasn't selected for the next level. And thanks to those of you who have contributed to A Daddy's Challenge. We haven't come close to meeting the $75,000 challenge; but we understand it's a scary time for everyone.

You know we will do our best to care for the children, whatever happens.

Take care and be well,

Jenny Bowen
Executive Director
Half the Sky Foundation
www.halfthesky.org

Half the Sky was created in order to enrich the lives and enhance the prospects for orphaned children in China. We establish and operate infant nurture and preschool programs, provide personalized learning for older children and establish loving permanent family care and guidance for children with disabilities.  It is our goal to ensure that every orphaned child has a caring adult in her life and a chance at a bright future.

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