Guangzhou Liwan Urban Area Program

The urban community of Guangzhou Liwan is situated on the outskirts of Guangzhou, the third largest city in China. A "village within a city," the community is home to 43,000 people, most of whom are internal migrants searching for work and a better life. The village's narrow streets are littered with animal and household waste and crowded with low quality housing. Every year, children drown in the rivers that criss-cross the community.

Usually both parents work long hours in factories surrounding the community and have little time to spend with their children. Some families have grandparents who provide support, but many must leave children at home alone after school or on the weekends. Because migrants don't have local household registration (called hukou in Mandarin), children can't access public schools. There are few safe play areas and migrants struggle to build relationships and find a sense of belonging in the community.

Education
Without local hukou, migrants are forced to pay costly fees for their children to attend public school. Instead, many must send their children to private schools with other migrants. These schools have no government funding, leaving them without books, supplies, experienced teachers and controlled classroom sizes. It also means there are virtually no after-school activities for children to play together safely.

Many parents are uneducated and work hard to provide for their families. However a lack of education prevents them from encouraging their children's studies and helping them with their homework.

Child Protection & Participation
Children in Guangzhou Liwan are often hurt in accidents because there are few safe places to play and little adult supervision. Neither children nor parents are aware of the dangers of child trafficking, abuse or labour. Without parents as a constant, positive presence, some migrant children haven't learned how to manage their emotions, protect themselves or communicate with others and sometimes, bullying can occur.

Some children also suffer physical forms of discipline and many caregivers need opportunities to learn other effective parenting tactics. Additionally, children lack information on how to protect their own well-being and report violations of their rights.

Community Leadership
Although migrant children do try to get along with locals, they do not have many friends in the community apart from themselves. There is no welcoming community space or centre where migrant children can can gather to play, socialize and celebrate special occasions like birthdays. This makes it increasingly difficult for them to find friends.

Additionally, children and their families are not equipped to care for their environment. Many are unaware of good environmental practices and do not partake in any community services to help maintain their home. Often, children whose parents must work end up as a caregiver to their younger siblings.

Education
To help children in the community receive a quality education, World Vision will work with partners to:

• Provide children with literary, sports or arts activities to promote children's growth and help them know about and use community resources
• Conduct activities at the children's centre to teach children about positive values and managing emotions, and explore opportunities to work with schools to introduce such activities
• Ensure children with special needs receive support and assistance by organizing special interest classes and children's festivals

Child Protection & Participation
To ensure children enjoy positive relationships and have knowledge and skills to protect themselves, World Vision will:

• Work with community partners to organize puberty and self-protection awareness activities
• Design various family education activities to provide a platform for parents to communicate with children and enhance parent-child relationships
• Support community partners to provide personal counselling and follow-up for children at risk
• Invite child experts to give lectures to increase parenting skills and hold workshops for parents to share experiences

Community Leadership
To help children in Guangzhou Liwan value and care for others and their environment, World Vision will help to:

• Train children to volunteer in community service activities such as reducing and picking up litter to improve their environment
• Provide a centre where children's and community activities and celebrations can be held.
• This would also be a safe space for children to meet and play together.
• Train children to help with activities at the children's centre to encourage them to care for others and change their attitude from being served to serving others.