Jean van Wetter's China story began almost 10 years ago in the
classrooms of the National University of Singapore. He was a
business administration student and most of his teachers were
always ending their class with an intriguing question: "And what
about China"?
The idea piqued his curiosity. However, he visited China for the
first time only three years ago and was wowed by the bright lights
of Shanghai. "With a passion for architecture, my first exaltation
was for the marvelous combination of older and contemporary
architecture in the city," he says.
"I was living in Cambodia at that time, and was impressed by the
modern nature, openness and the audacity of the citizens of the
city of the Bund.
"I also realized then that a few days in Shanghai were not
enough to understand and appreciate the country at its right value
and I decided to come back."
The Belgian man became the country director of Handicap
International China at the end of last year and is now based in
Beijing.
Handicap International (HI) is an international non-governmental
organization whose mandate is the prevention and rehabilitation of
disability. The seeds of group were sown in 1979 when two French
doctors were working in the refugee camps on the Thai-Cambodian
border. The reality they faced was beyond their belief. Hundreds of
men, women and children had been atrociously wounded and maimed by
antipersonnel landmines. Three years later HI was formed.
Today, HI has projects in more than 60 countries and the
organisation has broadened its fields of intervention towards a
more global approach of disabilities.
HI currently has projects in Sichuan Province, Guangxi Zhuang
and Tibet autonomous regions, with a head office based in
Beijing.
"Our main objective in China is, in collaboration with the China
Disabled People Federation and the local authorities, to find
innovative solutions to provide adequate rehabilitation and social
inclusion services in rural China, where 75 percent of the disabled
population live," he says.
"We also work with the Ministry of Civil Affairs to develop a
national certification and professional training system for
orphanage's caregivers.
"Although I am based in Beijing where I witness every day the
rapid
transformation of China, I often work in various rural areas
where I can learn and share the true values and numerous aspects of
Chinese culture and life." Van Wetter says the social inclusion of
people with disabilities is a challenging component of his work in
China and in every society. Sport is a powerful inclusion
mechanism, he says.
"I warmly welcome the organisation of the Olympic Games, and in
particular the Paralympics that will be held just after, to provide
the necessary catalyst to encourage more young Chinese with
disabilities to engage in sport activities and to discover the joy
of self-accomplishment," he says.
"I am very happy that Beijing has been selected to host the
Olympic Games next year.
"It will be a unique and deserved opportunity for all Chinese
citizens to show the enormous efforts and accomplishments they have
done over the last years to build a harmonious society."
(China Daily December 7, 2007)
