Project
Aid Projects in China
Country.
China
Implementing Organization.
Representative Office of the Lipoid Stiftung in Beijing
Lipoid Stiftung in China
A branch of the Lipoid Stiftung was established in China in 2014. It supports a variety of projects in China for children and young people with disabilities and for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Many people in rural China work in industrial areas far away from home. They often leave their children with their grandparents, or sometimes even alone.
In cooperation with volunteer organizations and social institutions, the Lipoid Stiftung China has set up projects to provide “left behind children” with psychological help and counseling, as well as assistance in establishing a support network for children in need and their families. The children are given access to education as well as support for their upkeep and health care.
Together with the Lipoid Stiftung in Ludwigshafen, Germany, the Chinese branch of the Lipoid Stiftung runs the Chinese-German program for the exchange of knowledge on fostering and support possibilities for children with disabilities. As part of this exchange, experts from one country travel to meet their counterparts from the other country, visit facilities, and discuss and improve their knowledge at meetings. During COVID-19 pandemic the exchange took place digitally at regular intervals with the help of an experienced interpreter. Topics of discussion include the transition from school to work, vocational training and preparation, as well as job opportunities for young people with disabilities.
In July 2024, a 10-member delegation of experts from various Chinese provinces travelled to Germany and visited Stiftung Liebenau, a long-term partner of Lipoid Stiftung. Over the course of five days, the participants gained practical and theoretical insights into the work with persons in need of support. The focus of the visit to various locations was the St.-Lukas Clinic with its offers in health care, social therapeutic residential groups and the child and young adult psychiatric unit, as well as the work of Liebenau Teilhabe with the Don Bosco school and various accomodation, assistance, education and employment offers. The Berufsbildungswerk Adolf Aich Ravensburg, a vocational training center which is also offering a complex screening program, was visited. In Haus Helena, visitors gained insights into the offers for people with complex support needs. The program was rounded off with a lecture on current standards in the diagnosis and therapy of people with disabilities.
Photo: Stiftung Liebenau
Vocational Training for People with Disabilities in China
In recent years, the issue of employment for people with disabilities in China has received increasing attention from society and the government. However, despite various government incentives, employment opportunities for young people and adults, especially those with intellectual disabilities, are limited.
Since 2017, the Lipoid Stiftung China has dedicated its work to providing vocational training and further education for young adults with disabilities through various formats. It invites Chinese professionals to visit institutions for the disabled and sheltered workshops for people with disabilities in Germany, organizes on-site visits and consultations by German experts in China, provides financial and technical support for vocational training projects, and offers international online exchange seminars.
The aim is to promote changes in employment philosophy and environments, especially for people with intellectual disabilities, and to support their integration into society in a positive and healthy way.
Photos: LipoidStiftung