Giving Shanghai's migrant kids a better start

Although they may be still be labeled “waidi,” outsiders living in Shanghai, many of the children of Shanghai’s migrant worker population identify more with the city than the province on their hukou.

But they often aren't given the same opportunities as people born here. 

Grace Nieh, regional manager, still has to do homework duty.

Revealing value

Founded in 2006, Jonathan Hursh started Compassion for Migrant Children after witnessing the poverty of migrant families in Beijing. Often devalued by society, migrants had few opportunities to improve their circumstances.

Hursh began working to change this mentality through a community center model that would provide kids and their families with a safe, caring environment where they could excel.

With a large number of activities, Compassion for Migrant Children’s community centers are rarely quiet. Monday through Saturday kids file in for art lessons, sports sessions, English classes, tutoring and character-building activities. 

Additionally, CMC offers a teacher training program for migrant teachers to help the community support itself, as well as a life and vocational skills training for older youth. That provides them with technical and life skills for entering the workforce, something many of their parents do not have.

Compassion for Migrant Children takes Shanghai

With four centers in Beijing, CMC set its sights on Shanghai, whose migrant worker population exceeds 6 million. The city has around 400,000 registered migrant children, none of whom, until this year, were allowed into Shanghai's public school system.

The first center, Tang Wan, opened in Minhang district this past spring.

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The CMC staff and volunteer teachers keep these students' interest where it belongs: on their future.

For any new center, it takes time to build a level of trust with the migrant community.

“At first people don’t understand what we’re doing. However, over time, they get to know us and our programs,” says Grace Nieh, Shanghai’s regional manager. “Soon they become more open and engaged with what we’re doing.”

To maintain that trust, CMC has built a strong base of committed staff and volunteers. Volunteers choose a program and commit to it, which can equal one day a week for three months.

I was a migrant child. I want to thank those who helped me when I was young. Now I’m able to give back.— University student volunteer, Compassion for Migrant Children

That may seem like a lot for Shanghai’s busy residents, but the hundreds of volunteers who help each week have found that the rewards are mutual.

“I was a migrant child,” says one university student who has returned to volunteer. “I want to thank those who helped me when I was young. Now I’m able to give back.” 

A community in motion

As Shanghai’s migrant kids are officially integrated into the public school system this year, many challenges still exist for them. Jobs and housing for Shanghai migrants change rapidly. An entire community could disperse in a matter of months. 

Compassion for Migrant Children has built its first community center made of shipping containers that is be 90 percent portable so they can migrate with the population. They have plans for 25 more across the country.

For now, the Shanghai team is looking for a larger facility where they can accommodate more children and programs.

Despite the unknowns that come with serving a floating community, Nieh and the rest of the CMC team are passionate about their mission.

“In working with migrant children, I see how they have so much potential, but lack the opportunities to develop and pursue their dreams," she says. "We strive to build bridges and create opportunities for them to fulfill their hopes.”