Chi Heng Foundation
Encyclopedia
Chi Heng Foundation is a Hong Kong
based non-governmental organization
dedicated to addressing children impacted by AIDS
and also to AIDS prevention and education. Established in 1998, the NGO has offices in Beijing
, Shanghai
, Guangzhou
, Anhui
and, especially, Henan
. The organization attracted notice in China
in 2004 when it helped Shanghai's Fudan University
organize a graduate level class on the subject of homosexuality, the first such class in the country.
/AIDS or have lost a parent to AIDS since 2002 or who are themselves infected. CHF operates under the premise that these children are best served by being raised within their communities in conjunction with children not impacted by HIV/AIDS, allowing them to avoid social stigma and to better integrate into their communities as adults. The primary avenue through which CHF attempts to assist children is financial, in funding educational and living expenses.
The organization also supports the tongzhi
population both in HIV/AIDS education and prevention and in promoting sexual minority
rights. In addition to working directly with the community, the organization educates the owners of saunas and brothels.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
based non-governmental organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
dedicated to addressing children impacted by AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
and also to AIDS prevention and education. Established in 1998, the NGO has offices in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
and, especially, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
. The organization attracted notice in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in 2004 when it helped Shanghai's Fudan University
Fudan University
Fudan University , located in Shanghai, is one of the oldest and most selective universities in China, and is a member of the C9 League. Its institutional predecessor was founded in 1905, shortly before the end of China's imperial Qing dynasty...
organize a graduate level class on the subject of homosexuality, the first such class in the country.
Mission
The organization provides assistance to children who have a parent with HIVHIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
/AIDS or have lost a parent to AIDS since 2002 or who are themselves infected. CHF operates under the premise that these children are best served by being raised within their communities in conjunction with children not impacted by HIV/AIDS, allowing them to avoid social stigma and to better integrate into their communities as adults. The primary avenue through which CHF attempts to assist children is financial, in funding educational and living expenses.
The organization also supports the tongzhi
Tongzhi
Tongzhi is a term which literally means "same will" or "same purpose" in Chinese. Idiomatically, it means "comrade". It has taken on various meanings in various contexts since the 20th century, and now its use among the younger generation is slang for members of the LGBT community. The term was...
population both in HIV/AIDS education and prevention and in promoting sexual minority
Sexual minority
A sexual minority is a group whose sexual identity, orientation or practices differ from the majority of the surrounding society. The term was coined most likely in the late 1960s under the influence of Lars Ullerstam's ground breaking book "The Erotic Minorities: A Swedish View" which came...
rights. In addition to working directly with the community, the organization educates the owners of saunas and brothels.