Frequently asked Questions
Here we have tried to compile the questions that we often receive. If you think something is missing, please don't hesitate to inform us about it. Send an e-mail to oskar@finnish-charity-school.org and you will get an answer shortly.
Who will build the school?
Local contractors will build the school under the management of Pöyry consulting company. Dr. Baisen He of Pöyry and member of the steering group, will be the construction project manager.
How can I be sure my contribution won't get lost on the way?
We are cooperating with China Children's and Teenagers fund (www.cctf.org.cn) who provides us with the organizational, legal, and administrative framework for this project. You will deposit your donation directly into CCTF's account. CCTF is audited by Ernst & Young.
Is my donation tax-deductable?
Yes. You will sign a donation contract directly with CCTF who will provide you with proper receipts.
The quake occured in May. Why are you so late in taking action?
Well, actually we have been working all the time, but things have taken their time. The idea sprung from within the Finnish Business Community in China, which is not a legal entity, just a loose network. It has taken its time to figure out how we can handle this. Also, since all efforts are voluntary, it has taken some time to find the right persons and build up this organization from scratch.
Nevertheless, the need for help in Sichuan is still there. Only a fraction of the damaged or destroyed schools are under construction. Thousands of children must study in temporary barracks with no ventilation, heating, or power.
Is my pledge legally binding?
Legally no, morally yes. Right now we only gather soft commitments and compile a list of founding members for the project. Not until you sign your donation contract with CCTF will you be legally bound to anything.
When will I sign with CCTF, How?
We need to reach a critical mass before we can give the absolute "go ahead" for the project. When we do that we will inform all members about this and supply them with the donation contract to sign with CCTF.
What's this "Founding member" stuff?
We have chosen not to categorize the donors according to the size of their donations. We feel that this is not a beauty contest. However, since we need a critical mass for the project, we have chosen to recognize those companies who are with us at an early stage with the title "Founding member". Companies joining in at a later stage will be titled "Members".
I have been told that one could build a school for a couple of hundred thousand. Isn't 3.5 million a bit hefty?
Many rural schools have now been merged into bigger-scaled town schools thus turning them from a capacity of a couple of hundred to often almost a thousand. With a hundred thousand one could build a small sized, one-floor, only bricks classroom, however, not a proper school.
After the quake new regulation states that all school buildings must be built with a frame structure with a Seismic Grade 8 or over. We want our school to last.
What kind of School will we build? Where will it be located?
We do not know yet. When we have reached a critical mass of three and a half million RMB we can make decisions. However, we have already conducted discussions with CCTF and one of our steering group member has also inspected potential sites. Most likely we will build a school in Youxiang district north east of Chengdu. The school will be a primary school. We are not quite sure yet about how big the school will be - it depends totally on location, demographics, the number of neighboring schools that were destoyed, local planning, etc. Usually schools in the area we are looking at have a capacity from a couple hundred students to well over a thousand.
My company is still deliberating. I want to help now! How can I participate as a private person?
We get this question often. We have no good answer yet. We are working on setting up some kind of structure for individuals to participate.
In the meantime, please pledge your support, let us know you are interested. When we know how to do this we will contact you.
Can I show my support to this project by using the logo and slogan in my e-mail?
YES! However you need to be a little bit computer savvy to do that. You are welcome to copy the HTML code in the box below and paste it into your e-mail program where you edit the signatures. You might need to adjust things a little bit for it fit your needs.