The rapid economic development has been occurring in China since the market reforms. Masses of villagers have left the confines of the villages and entered the cities to seek development opportunities.

As the national capitol and the political, economic and cultural center of China , Beijing has become a major destination for the shift of rural labor from rural to urban areas. Among the large rural migrant population in Beijing , most come as families, dispersed among the vast communities on the margins of the city. Most of them do strenuous work in harsh conditions for meager pay in low level professions such as service in restaurants, domestic help, retail sales, cleaning, factory work etc. Rural migrants are at a disadvantage in their living and working circumstances because of their special identities, transitory status and low level of education and vocational training. There are extreme disparities between the rural migrant population and the local population of Beijing .

We established the Migrant Workers' Education and Action Research Center in 1999 to facilitate migrant workers' transition and integration into the city. With a neighborhood community as our base, we hope to mobilize migrant workers and provide them with as much help and support as possible.

Mission

Narrow the gap between migrant workers and urban residents, promote social justice, allow migrant workers to enjoy the same basic rights and treatment as urban residents (such as the right to employment, survival, education etc.)

Objectives

•  Enhance the level of knowledge, skills and technical expertise of rural migrants so that they can more easily transition and integrate into the city.

•  Become a bridge between rural migrant workers and the government so that the government can understand the living situation and needs of rural migrant workers and accordingly make policy decisions for the interest of migrant workers.

Action

•  Migrant Children Project. We organize children to actively participate in community life and take action to improve the community. We also organize educational activities related to urban life, safety, health and sanitation for migrant children, counsel them regarding problems they encounter in school or in their daily lives, support their healthy physical and psychological development, and help them transition and integrate into urban society.

•  Youth Project. The youth project is centered on the needs of youth in the community, including both those who are still in school and those who have left school and are now working. We will organize educational activities on basic legal knowledge, health and sanitation, provide them with psychological counseling so that they can handle the difficulties and challenges they face while they are growing up in a healthy and constructive way.

•  Adult Project. The adult project mainly targets parents of migrant children. In addition to their work, they need to raise and educate their children. Therefore, the center does not only host talks on legal knowledge, health and sanitation, but also organizes seminars on parenting and provides parents with information about schooling and day care. The center organizes a parent discussion group to create a support network among migrant workers and to help them lead a better life in the city.

•  Library. The center has a collection of books that are open to community members. The collection includes children's literature, books on parenting, newspapers, magazines etc.

•  Informational Support. The center collects policy information and other news relevant to rural migrant workers and regularly disseminates the information to community members.

•  Policy Advocacy. The center collects information regarding the circumstances and needs of rural migrants and reflects this information to the government. We advocate for greater awareness of migrant workers' issues among the government and influence law and policy to improve the living circumstances of rural migrants in Beijing .

Contact Us

Address: 100101 Room 1021, 33 Bei Si Huan Zhong Road , Beijing , China

Telephone: 86-10-6484-5915

Email: mweac@yahoo.com.cn