As you walk through People Square, be sure 500 meters from luxury hotels, you'll find shanty town. In this gigantic metropolis called Shanghai, underprivileged people are so close to us but so far from our reality. More than disparities between rich and poor, there exist more subtle inequalities between healthy people and persons suffering from physical or mental disabilities, diseases or exclusion. In a small corner, far away from your eyes, here they are. Are these two worlds ever meet each other? That's what Forget-Me-Not non-profit organization tries to do.
Forget-Me-Not: the bridge builder
A buried idea resurfaces in a society where the reign of money took root and gangrened: try to rely what everything separates. Who would have believed that such an idea comes from Forget-Me-Not, a small group of young people imported from France? FMN non-profit organization, based in Shanghai, is the bridge builder. Its role is to bring closer the corporate world and underprivileged communities by organizing team-building activities. A little time, energy and some cheerfulness: that's what they give to support the bridge.
In a corner, in a small Retirement House, they're waiting. But
then, as they're seeing you, a smile can enlighten their face. On June 25th,
Forget-Me-Not exceptionally organizes an encounter between Urbalud Team
organization (instead of a company) and elder people at ZunLao Yuan Retirement
House people. With the help of Marceau Chenault professional modern dance
teacher from France, FMN and Urbalud Team learnt the basics of 'Qi dance', a mix
of Chinese traditional Qi Gong martial art, and modern dance. After some
training, they had to perform in front of elder people and interact with them,
invite them to dance. Back up activities as modeling, drawing or miming was also
organized. After all these efforts, younger and elder could relax together
having snacks and listening to electric and acoustic guitar duo.
A mutual improvement
While both FMN and Urbalud organizations are from JCEF French non-profit association, social partners are always local. Then, in spite of language, age, cultural or social differences, all organizers, presenters, employees and social partners speak a universal language. The employees help to bring happiness to persons suffering from physical or mental disabilities, diseases, poverty or exclusion. In exchange, they have the opportunity to discover, to open their mind towards a land rich of emotions. These two worlds can meet, interact and get to know better each other. Then, the FMN bridge will continue to be built.
If you are a company and wish to benefit from FMN services, feel free to
contact forget-me-not@jcef-shanghai.com.
Don't forget them.
By Anne Dryvers