YiyangFund.org

These answers to frequently asked questions (FAQ) provide an overview of the Baby Sisters program in Yiyang. For more answers than are shown here, please download the PDF file.

[Updated September 2007]

FAQ in PDF format

HALF THE SKY BACKGROUND

What does "ayi" mean?
A babysitter or child caregiver is called "ayi" in Chinese. HTS uses that term for the caregivers who are orphanage staff. In general, Chinese children are told to call women about the age of their parents "ayi," often with some other distinguishing name, like "Cheng ayi" for a neighbor named Mrs. Cheng. In English, that can become "Auntie Cheng." Each baby has an ayi and a HTS nanny caring for day-to-day needs and nurturing all the time.
Who are "HTS nannies"?
The women hired, trained, and paid by HTS to play with babies in an Infant Nurture Center are called "nannies" in English. However, the Chinese term used in progress reports translates as "grandmother" (gumu) because the first nannies were often retired women. They usually live close to the orphanage and may have retired from another job. Each HTS nanny is assigned 3-8 babies. Her role is to provide responsive care to her infants, interact with them, talk to them, engage actively in their feeding, touch them and show physical affection, facilitating bonding and attachment. She must document their progress at regular intervals.
Who trains HTS nannies and Preschool teachers? Who pays them?
The nannies and Preschool teachers are hired, trained, and paid by HTS. They are not employees of the Chinese government.
What is in an HTS Infant Nurture Center? What age are the babies?
An infant center is usually a large room set up much like an American daycare center. Soft pastel colors, shelves for developmental toys, mats to crawl on, and rocking chairs for snuggling in nanny's arms. The babies usually play in an infant center with their assigned nanny until 18 months.
What does a "Baby Sisters" program include?
A HTS Baby Sisters program is designed to provide babies with the foundation for healthy development. Trained HTS nannies spend quality time playing with and observing a few infants every day in an infant nurture center built right inside the orphanage by HTS.
Are baby boys included in the Baby Sisters program?
Yes, all HTS programs are open to boys. A Baby Sisters program is a program for infant nurture, regardless of gender.
How many days a week does a HTS nanny work?
Six days per week is the standard.
When a HTS nanny is working, how many babies does she play with in one day?
Normally they work 6 hours a day in the infant nurture room--3 hours in the morning and 3 in the afternoon. Usually nannies play with all of their assigned children each day.
How many HTS programs are there in Hunan?
There are four other programs in Hunan in addition to the Yiyang program. All have Baby Sisters and some work with older children too. The overall goal for HTS is to have a Baby Sisters (infant) and Big Sisters (preschool) program in every province. Hunan has more then two programs for a variety of reasons.
Who is Jenny Bowen?
Jenny is a China adoptive parent who founded HTS in 1998 and continues to be the enthusiastic and energetic leader of HTS. She and her husband, Richard, currently live in Beijing with their two daughters.
How can I find out more about HTS?
Check out www.halfthesky.org or email development@halfthesky.org .

HALF THE SKY YIYANG BABY SISTERS PROGRAM

Where does HTS have infant centers in Yiyang?
In June 2005, the HTS volunteer build crew helped to build two infant centers: Yiyang CWI and Yiyang SWI (also called SWC).
How much did the startup in June 2005 (build, training) cost?
The total was about $80,000. That includes construction and training for the CWI and the SWI, but not the additional purchases (cribs, air-conditioners, potties) for the CWI.
How much are the annual operating expenses for the Yiyang Baby Sisters program?
The total needed every year is about $37,000. That includes HTS nanny salaries and the materials and toys used in the two infant centers.
Who volunteered for the HTS build crew in June 2005?
With the exception of one family, all the members of the build crew in Yiyang were parents or relatives of girls adopted from Yiyang. Mostly from the CWI, but there was one mother with a daughter from the SWI. There were also HTS staff from the Beijing office.

HALF THE SKY AT YIYANG CWI

How much did the CWI startup in June 2005 cost? How much is needed every year?
Start up cost: $45,600. Annual operating costs: $26,000.
What was the cost for the additional purchases made in 2005 for the CWI: cribs, potty seats, and living quarters air-conditioners?
The cost was about $10,000.
When were the extra items (cribs, plastic potties, air-conditioners) installed at the CWI?
Some of the items are in use by August 2005. Everything was in place before the end of 2005.
When were the CWI ayis trained?
They went to training together with the SWI ayis and HTS nannies during the build week in June 2005.
Are CWI ayis spending any time in the infant nurture center?
No. The HTS nannies pick the children up from their living quarters and take them to the playroom.
How many babies do CWI nannies play with every day?
Normally nannies work 6 hours a day, 6 days a week, in the infant nurture room--3 hours in the morning and 3 in the afternoon. At the CWI, the 12 nannies play with all of their assigned children each day.
What does the CWI Infant Nurture Center look like? Where is it?
The CWI infant center is up one flight of stairs and near the large meeting room often used to host adoption groups. It was built in the very large room with big windows that was most recently used by older special needs children. The build crew painted the walls in pastel colors. Several small adjoining rooms are also used. Gymnastic mats and a thick carpet can be placed on the floor for the babies to crawl on. Shelves hold developmental toys, some homemade and some store bought. Nannies can rock their charges sitting in wood gliders (rocking chairs). A large room air-conditioner and ceiling fans were installed. Near the ceiling in one corner, the build crew volunteers signed their names along with HTS staff who worked with them.
When did the HTS begin operating a Preschool in Yiyang? How much did the Preschool startup cost?
A Preschool opened at the Yiyang CWI in April 2007. The cost was $25,000.
Who built the Yiyang CWI Preschool?
The Preschool rooms were built by Mr. Ji of HTS Beijing with the help of local contractors. There are three rooms: a large classroom (TV, large mirror), a small classroom, and a reading room (soft couch).
When does a child start Preschool? How long do they attend?
A toddler usually transitions to the Preschool at 24 months, assuming they are ready. A child moves to regular Kindergarten outside the orphanage whenever they are ready.
What are the hours for the Preschool? What is the background of the teachers?
The Preschool is open five days a week. The CWI Preschool teachers were formally HTS nannies at the CWI.

HALF THE SKY AT YIYANG SWI

How much did the SWI startup in June 2005 cost? How much every year?
Start up cost $33,900. Annual operating costs are about $11,000.
How many HTS nannies are working at the SWI?
As of August 2005, five nannies were hired and trained for the SWI. Initially, the nanny supervisor requested additional nannies be hired, but that did not happen.
How many babies do SWI nannies play with every day?
Normally nannies work 6 hours a day in the infant nurture room--3 hours in the morning and 3 in the afternoon.
When were the SWI ayis trained?
They went to training together with the CWI ayis and nannies during the build week in June 2005. Some of the people who took care of their babies in their absence were their husbands.
Are SWI ayis spending any time in the infant nurture rooms?
At the very beginning, SWI ayis went to the infant nurture room, but later they found the children had difficulties to establish a bond with the nannies with ayis around. So the ayis no longer come to the infant nurture center.
What does SWI Infant Nurture Center look like? Where is it?
The SWI infant center is up one flight of stairs, near the stairwell. Several adjoining rooms (next to the porch used to dry laundry outdoors) and the hallway were painted and set up since no suitable large room was available. Gymnastics mats are placed on the floor so babies can crawl. Shelves hold development toys. Walls are painted pastel colors.

HTS YIYANG FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN 2004-2005 AND BEYOND

Who is responsible for the Yiyang fundraising campaign? When did it begin?
A small group of Yiyang parents who were members of the Yahoo! Group for Yiyang CWI families started the major fundraising campaign in April 2004. They were joined later by parents in the SWI Yahoo! Group. There is a fundraising committee who organize group fundraisers such as the CONNECTED BY LOVE red wristbands and the 2006 Yiyang calendar. It is purely a volunteer effort that is independent of HTS.
When did HTS decide to create a Yiyang program?
After the total in the Yiyang Fund went over $42,000 in December 2004, HTS committed to putting a Baby Sisters program in Yiyang CWI. Fundraising began in earnest in May 2004. HTS expanded the program in February 2005 to include the SWI in a limited fashion, and decided during the build week in June 2005 to add the SWI infant center.
How much has been raised by Yiyang families?
The total donated to HTS in support of the Yiyang programs from 2004 through 2006 is $170,000, mostly in late 2004 and 2005.
How can I find out more about Yiyang fundraising?
Check out www.yiyangfund.org or email meimei@yiyangfund.org . There is a timeline of major milestones on the About webpage.