China struggles to improve child welfare

China has more than 700,000 orphans. The number is in sharp contrast to the serious lack of facilities and professionals providing care for the disadvantaged population. Zhang Wen, head of the Children's Hope Foundation, has initiated a campaign that's provided medical assistance to disabled children for the past decade.

Seventeen children have found a home in this courtyard facility, called Alenah's Home.

The NGO cares for the medical needs of disabled children and orphans, while providing a loving, cozy place to live.

"Alenah's Home is among the many charity organizations providing fund to help with medical treatment for disabled children and orphans in China. Their operation relies primarily on the good wills of donors and volunteers. Facilities like this proved to be a great supplement to government-run welfare houses," CCTV reporter Zhang Nini said.

"We aim to create an atmosphere or environment, that is family-like, which means attachment between each individual adult and child," said Zhang Wen, director of Children's Hope Foundation.

Zhang Wen says the emotional bond is essential for kids to pull through.

Years of social work in adoption has enabled Zhang Wen to see the impact of a family on a orphan. The family began adopting their first child in 2002. Today they have four adopted children.

"We adopted our first child in 2002 in the States, and then when we move to Beijing, we took her here and adopted anther three. We want to give them a family, coz, grow up a orphanage you will never know how a family works," Zhang Wen'S husband Kevin Lee said.

The family has two younger daughters of their own. Everyday, the couple sits by the table and helps the kids finish their homework.

With the Children's Hope Foundation, Zhang Wen is working to make sure that such family time is no longer a luxury for orphans in the country.

While the Foundation makes ends meet with donations, many other NGOs aren't so lucky. Zhang Wen calls a fairer allocation of government funding.

"I hope the government could distribute more funding to private facilities so that they can help with child care, " Zhang Wen said.

In a move to empower civil society, the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs is about to streamline procedures for NGOs.

Under the new regulation, NGOs are able to register directly with the ministry, rather than being pre-examined and approved by other regulators.

But given the growing orphan population in China, Zhang Wen says the progress is too little, too late.

"We heard about this changes, some of my colleagues and friends try to register, but it still not as easy as it sounds like. The process should get faster. We hope that the government do not treat us as enemies."Zhang Wen said.

In the crusade to improve children's welfare, Zhang Wen has seen many other people begin to dedicate themselves to the cause.

They hope their love and attention will help the little ones grasp hold of their futures.