A new definition of Chinese philanthropy

From an early age we are taught in China to serve people, to do charity work and do good. I think this was the trigger for me to become involved in charitable works. But in a new era, we need a new interpretation of what charity means.

In 2003, I worked to raise money to pay for protective clothing for people working with SARS victims. This was the first time that I appreciated the multiplying effect of working together to create something bigger.

When I became involved in the campaign to stop shark fin consumption in 2006, I was given a deep insight into the profound difference such a programme can make in changing attitudes. Within three years, I was encouraged and inspired that the consumption of shark fins in China had fallen by 50%.

After the shark fin campaign, I worked to help protect rhinos and elephants in Africa. There is huge demand in China for ivory and rhino products and it is so important to encourage people to consider the consequences of this. Someone may receive a beautifully carved ivory gift and yet not associate this with the brutal killing of an elephant 20,000 kilometres away. We all need to stop and think about this. It is so important to understand the effects of our actions and to communicate them.

I believe public figures can lead by example. That is why in 2008 I established the Yao Foundation. The target initially was to build schools (we built 18) and help in poor areas following the earthquake in that year. But later, we decided to move more from “hardware” to “software” – from desktops and books to sports. Our efforts went into hiring volunteers and training them in basketball so they could be sent to schools to teach the sport. In the first year of the project we went into 47 schools; three years later 157 schools are part of the programme.

The biggest challenge for us now is that we need more freedom to develop philanthropic sports programmes. In China, there are very tight regulations that say only 10% of funds can be used for administration costs and 90% must be spent directly on the programme. The original idea behind this was good, but the fact is that one size does not fit all. We need more space, more flexibility along with more transparency and public trust in philanthropic efforts.

In China, I would like to see a greater role for sport within education. Along with the competitive aspect, sport can bring a great deal to young people in schools – training and physical exercise to make the body stronger, but also respect for your fellow competitor and an understanding of the importance of transparency in rules and regulations.

All these lessons will help to create a decent society for the future.

Yao Ming, Professional Basketball Player (2002-2011), NBA Entertainment, People’s Republic of China.