General
What does OneSky do?
OneSky teaches communities and caregivers to provide nurturing responsive care and early education that unlocks the potential hidden in our world’s most vulnerable young children.
How did OneSky develop its approach to child development?
OneSky’s curriculum and training methods draws from the Reggio Emilia early education philosophy, which focuses on helping each child develop a strong sense of self, love of learning, and individual expression. We also incorporate local educational practices to prepare children for success in community schools.
Why did you change your name from Half the Sky to OneSky?
When Half the Sky was founded in 1998, 95% of the children in Chinese orphanages were girls, so our name — inspired by the adage “Women hold up half the sky” — wonderfully matched our mission. Today, we are a global NGO that teaches communities and caregivers in Asia to provide responsive care and early education to children living in marginalized communities, such as welfare institutions, rural villages, industrial zones and urban slums. Through the OneSky Approach, we create systemic change in the way communities care for their children.
How did you choose the name OneSky?
OneSky for all children reflects what we’ve learned over more than two decades: that the needs of young children are universal and that if we reach at-risk children early enough, we can give them a second chance at a bright future.
OneSky began its work in China. Will you be expanding outside of Asia?
Because we’ve learned over the years that the needs of young children are universal, our programs can be adapted to meet challenges in diverse situations wherever young children live in adversity. Over the past few years, OneSky has expanded its caregiver training programs to Hong Kong, S.A.R., Vietnam and Mongolia. Funding permitting, our long-term goal is to share our life-changing approach throughout the Asia Pacific Region, and eventually beyond.
OneSky’s work in China’s orphanages
Can I specify that my donations to OneSky go to programs in China?
Yes, you can designate that your gifts be made specifically for any country where we currently work.
OneSky’s work in China’s state-run orphanages is designed to help abandoned children — who lose about one month of growth for every three months in institutional care — not only survive but thrive, by training child welfare workers how to provide consistent family-like nurturing care and early education. The OneSky Approach offers a means for improving the care of vulnerable young children from the national policy level down to personalized guidance for addressing the challenges faced by each small child.
What is the status of your work in Chinese orphanages?
We are working just as hard as we always have to ensure that institutionalized children all over China have a loving adult in their daily lives. These efforts include supporting Demonstration Centers and Seed Centers where, through our Chinese sister organization and implementing partner, Chunhui Children, we help smaller orphanages create programs of their own.
How long will you continue your work in Chinese orphanages?
We will continue to work in China alongside our sister organization, Chunhui Children, for as long as we are needed.
Who are Chunhui Children?
OneSky established a Chinese entity, Chunhui Children, in 2012 to deliver its programs on the ground in China. As a domestic, Chinese organization, Chunhui Children has the ability to fundraise in China, which foreign NGOs do not. The establishment of Chunhui, whose CEO sits on the OneSky board, ensures the OneSky curriculum and Approach will be maintained. Chunhui has been recognized by the Chinese government for its effectiveness and transparency and has received prestigious awards as one of the top charity programs in China.
Do you provide medical care for children living in Chinese orphanages?
The government provides medical care for the children through the institutions and local hospitals. Some children who need specialized medical care receive pre and post-treatment nurturing care at our Chinese sister organization’s Chunhui China Care Homes.
How can I support your work at the orphanage where my child once lived?
If OneSky supports a national Demonstration Center at your child’s orphanage, you can target a donation of any size to that orphanage. Simply Contact Us to talk about directing your donation to a specific orphanage. If OneSky does not operate a program in your child’s orphanage, we suggest that you earmark your donation for where it is needed most across our program in China.
We are planning a trip to China—can we visit an orphanage?
We are unable to arrange for visits. Many of our supporters do visit orphanages but they arrange permission for those visits through homeland tour travel agents or by contacting the orphanages themselves to arrange permission.
Can you help me adopt a child from China?
No, OneSky is not an adoption agency, and we have nothing to do with the adoption process.
I am adopting a child from an orphanage where you established programs. Do you have any information about my child?
Once you have returned home with your child, we will be happy to check to see if we have any progress reports/photos on file and, if we do, send you the original Chinese version of the reports. Just download a Progress Report Request Form and send it to us. We are unable to provide any information about a child currently in our program or confirm that a child is enrolled in our program before their adoption is finalized.
Can you connect me with my child’s caregiver?
We do not facilitate communication directly between orphanage staff/caregivers and families. This falls outside of our mission because we focus on training our caregivers to provide care for children still waiting, and this consumes all of their time. However, we are happy to provide this list of mailing addresses for orphanages where we have run programs, should you wish to contact them directly.
OneSky’s work in China’s villages
How does OneSky help children in remote rural villages?
The OneSky Approach in villages offers a scalable, low-cost model for mitigating the damage to China’s “economic orphans,” children left without nurturing care during their most critical early years while their parents work in faraway cities and industrial areas. Our work also actively engages those adults who remain in the villages to help care for the children left behind – a critical step toward healing rural communities that are disintegrating because of the loss of their young workers.
What programs do you run in villages?
We help struggling rural families and disintegrating communities through professionally-led Family Skills Training Sessions and progressive early learning programming at OneSky Community Centers.
Where are the villages?
All of the villages where we work are located in rural central China; for privacy and security reasons, we do not publicize their exact location.
We are planning a trip to China—can we visit a village?
For privacy and security reasons, we are unable to arrange visits to the villages where we work.
OneSky’s work in Hong Kong SAR, China
In Hong Kong, the P.C. Lee OneSky Global Centre for Early Childhood Development serves as a Family Centre and Training Hub benefitting both children and caregivers. OneSky’s team of Family Mentors and Trainers hold playgroups and training sessions aimed at serving the most vulnerable children and their families living in the Sham Shui Po district.
OneSky’s work in Mongolia
OneSky opened its Family Center in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar in 2020. The center serves as a safe play place for local families in the Bayanzurkh district as well as the hub for a parenting training program that will spread via partnerships across the city.
OneSky’s work in Vietnam
How does OneSky help children of factory workers?
To offer a safe and stimulating care alternative for migrant children and bring peace of mind to their hard-working parents, OneSky launched a demonstration Early Learning Center (ELC) in 2017, in Da Nang’s Hoa Khanh Industrial Zone in conjunction with the Da Nang Department of Education and Training. The OneSky ELC offers developmentally appropriate care, creative play and music, and a stimulating environment to promote cognitive, physical, language, and social-emotional development for children between the ages of 6 months and 6 years. OneSky also provides parenting skills workshops and a training program for independent childcare providers.
We are planning a trip to Vietnam—can we visit the Early Learning Center?
For privacy and security reasons, we do not arrange visits to the Early Learning Center.
OneSky’s Independent Childcare Provider Training
Through training-of-trainers, on-site mentoring, and hands-on support, OneSky offers training for independent childcare providers so they can deliver quality care and adopt, implement, and replicate the OneSky Approach on their own. At the invitation of the Vietnamese government, OneSky’s Independent Childcare Provider Training is being introduced to more Vietnamese provinces.
How can I support OneSky’s work?
OneSky welcomes support from donors across the globe. There are a number of ways you can help which includes donating, monthly giving, sponsoring a child, legacy giving, joining a OneSky event or hosting your own fundraising event.
Donations are tax deductible in Hong Kong, Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
If you would like to speak to us directly about giving to OneSky – please email or phone on the numbers below:
United States
1832 Second Street, Suite K
Berkeley, CA 94710
USA
Phone:+1 (510) 525-3377
Fax:+1 (510) 525-3611
Hong Kong
OneSky Foundation Limited
Room B, 11/F, Yam Tze Commercial Building,
23 Thompson Road, Wan Chai,
Hong Kong.
Phone: +852 2520-5266
Fax: +852 2520-5168
P.C. Lee OneSky Global Centre for Early Childhood Development
G/F-2/F Wing Shing Building,
25-35 Castle Peak Road,
Sham Shui Po, Kowloon,
Hong Kong
Phone: +852 3598-9338
Fax: +852 3619-7559
Online Donations
Please visit the donation page on our website to make a donation. You can make a one-time or monthly, recurring gift.
OneSky has legal entities that can receive funds in multiple countries and currencies, and our donation page allows you to choose to give in the following locations: Canada (CAD), Hong Kong (HKD), the United States (USD), and the United Kingdom (GBP). After completing your donation, we will send you a customized receipt which includes information about tax deductibility corresponding to the currency in which you gave. Contact Us for more details on how you can donate from your country.
How can I donate by check?
Donors in the United States can fill out our donation form and mail it back to us with a check made out to OneSky. If you would like us to send you our donation form, please email or call us at 1-510-525-3377.
Can I wire a donation to OneSky?
Donors in the United States and Hong Kong can wire a donation. Please email us or call us in the United States on 1-510-525-3377 for details. Because our banks charge at least USD 30 to convert these donations to USD or HKD, please make sure your gift covers that charge. You will receive a US or HK tax receipt for your donation.
Other ways to give?
Visit the Other Ways to Give page on our website to see the many ways you can help OneSky.
Can I make a donation or set up a sponsorship in honor of a friend or family member?
Yes. Please provide your honoree’s name and email address, and let us know the mailing address where the acknowledgement card and/or sponsorship welcome package should be sent. If you want to receive the card and/or sponsorship package at your home address so that you can deliver the gift in person, just let us know.
Can I send clothing or toys to OneSky for the children?
OneSky does not collect toys or clothing. Our centers are initially well stocked with toys, books and music carefully chosen by our child development experts and when the centers need refurbishing, we work with our local partners to restock them.
Are general donations and sponsorship donations tax deductible?
Donations are tax deductible in Hong Kong, Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Donors living in countries where we cannot provide a tax receipt can make a gift in any currency by sending a check to OneSky’s office in the United States or Hong Kong. See mailing address above.
Because our banks charge at least USD 30 to convert these donations to USD or HKD, we ask that your gift kindly covers this charge. You will receive a US or HK tax receipt for your donation.
Are the products we buy in your online store tax deductible?
Because all proceeds from the sale of merchandise go to support our programs, a portion of their purchase price is tax-deductible in the United States. Please visit our store for specifics. All donors should also, of course, consult with their tax professionals.
Sponsoring a child
How will my sponsorship donation be used?
We strive to create lasting change for OneSky children and their communities by partnering to implement affordable, replicable models that train caregivers – parents, grandparents, nannies, teachers, guardians – to provide the simple loving, responsive care that is essential to a healthy start in life. In order to reach the greatest number of children in the most cost-effective way, your monthly donation is pooled with those of other sponsors and donors to fund our life-changing programs.
How often will I receive reports and updates?
Each year you will receive four updates, two about your sponsored child’s progress and two about OneSky’s overall work in the country where the child lives. We trust these updates will show you the vital impact you are making on children and their communities.
For more Sponsorship FAQ, please click here.
OneSky financials
Are your financials audited independently?
Yes, our financials are audited every year by an independent auditor and are included in our Annual Report. For further information, please visit our Financials Page.
Volunteering for OneSky
Do you have any volunteer opportunities?
You can donate your time and skills in many ways!
1) Sign up to receive our updates.
2) Share our work with friends on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
3) Donate your birthday or other special occasion, or use your talents to bake, sing, dance or anything else you like to do to raise funds for the kids. We recommend launching your fundraiser on Facebook!
4) Have an idea? Reach out to us.
My children want to help OneSky. How can children help?
Your children can start a club at their school or create their own fundraising campaigns to make a difference in the lives of young children. Encourage your children to join other amazing students volunteers by visiting Students for OneSky with them, or you can always get in touch with us at volunteers@aws-test.onesky.org.
I am a high school/college student. How can I help?
Join our inspiring global Students for OneSky network volunteering time and energy to help young children. These incredible students and youth from around the globe closely support OneSky’s work through outreach, fundraising, and forming student-led OneSky clubs across high school and college/university campuses. To get started today, visit Students for OneSky, download our Resource Pack, or get in touch with us at volunteers@aws-test.onesky.org.