Three Visits to the Jiujiang Social Welfare Institute by Adopting Families

This orphanage was visited by a group traveling to adopt in November 1995 and they did get to take photos and video. It was about a two hour drive from Nanchang. The outside appearance was nice, apparently had been built by American evangelists. Inside was quite plain with cement walls and floors and no heat. There were about 30 lavender colored cribs in one room with two babies in each. They were covered by about seven quilts. Along one wall were about five walker-type chairs Babies about 8-12 months old were placed in these wooden chairs, had on the pants with split bottoms, and had a potty bowl underneath their seat. A home for the elderly was next door but it was uncertain if there was any contact between the two. According to one new mom: "I do believe they are doing the best they can with what they have, even though the conditions may not meet our standards. When you consider the poverty of the country as a whole--the orphanage was a mansion."  (DO, 11/95)

We just got home from China last week with our beautiful daughter from the Juijiang orphanage.  There were 14 babies in our group; 11 came from Nanchang Orphanage and 3 came from Juijiang.  It's my slightly biased view that the three from Juijiang were the healthiest and best cared for.  Our agency representative, who lives in Nanchang and has visited both orphanages, thinks that Juijiang is one of the best orphanages in the area.  It is relatively small and has a much better ratio of caregivers to babies (about 1:7) than the other orphanages.  By comparison she estimated that Nanchang probably had a ratio of 1:20.  Our three babies from Juijiang were all bathed and dressed up in little pink dresses when they were delivered to us.  The orphanage director and the caregivers who came with her seemed genuinely knowledgeable about, and fond of, each baby.  I feel really blessed. (DG 10/97)

When we visited in May of 1997 there was quite a bit on new construction on sites bordering the orphanage. The grounds were well tended and very clean.  The windows of the institute were tinted blue probably to keep the inside cool. We visited just after lunch time and the babies all looked content and clean. The cots were supplied with bright clean quilts and even the cots that were not needed were made up nicely awaiting their precious cargo. The babies that were in exercise chairs had a few hand toys that they clutched and waved happily. If a baby cried or urinated one of the nannies hurried over immediately to clean or comfort as needed. The walls were bare but clean and the floor was plain concrete.  Between the two rooms where the babies slept, with a very large opening into each room, was that room where two nannies slept at night. This area was also neat and clean. The bathing area for the babies was a very basic room with a large concrete sink. This type of bathing area is very common in Asia. The nannies that we met were very appreciative of the babies visiting one final time before we took them home and each child was kissed and petted repeatedly by the nanny that had taken special care of the baby. All in all the Jiujiang Social Welfare Institute seemed to be a well run caring place. (LB)

Please e-mail me at webmaster@gurrad.com if you have any questions.