ENQUIRE NOW
Huili Voices
Homepage Community Huili Voices

FOH Interview | FOH members in their own words

11 Jan 2021

The role of Friends of Huili is difficult to define as it is much more than the concept of a traditional parent association. It combines the class parent representatives with a core committee of parents who hold defined roles within the team, under three main functions: Events, Charity Initiatives and Cha Hua Hui. These functions are supported by a Treasurer, Secretary General, Vice Chair for Communications and Vice Chair for Parent Representatives. Whilst I, as Head of Early Years hold the somewhat grand title of President, the team are led by a Chair who holds overall responsibility for the team, all of whom operate under the legal guidance of a constitution.

 

Friends of Huili is not designed solely for the benefit of the nursery children; rather, it is for the adults, the parents, the families and the wider community. Nor is it led by the nursery staff.  Friends of Huili runs collaboratively with the nursery team only where necessary. This is something outside of the academic; this is something for you. It is a bringing together of the community in different ways, with different purposes in the hope that it serves the needs of most.

 

——Vanessa Szucs-Hussain
 
 
Friends of Huili (FOH) are the backbone of the Huili Community. These parent volunteers are the driving force behind many of our annual community events and our charitable activities. This important work could not be done without a core team of committed leaders. We caught up with FOH Chair Mr. Eric; Vice Chair Charity Ms. Dora and Mr. Kevin, who oversee FOH's charity work; and Vice Chair Cha Hua Hui Mofley, who organises FOH's Cha Hua Hui. Here they share their perspectives on why they work with FOH, what FOH does for the community and what we can look forward to from FOH in the months to come.  
 
 
 
Growing FOH and building 
the Huili Community

Eric

FOH Chair 

 
 
 
This is my third year as chairman of FOH. All of us started this organisation from scratch. In the past two years, we have grown from a committee of four members into what we are now. We are now 11 members strong!

As the chair, my work is to build the team and look for more members who are interested in working with us. Then we want to expand and refine the team, so we can be of service to the nursery's pupils and parents. We have had a lot of successful events in the past. It has been very gratifying to see this level of commitment from the Huili Community in such challenging times. The increasing membership is something positive, my biggest hope is that more parents will take an interest in participating. Only by doing this with other parents can we build a culture in which our children can thrive.  

 
 
Giving back to the wider community 
through FOH's charity work
 
 

Dora

Vice Chair Charity

 
 
 

I am new to the FOH committee, and when I joined, I immediately took an interest in FOH's charity work because of my experience in doing relief work after the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake. Back then, I was immediately inspired to go to Wenchuan with some friends. We helped rebuild a local primary school located in the mountains. It was a huge challenge. We had to wait a long time to get government approval to get building materials up into the mountains. It took a lot of effort and patience, but in the long run, it was deeply rewarding. When I learned that FOH also does this kind of work, I was very touched. I thought this would be a great opportunity to make a contribution by applying what I learned in Wenchuan. 

Helping the children of the Dahua Yao Autonomous County in Guangxi Province has been such a worthwhile effort to be a part of. Even the tiniest action can help to improve the lives of the children in this underserved region of southeastern China. We have the opportunity to help them build the foundation for success in the future. 

I’m also very happy that I have Kevin as my partner in this effort. His skills complement mine in these efforts. He is logical and experienced in logistics and transportation, while I focus on putting ideas and proposals into effectual practice. So, I am very pleased with our cooperation and glad that I joined FOH.
 
 

Kevin

Vice Chair Charity

 
 
 

Last year, we visited Dahua County for the first time. We went door-to-door to learn more about every local household, like the number of children they have, how many are enrolled or not enrolled in school and whether parents are working or farming at home. After gaining these insights into local conditions, we are confident that we can get our funding into the hands of those who desperately need it.

What impressed me the most about this trip was just how positive and upbeat the children were. They were so eager to learn. I’m really touched by that. Helping the children get a full education will be the biggest reward for me.

This project began before Dora and I joined FOH, and I hope this project and any other charity projects we start continues on as well, regardless of any changes to our membership. Even if your children have moved on and are now studying at Primary, Junior High or High School, donations are still welcome. Dora and I want to make this thing work, and since both of us have children studying in EY2, we have three years to put this into practice. I think we can accomplish this.
 
 

Love knows no distance

Friends of Huili Clothing Drive in Dahua County

 
 

With the help of nearly 300 Huili Nursery families and dozens of volunteers, we collected more than 700kg clothes for the children of Dahua Yao Autonomous County in Guangxi Province.

Our parents were very enthusiastic and generous about this year’s initiative, which began on 9th November. Their donations will clothe children in a range of ages, whether they are babies or teenagers. We collected a variety of items, such as clothes, bedding, shoes, socks, gloves and scarves. Nearly everything we asked for was donated, and we are confident that this was our biggest donation drive to date.

Dahua Yao Autonomous County is 1900km away, a distance easily overcome by love. Last year, our committee members visited Dahua to bring love and good tidings. This year, not even the pandemic could stop this charitable initiative. Together with the local charity organisation Wild Lily Foundation, we again sent much-needed materials to Dahua families just in time for winter. 

In a month, it will be cold in the mountains. It will be soothing to hear that the slippers on the children's feet can be replaced by warm shoes delivered by our volunteers. Wearing warm winter clothes and having toys to play with, these are common joys that every young child deserves. The meaning of our charitable efforts is rooted in every one of our tiny, yet invaluable, deeds.    

 
 
Building the FOH community 
with Cha Hua Hui
 
 

Mofley

Vice Chair Cha Hua Hui

 
 

'Cha Hua Hui' is fairly new to FOH, but the term itself is very old. The younger generation would probably rather use terms like 'brunch' or 'afternoon tea.' The concept is similar. We aim to bring FOH members together to enjoy tea and snacks, engage in an enriching activity and get to know each other better. This ultimately helps us to build a stronger FOH community.  

Cha Hua Hui ranges from informative and intellectually stimulating talks to fun and lifestyle-oriented activities. In the past, we have hosted lectures at the nursery. For instance, I invited a friend who works as a researcher at the Liu Haisu Art Museum to come to talk to us about ancient Roman art history. Another time, we had a famous MC host a discussion on how to teach our children to do public speaking. We even hosted a Starbucks barista who taught us all how to make coffee and select the right coffee beans. 
Recently we are thinking about to branch out and seek other kinds of activities that we would not be able to do in the nursery, like flower arrangement classes, learning how to bake at a cooking school or making leather wallets in a handicraft class. These kinds of activities are a great way for parents to have fun together and get to know each other. Ultimately, they strengthen community bonds. Looking ahead, we plan on doing a Christmas decoration activity and we will also be learning how to make macarons. There is also the possibility for some virtual activities. 
 
 
 
 

2021-22 Academic Year: 

Registration now open!

Attending one of our coffee mornings is a required part of the application process at Huili Nursery Shanghai. We will start hosting coffee mornings in November - as spaces fill up fast, please register early to avoid disappointment.If you are successful in securing a place at a coffee morning, you will receive an invitation from the admissions team with further details. 

 

Invitations to a coffee morning will be issued based upon:

1.The year group that you wish to apply for and the number of seats available

2.Your child having satisfied the eligibility requirements

3.Your understanding and commitment to Huili Nursery as demonstrated in the registration form

4.For year groups in which we have limited spaces, we will give further priority to child with Pudong hukou.

Please note that even if you have previously registered your interest in joining Huili Nursery Shanghai, you will still need to submit a further registration.

You can register your interest in the one of the following ways:

  • Via the openapply website https://hns.openapply.cn/ ; or

  • Scan the QR code below:

     

As you will be asked to upload certain documents, some users find it easier to complete the registration via a computer rather than a mobile phone.Further information about the application process can be found on the admissions pages of our website: 

http://www.huilieducation.cn/shanghai-nursery/en/