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PURPOSE Philanthrop y in China An Interview with Yue-Sai Kan Training at the Safety for Mother and Baby program What makes philanthropy so important to money to buy ambulances and build small you? clinics where doctors could be there to help It started when I was young. There are with deliveries of babies. Eventually, through a many ways of participating in philanthropy. foundation, we built thousands of those clinics In my father and mother’s generation, philan- around the country. thropy was never organized. I remember we set the price of a ticket Philanthropy is a huge business in America, at $2,500. At that time, it was diffi cult to sell a but with the old Chinese, the most important dinner for $100 a seat. People thought it was a thing about philanthropy is that the family joke. But through our efforts, they quickly got takes care of itself. This is their defi nition of used to the notion. At the last fundraising event philanthropy. I did in Shanghai, I was selling tickets for $5,000 Under Communism, the government is a seat. That is the difference between 10 years supposed to take care of everything. They give ago and today. people tickets to buy their meat, rice, and oil, We also chose to make the fi nal competi- and a home to stay in. That is what the state tion of the Miss Universe China Pageant a char- is supposed to do. So the government used to ity event. Besides choosing Miss China, we also be embarrassed to see people raise money for raised money for charity. The fi rst year we did disaster relief or other causes. Some people it, we made about $1.5 million and donated it to were admonished for doing that. Then things a charity called Smile Train. We have helped a began to change. The Open Door Policy ini- lot of children around China get operations for tiated in the late 1970s brought about tre- cleft palate for free. mendous changes economically and socially. I also sponsor and support the Tara, the Yue-Sai Kan (second from right) visiting Tara, a reseach vessel Chinese people began to accumulate wealth big boat that goes around the world measur- and started to support philanthropic causes. The ing changes in the ocean. It will go to China EDITORS’ NOTE Chinese-American Yue-Sai Kan new wealth allows the Chinese to now think of and measure the ocean, and the earth under the (yuesaikan.com) is an Emmy-winning television other people. In the old days, they would only ocean, to ascertain their condition. When the producer, best-selling author, entrepreneur and think about leaving money for their children. It’s boat returns, we will mobilize 5,000 students humanitarian. Her Looking East television series no longer like this. The government’s attitude to go to understand the environmental impact. was the fi rst nationally-syndicated program to also changed. Today, for example, the Chinese Philanthropy in China has grown and peo- introduce Asian cultures to American audiences. government gives an award to outstanding ple are receptive to philanthropy and actively Following her success in the United States, China’s philanthropists. doing it. national network, China Central Television, invited In my particular case, I remember the Do you put metrics around your phil- her to produce and host One World, giving mil- first philanthropic endeavor I had in China anthropic work as you do with your busi- lions of Chinese their fi rst look of the outside world. was in 1985 in partnership with the Chinese ness activities? In 1992, she successfully transformed herself from Women’s Federation because I had a cosmet- It’s much harder to do this with philan- a TV personality to an entrepreneur by creating ics company at that time, and they asked me thropy, but I do try to concentrate my efforts. the Yue Sai Cosmetics brand, which is recognized for support. Instead of sitting on one of the bigger boards, by over 90 percent of the Chinese population today. I donated $1.5 million to the United I decided that since I’m Chinese and the China She has written nine best-selling books, spreading Nations’ fi rst women’s conference in Beijing. Institute had been around for 92 years, I should the knowledge of beauty, etiquette, health and To give that kind of money away was very put my efforts into this organization to help it success among Chinese readers. Her humanitar- new – in the U.S. sense, it is probably not a survive. I could do some good for other orga- ian efforts have primarily been focused on edu- lot, but in those days in China, it was a lot of nizations, but I can have the most impact for cation and children. She has built schools and money. I was very proud to support an inter- China Institute. It’s a wonderful organization libraries in her hometown of Guangxi and other national gathering of leaders to discuss women that advances a deeper understanding of China underprivileged regions throughout China. She related issues. It was also the fi rst world class through programs in education, culture, art and awarded scholarships to students in a number of event China hosted successfully, then the business. colleges in China as well as Hunter College and the Beijing Olympics followed, and then the We recently moved from a small townhouse Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. Since World Expo. on the Upper East Side to Downtown Manhattan 2018, she has served as the Co-Chair of China Subsequently, I started doing philanthropy so we have a much bigger space for our pro- Institute in America. She also sits on the boards in rural areas in China where the mortality rate grams. We are in the middle of a capital cam- of the Ellis Island Honors Society, Committee of of children was so high. Mothers had no access paign to raise enough money to build out the two 100, and Prince Albert of Monaco’s Philanthropy to modern facilities to give birth. We called it fl oors we have – very exciting and challenging. Roundtable. Yue-Sai Kan is the fi rst and only living the Safety for Mother and Baby program. We I want to do this to help China Institute American featured on a Chinese postage stamp. decided to do the fi rst charity event to raise grow and then I will think about other things.• 24 LEADERS POSTED WITH PERMISSION. COPYRIGHT © 2019 LEADERS MAGAZINE, INC. VOLUME 42, NUMBER 2.