CSR Snapshot: Syniverse Visits Orphanage to Help Children in Beijing

Synergy’s CSR Snapshot features some of the most recent corporate social responsibility activities that Syniverse has participated in to help make a positive impact on the communities where we live and work.

What was the activity?
On Oct. 27, 14 employees from Syniverse’s Beijing and Xi’an offices visited Sunvillage orphanage in Beijing to donate goods and spend time with children.

What organization did the activity support?
After researching several charities in our area, our Employee Association selected Sunvillage because we were impressed with its unique mission of giving a home to children whose parents are in prison, and with its distinguished reputation throughout China.  The children of convicts can have a difficult time finding a home, guardian, or way of providing for themselves, and they can often be led to a life of crime to be able to survive. Sunvillage takes in these disadvantaged children and provides them a home, food, education and parental guidance up to the age of 18. Currently, the orphanage cares for over 60 children from ages 6 to 16.

How many Syniverse employees participated?
A total of 14 employees from both our Beijing and Xi’an offices took part. The visit was organized by our Employee Association, a group responsible for leading charitable and extracurricular activities in communities where Syniverse offices are located. Each year, many Syniverse Employee Associations around the world identify charitable organizations in their local areas, and then get the input of the office’s employees to select a few charities that the office would like to support.

What did the Syniverse team do?
We took a tour of the orphanage, distributed a number of supplies, played with the children, and held a special birthday party for them. Our supplies included a lot of books and winter clothes for the children as well as a bunch of snacks, cakes, and candies that we served at the party. Most of the more than 200 employees at our Beijing and Xi’an offices pitched in to make our large donation of goods possible.

What was the single most rewarding part of this activity?
I was reminded that personally volunteering your service to a charity can be so much more powerful and gratifying than just making a monetary donation. Our team’s visit helped bring joy to and provide important emotional support for children who have the misfortune of having a parent in prison. I also feel fortunate I was able to be a part of this visit, because many of our colleagues who wanted to come in person couldn’t because of work and family responsibilities. The response, however, by everyone in our offices in donating goods to the orphanage was truly inspiring. Many colleagues donated new goods as well as lightly used goods from their own children. Their enthusiastic support showed an amazing spirit of giving and team spirit that cried out, “We are Syniverse!”

Our visit to Sunvillage is one way we’re trying to give back to our community in Greater China. Syniverse has been a part of this community for more than a decade now, with an organization over 200 people strong and growing. With large teams in Beijing, Xi’an and Hong Kong, we look forward to many more events where we can help those less fortunate. As one part of this effort, our visit to Sunvillage gave us the opportunity to brighten the lives of some special children that we will never forget!