PCD Strides into the New Year with a New Director

Ms Christine Chau (left) has retired from her post of PCD Director
and Ms Sherman Tang is now the successor.

For nearly 15 years since its establishment in May 2002, PCD has been working with communities in mainland China in exploring ways of sustainable living. Ms Christine Chau served as PCD’s Director for 14 years between 2002 and 2016. Thanks to Christine’s leadership and her skills in team building, PCD staff have always worked closely as a team.

In spring 2017, PCD is closing its offices in various provinces in mainland China and replacing them with a representative office. Christine decided to retire while PCD was changing its structure and she was succeeded by Ms Sherman Tang as the PCD’s new Director starting from January 1, 2017. Before assuming her present position, Sherman worked as Programme Coordinator in PCD for 14 years.

Sherman has been working on poverty alleviation and community development since 1989 and has travelled around mainland China, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. She joined PCD in 2002 and has been mainly involved in programmes on urban sustainable living, Community Supported Agriculture and youth development, accumulating lots of experience in organising and management.

Ms Sherman Tang

The New Year is a time for renewal and growth. PCD shall adhere to its mission and continue its journey with partners and like-minded travellers after the reorganisation of its internal structure. Below is Christine’s farewell message for PCD and our partners.

Dear colleagues and partners,

PCD begun to undergo restructuring due to external and internal changes over a year ago. Building on our connections with local communities, PCD will move towards developing more partners and platforms with whom we can work together with ecological conservation of rural and urban areas, conservation of biodiversity, low-carbon living in urban areas and the building of educational networks. In accordance with PCD’s new management structure, our programme offices at the provincial level were consolidated into a representative office. In the process of change, we were faced with challenges as well as opportunities. As I recollect, there were many occasions when the entire PCD team was present and engaged in heated discussions. They reminded me of the time when PCD started 15 years before. It shows that we have not diverged from our original intention—to work with local communities to realise sustainable living by restoring the connection between ourselves and Nature.

As PCD transitions to a new structure, I think it is the right time for me to hand over my post as Director to my successor. Like many colleagues who are getting ready for their “honourable transformation”, I have had all sorts of feeling due to the structural changes of PCD. There were moments of tranquil and firm conviction as well as moments of sadness. I also had the feeling of such relief when we found the right response to these changes. It is only because of my love and concern for this organisation that I may have felt reluctant for change but, it is only when one is willing to allow change to happen that new possibilities can reveal a valuable calling and life.

Like all of you, I will go on to pursue my dreams. Every stage of life brings different insights. Two decades ago when I began to work in mainland China, my dream was simply “to bring changes to alleviate poverty of the communities in need”. Now my dream is more multifaceted. After working with PCD for so many years, I realise that the change that I look for should not only be a reform of the social system. Instead it is a process which through self-discipline, self-practice, and caring for as well as connecting with nature that both ourselves and nature can be healed. I hope that the nourishment that Nature provides us and the positive energy that our love of community grants us will continue to support all of us and all our partner organisations as we embark on the journey ahead.

I believe that there is an invisible thread that connected us in the past and that will continue to connect us now and in the future in our common quest for a sustainable life. No matter where we are, whether we are working with PCD as it enters a new phase of development or starting a new chapter in our own lives, we share each other’s burdens and warmth.

The future is bright, free and hopeful! Let us set out again with joy.

My blessings to Sherman, PCD and all of you.

I feel grateful that we shared the journey. Take care, goodbye!

Ms Christine Chau

Yours sincerely,
Christine
30 December, 2016

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