In the 1990s, China experienced one of worst man-made blood disasters in the history of the AIDS epidemic.  Through various for-profit blood collection schemes, people in rural areas were encouraged to sell their blood in ways that were not only unsafe, but effectively spread HIV and AIDS to thousands of villagers.  Today, China is still largely dealing with this man-made disaster where victims and their families of the blood disaster have largely been ignored.  But while their pleas for justice, compensation and care have fallen on death ears, they continue to seek some kind of redress.

In March 2012, Asia Catalyst, a NY-based NGO, and Korekata AIDS Law Center, a Beijing-based NGO, released a report on the current status of of the problem and recommendations on how should move forward.  China’s Blood Disaster: The Way to Move Forward actually received

To discuss the report as well as China’s nascent civil society, lead by groups like Korekata AIDS Law Center, China Law & Policy sat down with Asia Catalyst‘s founder and executive director, Sara L.M. Davis, a.k.a. Meg.  Meg founded Asia Catalyst five years ago as an organization dedicated to teaching and assisting Asia non-profits with the best practices that are necessary to successfully run a grassroots organization.  The work might not be sexy, but it is necessary if Chinese civil society is ever to get off the ground.

Asia Catalyst founder & executive director, Meg Davis

Click here to listen to the interview with Asia Catalyst founder & executive director, Meg Davis
Length: 19 minutes (audio will open in another browser)

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