generosity of a great number of people in all social circles who are willing to contribute to improving elementary education in their country's poverty-stricken areas. When news of Project Hope reached abroad, Chinese compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan and overseas Chinese donated money for the same purpose, as did some foreign enterprises and international organizations. By the end of 1999, Project Hope had received more than 1.8 billion yuan in overseas donations, which had been used to help build 7,812 Project Hope primary schools and help close to 2.3 million school dropouts resume studies.
       Also in 1989, the All-China Women's Federation launched Project Spring Bud which, by establishing a special fund, tries to provide free elementary education to girls in poverty-stricken areas, including helping girls who have stopped or suspended studies to resume attending school. Project Spring Bud has been executed by China Children's Foundation. By the end of 2000, Project Spring Bud had received a cumulative total of over 300 million yuan in donations. The money has been used to set up Spring Bud girls' classes in 29 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government, benefiting 1.05 million girls.
       In August 2000, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Propaganda of P.R.C., the Central Civilization Office organized and executed the "Education aiding project of western development" aiming to cultivate talent for western districts. Since the year of 2000, 1100 extremely difficult undergraduates from 12 western provinces (cities, districts) are chosen who are outstanding in study and ethics and are enrolled by key colleges or universities in the current year annually. Each student will be given 20,000 Yuan financial aid to help them finish the study. Their tuition fee is also decreased half during the study period.