In the process of making nine-year compulsory education universal, many warm-hearted personages and social bodies donated money generously to help children in poverty-stricken areas and areas inhabited by ethnic minorities attend school. The most influential are Project Hope and Project Spring Bud.
       In late October 1989, China Youth Development Foundation announced the launch of Project Hope, which aims to pool social donations to help develop elementary education in poverty-stricken areas. Through establishing scholarships, Project Hope helps, on a long-term basis, pupils in poverty-stricken areas who have left school because of family financial difficulties to resume study. Project Hope also builds and repairs school buildings and buys instruments, stationery and books for poor townships. Project Hope has conducted such activities as "Actions of One Million Loving Hearts" and "1 + 1 Aid for School Attendance Action" (one family helps one school-age kid in a poverty-stricken area to finish school). Many donors have established contacts with beneficiary pupils and directly get to know their study and living conditions. This has not only increased the transparency of Project Hope but is a way of subjecting itself to social supervision.
       In November 1989, Project Hope received its first donation of 20 yuan -- a pupil in the city of Tianjin donated her pocket money for kids of her own age in poor areas. Since then, Project Hope has touched the