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.