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
|
|
|