Shenzhen residents have registered in
a campaign to help about 150 children from poverty-stricken
families complete their education.
A campaign hotline opened Thursday to
accept donations for 100 children from Heyuan City. Shenzhen
residents filled the quota in two days, and some of them already
paid 2,200 yuan (US$266), the amount needed for a child’s primary
school education.
Organizers extended the 8209-5000
hotline’s service until Sunday noon welcoming donations for more
children from all over Guangdong. Shenzhen’s association of
volunteers said about 50 disadvantaged children found help during
the extension period.
The donations were given on a
one-to-one basis.
The 100 Heyuan children will come to
Shenzhen for three days of events starting Oct. 31. They will meet
donors at activities organized by several charity foundations, a
real estate developer, the Shenzhen Special Zone Daily and
Shenzhen Evening News. The real estate company made
donations to cover tuition for 10 Heyuan children.
A man surnamed Li, unable to leave
work, had his mother choose a Heyuan girl as a beneficiary. Li had
wanted to help a child in last year’s initial campaign but had
acted too late. Doctors and nurses of the Longgang Center Hospital
donated for all 20 children from Heping County, Heyuan.
Among the donors were also teachers,
students, managers, self-employed people and soldiers.
During last year’s initial campaign,
organizers increased the number of children from 100 to 143 after
Shenzhen residents rushed to give donations.
Heyuan, a relatively underdeveloped
city in northeastern Guangdong, was designated as the city to
receive help from Shenzhen as part of the province’s efforts to
lift cash-strapped areas out of poverty.
(Shenzhen Daily October 25, 2004)