The China Children and Teenagers' Fund (CCTF) and New Oriental Education & Technology Group (NOETG) on February 26 initiated the New Oriental Spring Bud Action. The event was intended to promote the Spring Bud Project.
The project, operated by CCTF, under the leadership of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), was implemented in 1989. The project's purpose is to help girl dropouts, in China's poverty-stricken areas, return to school. The program has also been helping China eliminate adult illiteracy while achieving the central government's nine-year compulsory education program.
During the past three decades, organizers have provide financial assistance to 3. 69 million impoverished girls, so they could stay in school. Organizers have also established a combined 1,811 Spring Bud schools (in different regions of the country), which have provided professional training to 527,000 girls. Many of the girls have finished university, and they are doing well at work.
The NOETG during the past five years has donated five million yuan (US $746,269), combined, to CCTF, so the fund could provide more financial support to impoverished girls.
Zhao Wen, Member of the Secretariat of ACWF, said implementation of the project has greatly promoted both gender equality and the education of girls. On behalf of ACWF, she commended NOETG for performing its social responsibility.
A cadre with ACWF told media, in addition to providing financial support to impoverished girls (to help them stay in school), the federation and the fund will organize various activities to help the girls better understand the charm of the traditional Chinese culture, and to promote socialist core values among them.
(Women of China)