China has achieved great accomplishment in education since 1949, in particular in the recent decade when its government pursues reform and open-door policy. It has a objective to realize nine year compulsory education, and basically eliminate illiteracy among young people by the year of 2000. This is a challenging task to a developing country of large size, great population, which is harried by economic disparity. The country's poverty-stricken areas are in great want of educational fund. Many children at school age are forced out of school for the reason of poverty.

China Youth Development Foundation initiated the Project Hope, a social welfare program, in October 1989 to raise much-needed funds for the improvement of educational condition in China's poor areas and promote youth development in China.

Goal: Its goal is to safeguard the educational rights of children in poor areas. In line with government policy of raising educational funds from a variety of sources, the Project Hope mobilizes Chinese and foreign materials and financial resources to help bring dropouts back to school, to improve educational facilities and to promote primary education in China's poverty-stricken areas.

Achievements: The Project has been well received at home and abroad--donations have been received from institutions as well as tens of millions of individuals from all walks of life and different age groups. By the end of 1996, the Project had provided 1.55 million school dropouts the opportunity to return to school, sponsored the construction of 3,634 Hope Primary Schools, and given to Hope Special Scholarship to 5,426 high school and college students.

China Project Hope Homepage

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cydf@moon.bjnet.edu.cn