China launches aid scheme for college students

09/02/2002
Xinhua

China launched the New Great Wall Project on September 1, an aid scheme for Chinese college students in need.

The China Foundation of Poverty Alleviation (CFPA) has received 2.8 million yuan (US$340,000) and extended financial aid to more than 300 needy students. Official statistics show that by the end of 2001, China had 13 million college students and about 2.6 million are badly in need of financial help.

According to Kang Xiaoguang, deputy secretary of CFPA, the project would help students to set up organizations in their schools, which would provide opportunities to help others and enabled them to build up confidence.

The name of the project, New Great Wall, meant that knowledge, love and talent would build a new Great Wall for China, he noted, adding that knowledge could change a nation's as well as a person's fate.

To ensure the funds are used properly, the project has stipulated that the student should write to their donor at least twice a year, Kang explained. The donor should remit the money to the CFPA via banks and the CFPA would publish all the information on its website (www.fupin.org.cn) and offer an annual report at the end of each year.

So far, the project has only been applied to Beijing. Next year, central and western China would be included, Kang said.