The Beijing Donation Center for Project Hope opened
in March 1994 and aims to help needy students and improve
school conditions in poor regions. They have received over 108
million yuan (US$13 million) in cash and nearly 36 million yuan in
kind over 10 years. Over 120 million of this has been spent so
far.
Chen Shuhui, director of the center, said, "By the
end of last year, we had built 206 Hope primary schools, donated
321 educational movies, used one-to-one donation measures to help
46,658 needy youth, assisted 1,971 needy college students, helped
12,374 needy children, and planted over 1300 hectares of trees
through the Mother River Protection Operation. In addition, we
organized flood relief fundraising in 1998 and anti-SARS activities
in 2003."
The Student Sunshine Project and Hope Star Project
use one-to-one donation measures. "Donators not only know when
their donations are received by poor students, but also detailed
information about beneficiaries," said Chen. "Other projects are
under the strict supervision of donators and media and are carried
out according to Project Hope Management Regulation."
According to Chen, the center has established a
series of strict management and supervision systems. It is the
first charity organization to employ certified public accountants
to manage accounts and release audit results every year.
Tens of thousands of individuals and companies
donated to Project Hope through the center over the last decade,
putting a lot of trust in it in the process.
Shiseido Liyuan Cosmetics Co. is a joint-venture
enterprise. It has built two Hope primary schools since 2000. Shan
Wei, the department manager, said, "In 2000, our company donated
150,000 yuan to the center to build a Hope primary school in Inner
Mongolia. In the process of building the school, staff of the
center regularly reported back on the project's development. After
the school was built, our company was very satisfied."
Shan trusts the center entirely after this
experience, and donated another 200,000 yuan for another school
last year. The company now intends to donate a Hope school through
the center every two years.
Tie Qun is an employee of American International
Assurance's Beijing branch. Since 1997, she began to donate cash to
Project Hope whenever something good happened to her, such as
getting a raise or a promotion, receiving a bonus at the end of a
year, etc. She is very confident in Project Hope, "It gives me a
receipt for my donations, and children who benefit always keep in
touch with me."
(China.org.cn by Wang Sining, November 19,
2004)