World famous electrical and electronics company Siemens launched its I-Green Education Campaign in Beijing Anmin migrant children's school on March 18. With the 18th World Water Day scheduled to be observed on March 22, the theme of the project is to protect water resources.

The project is sponsored by the leading Chinese financial newspaper 21st Century Economic Report and began last September, when it focused on four migrant children's schools in Beijing and Wuhan. This year, it is being extended to Guangzhou and Shanghai. Hundreds of Siemens volunteers have participated in various activities with pupils. It aims at making migrant children aware of environment protection and helping them adjust to urban life.

"We are happy to see the project firmly rooted in China, now, " said Siemens (China) Senior Vice President Wu Yongxin at the launch ceremony. "We have been working hard to contribute to sustainable development in China. It's not just for the good of our environment-friendly business. I think, more importantly, we can live in a healthier and better world with society's care for the environment, especially the next generation."

Students perform at the launch ceremony. [China.org.cn]

Anmin School was founded in 2003 as one of the earliest authorized schools for migrant workers' children and roughly 300 students are taught here. It's located on Hepingli street downtown Beijing. As with most migrant children schools, it faces limited funds and lacks of environment-friendly equipment. Siemens and its subsidiary company Osram have donated electricity-saving lamps and other electrical appliances. At the same time, volunteers are helping the school develop a small garden, rearrange its library, hang posters introducing water-related knowledge along the corridor and teach the students about environment protection by playing games. Moreover, the volunteers will give lectures every week for about three to four months.

The school principal Li Bingying said: "It's a very important project to educate migrant children about the environment and water saving at the moment. We expect our students to bring this idea to more migrant workers and solve the water crisis in China together."

Now, the water resource crisis is a global problem needing urgent solution. The lack of drinkable water and water pollution are two major challenges. According to statistics, more than 200 million people cannot get safe water to drink in various parts of China.

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