Red Cross targets donors in bid to convince public
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Shanghai Daily, October 18, 2011
The Red Cross Society of China is to build a database to liaise with donors, in a bid to restore public confidence after the charity was damaged by allegations during the summer.
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Parents are complaining their children have been ordered by primary and middle schools to buy membership of the Red Cross Society. In this file photo a primary school in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, holds a ceremony to celebrate the World Red Cross Day on May 8, 2011. |
With this new resource the Red Cross Society of China will keep in touch with supporters via letters, emails and phone calls.
Hopefully, this will help to make them loyal, long-term donors, Wang Rupeng, the secretary-general, said in an internal training session, the Oriental Morning Post reported yesterday.
The humanitarian organization will use all media resources to promote its donation hotline in times of natural disaster, making it a new platform for donations, Wang said.
The secretary-general also pledged to draw up regulations to keep the donation process transparent and win back public trust.
The Red Cross unveiled an online system in July that allows people to track donations.
It detailed the amount donated following the 7.1-magnitute earthquake that struck Yushu County in northwest China's Qinghai Province last April and how the money was used.
Donations to Chinese charities dropped nearly 90 percent this summer, compared to the three months before.
Donations from June to August totalled 840 million yuan (US$131 million), compared to 6.26 billion yuan for March to May, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said.
The Red Cross was accused of malpractice and corruption after 20-year-old Guo Meimei claimed to be the general manager of "Red Cross Commerce" and apparently flaunted her wealth and extravagant lifestyle online. The charity denied any ties with Guo, but its lack of transparency made the public skeptical.
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