Wu Kanfen, an elderly woman living in Deqing county's Fuxi subdistrict in east China's Zhejiang province, was recently visited by volunteers who provided her with free healthcare services and daily necessities including rice, cooking oil and fruit. 

The volunteers were organized by Happiness Fuxi Foundation, a public charity set up by companies in the subdistrict four years ago.

According to Luo Shuyang, executive director of the foundation, since these companies are based on the support of residents, they wanted to show their gratitude and give something back to the community.

The foundation has been well-received by the public, attracting donations from institutions and individuals, and raising a total of 11 million yuan, Luo said.

He explained that the foundation is committed to improving people's well-being and honoring residents for their work ethics, family virtues and personal integrity.

To encourage and show respect for the donors, any company, institution or individual contributing more than 500,000 yuan can name a fund for a specific purpose, he added.

Happiness Fuxi Foundation is not the only organization launched by the non-governmental sector to participate in social governance in Deqing. With support from the local authorities, citizens in the county have created several dozen charitable foundations and "grassroots awards" to uphold mutual assistance, develop stronger virtues, and help boost social harmony.

In 2011, five retired teachers aged over 80 created the "Young Students Progress Award" to support high-performing students from families in financial difficulty. Over the past decade, the award has benefited 179 students across the county, some of whom have since been admitted to the country's top universities.

Shen Xiaowei, executive director of the Deqing Retired Teachers Association, said most of the 1,800 retired teachers in the county have contributed to the award. 

Besides offering financial aid, the former teachers also keep in close contact with the students, offering them advice and helping them solve problems in their day-to-day lives, Shen said.

Chang Jian, director of the Center for Human Rights Studies at Nankai University, explained that now China has basically achieved the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, people's quality of life has been guaranteed to a certain level.

Chang said that this has laid a solid foundation for enabling every person to enjoy self-development and serve society, and ensures that everyone has the same opportunities to live a rewarding life.

Much progress has been made in this regard and Deqing is a prime example, he added.

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