Donating money to college students with financial problems is usually regarded in Chinese society as an act of charity.

 

The Beijing News says that in the process of helping those students, their self-esteem, as well as their solvency should been taken care of.

 

The paper says everyone has a desire for respect. But some donors simply give money to poor students without showing proper respect to their personal life. Some students who are aided say they feel pressure even when they buy themselves new clothes or eat in a restaurant. Because they are charity beneficiaries, they feel that their life is meant to be poor and tough.

 

The paper suggests another approach to help less-privileged students: offering them part-time jobs. This new approach, the paper says, will enable those students to make money through their own means. In this way, students can solve their financial problems and at the same time live a life of self-respect on campus.

 

(CRI January 17, 2007)