A donations ceremony for charity projects organized by the Consular Spouses Shanghai (CSS) and Shanghai Women's Federation (SWF) was held last Wednesday, with donations of more than 500,000 yuan ($76,538) received that will go toward helping impoverished women and children across China.

The donations came from funds raised from a charity bazaar and auction on March 12 under the theme "Charity Begins At Home - My Home Is Your Home." Unique home items donated by CSS member countries and tourism packages were sold and auctioned at the bazaar.

This year, 192,000 yuan will be donated to The Library Project to build eight libraries in Anhui and Yunnan provinces. The Library Project is dedicated to improving children's literacy by donating books and libraries as well as providing training to teachers in rural primary schools and orphanages in China, Vietnam and Cambodia.

Chunhui Children, a Beijing-registered charitable organization working with government-run social welfare institutions to provide love and care for institutionalized orphans in China, will receive 200,000 yuan in donations.

Another 40,000 yuan will be donated to Sunshine Sisters for a project in Shanghai's Chongming county to help and support 60 women in need. The project, which was launched at the donations ceremony, aims at teaching women hand-weaving skills and helping them through charity sales so as to increase their living standards.

CSS will also donate 6,000 yuan worth of books and toys to Tongji Hospital's Leukemia Ward for Children in time for International Children's Day.

Three thousand yuan in donations will be given to 6-year-old migrant orphan Lu Wenjing in Songjiang district. Lu, a prodigious painter who lives an impoverished life, donated her artwork for auction at the fundraising event in March. "It is CSS' hope that this money is used to set up a fund to assist Lu," said Busi Thage, president of CSS, at the donations ceremony.

Representatives from CSS, SWF, Shanghai Children's Foundation and Chongming Women's Federation visited the Sunshine Sisters in Chongming county before the ceremony.

Thage said CSS is very grateful for the generous support of their sponsors, partners and volunteers and expects to see even more community involvement in the future. "It is our hope that this will encourage other companies to step up and lend a helping hand," she said.

Global Times

Ilse Naves-Scheidel, a CSS board member signs on a board to signal the launch of the Sunshine Sisters project.

 

CSS President Busi Thage (right) shakes hands with Vice Chairman of Shanghai Children's Foundation Meng Yankun.

 

Thage makes a speech at the donations ceremony.

 

A video clip about one of the charity organizations is displayed at the ceremony.

 

A donations check is presented by Thage to the representative of Chunhui Children. Photos: Yang Hui/GT

 
Newspaper headline: Helping at home