In China, compulsory education ends at the ninth grade. Those who wish to attend high school or beyond often have to cover their tuition out-of-pocket. Unfortunately, not everyone has the financial means to pay for continued education.

In 1995, a group of foreigners decided it was time to make a difference in the lives of Shanghai's underprivileged students. They founded Shanghai Sunrise, a charity which offers high school, university and college scholarships to poor and working-class students in the city.

At that time, most large charities in the city were concerned with aiding youngsters in remote rural areas. Few organizations focused on high school or university students in big cities like Shanghai. In fact, during the mid-1990s Shanghai Sunrise was the only nongovernmental group in the city devoted to helping students in Shanghai with their tuition fees, according to executive director Dinah Chong Watkins.

Of course, Shanghai Sunrise stands out from its peers in other ways. As Watkins explained, the group does not use donations to fund its operations. Instead, 100 percent of the sponsorship money it receives goes directly to students.

"Many charity groups take 20 percent of the donations and use it in their operation. We do not do that," said Watkins.

Still, like any large group, Shanghai Sunrise has costs that need to be covered, including salaries for full-time staff members and fees for student programs. To raise money for these expenses, the group has gotten creative. According to members of the group, making and selling craft items is one way Shanghai Sunrise pays for its operating costs.

After careful research, volunteers are now turning their hands to making decorative wine glass markers - items which merrymakers can use to identify their drinks at a party or get-together. Several students sponsored by the organization have also joined the group's craft days, turning metal rings and beads into sets of hand-crafted markers.

"We will make a Chinese zodiac series, an airport abbreviation series and a Chinese traditional art series. Before this, we also sold mugs and holiday cards to raise funds, but the wine glass markers are our new products," Li Yongjia, an administrator at Shanghai Sunrise told the Global Times.

The markers are sold in sets of six, with prices running from 80 yuan ($13) to 100 yuan per set.

To sell their handiwork, Shanghai Sunrise targets local bazaars and fairs frequented by expats. It is the job of Claudia Mems-Hillgaertner to see that the group is able to set up stands at all of these events.

"I organize all the bazaars and I am in contact with all the big expat associations in Shanghai. Before Christmas, all the international schools will host Christmas bazaars, and we have a table to sell our products there. They do not charge us for setting a table with products, because we are a charity group," she explained.

The funds generated from product sales pay for events such as Shanghai Sunrise's English Corner program, which gives local students a chance to practice their English with foreigners. Craft sales proceeds are also used to organize career days, where experts hold workshops on topics such as how to write a resume, how to prepare for a job interview and how to dress professionally. The group also organizes periodic lunches where sponsors and students can meet face to face.

Many wonder what criteria Shanghai Sunrise uses to determine which students qualify for sponsorship. According to Watkins, the group weighs three general factors. Firstly, students must pass all subjects at school. Secondly, students' family circumstances are also taken into consideration - here Watkins noted that about 60 percent of sponsored students come from single-parent households. Thirdly, the group also looks at the financial circumstances of prospective scholarship recipients.

As the group's website explains, twice a year its field visit director, along with a team of volunteers, visit local district civil affairs officers who recommend students in need of financial support. The volunteers go to the students' schools to review their academic records and visit their homes to get a sense of their living conditions. They also ensure the incomes of the students' families are in line with those stated in their sponsorship application materials.

After this process is completed, Shanghai Sunrise members gather all of their applications and decide which students to sponsor.

Sponsored high school students who are accepted into university are required to undergo a reassessment by Shanghai Sunrise if they wish to receive further support for their higher education.

Shanghai Sunrise sponsors about 500 students every year. Over its history, the group has provided over 9,400 scholarships to needy local students. Right now, approximately half of its staff members and volunteers are expats. Those interested in getting involved with the group can do so by becoming a sponsor, making a general donation or becoming a volunteer. For more information, visit the group's website: http://www.shanghaisunrise.com.

Students and volunteers of Shanghai Sunrise make wine glass markers.

Photo: Yang Lan/GT

 

Wine glass markers made by volunteers and students of Shanghai Sunrise

Photo: Yang Lan/GT

 

A sponsor and students at a pairing ceremony

Photo: Courtesy of Shanghai Sunrise