The Year of the Ox is upon us, and we wish you and your family a happy and healthy lunar New Year!
2020 had probably been a particularly challenging year in everyone’s memory. Looking back, however, it was still full of memorable moments. After all the turbulence, we are very happy to report that OCEF has turned it into another great year on all fronts.
In the past year, OCEF gave financial aid to 5,519 students in elementary, middle and high schools in 14 provinces, donated 16,913 books to help rural schools build libraries, and provided classroom equipment and dormitory improvements to 15 schools that amounted to more than $950,000. Moreover, 288 sponsored high schoolers got admitted to colleges and are on their way to a better life, which accounts for over 60% of the graduating class. We had to cancel summer camps and delayed Internet classroom projects due to the global pandemic; still, 71 volunteer teachers taught 480 classes over the Internet, covering a variety of subjects such as English, Biology, Arts, Music, and Composition and benefited more than 1,500 students. Particularly worth mentioning is that 51 volunteers in the Correspondence Group wrote 537 letters to the sponsored students, letting them know that they are not alone and there are people who care about them.
Meanwhile, OCEF fundraising achieved a new record in 2020 with a total revenue of more than $1.19 million. On organizational management, we have further improved internal regulations and processes, making our work more institutionalized, more transparent and more professional.
2020 was not an easy year to navigate, and what we have achieved would not have been possible without the enthusiasm and selfless support from each and every donor. Thanks to everyone’s love and dedication, OCEF was able to provide some improvement, some opportunities and some hope to the students in poverty. We hope that great things will keep coming in 2021, whether expected or unexpected, and that we will continue to march on hand in hand on this journey!
We truly appreciate your help! Please take care of yourself and your family during this extraordinary time, and best wishes to all of our donors for the Year of the Ox!
Letters of Appreciation from Sponsored Students to Donors
From Xiao Bao, December 21, 2020:
Hello!
I am a student under your sponsorship. How time flies—I have gone from elementary school to college seemingly in no time. With your sponsorship, I have completed my studies in high school and set my foot on a college campus. I really appreciated your help in making my college dream come true!
Throughout elementary, middle and high schools, I was always supported by OCEF. Every penny from OCEF was spent on my education to expand my vision and improve my academic performance. All my efforts finally paid off; I was admitted to Inner Mongolia Medical University as a marketing major, and now I get to see the world outside of my village.
Since I have always been appreciative of your help, I am always looking for ways to help others. The first thing I did after getting to college was to join the Red Cross organization on campus and the student union in my university, so that I can do my best to help others and pass on the love that was given to me.
OCEF is a wonderful foundation that enabled kids like me to continue with their studies, to avoid having to drop out of school and to see the outside world. I would really like to become part of it, help others and pay back your kindness to me.
Christmas is coming; I wish you a Merry Christmas and hope you and your family are doing well!
From Xiao Dong, December 18, 2020
Hello!
I came from Gansu Province and I am a student who benefitted from your donations. I am a friendly person, enjoy making friends and am very appreciative of what I have received.
I got to know about OCEF during the second half of 7th grade and received my first financial aid at that time, too. By now I have been supported by OCEF for nine semesters. Most of the funds I received were spent on books and tools for study; I have wasted nothing and dare not waste anything.
I received a letter from an OCEF volunteer in 7th grade and since then I have written back four letters. It warms my heart to do so.
Currently I am enrolled in the Material Science and Engineering School at Dalian University of Technology. I receive financial aid from the school now and hold a part-time tutoring job; I am trying to be self-sufficient.
Dear Mr. Benefactor, thank you for your sponsorship over the years! It helped me greatly in getting much needed school supplies and books, so that I would not fall behind for not being able to afford the books I needed. Moreover, it made me realize that there are good-hearted people in the society, like you, who care for me. Besides warming my heart, you gave me inspiration to study hard. I hope I will become someone like you—someone to help others and be a valuable member of the society.
