As the Chinese New Year celebrations wind down, OCEF would like to thank you again for your continued support, and extend our best wishes for a happy and prosperous Year of Ram, Goat, Sheep, or whatever it turns out to be!
Are you getting overwhelmed by the “red envelopes” you have received? Are you thinking about doing something meaningful with the extra cash in your pocket? Here is an idea: how about donating it to those kids who cannot afford school? It would be a great use of your “windfall” to buy books or build a library for school kids. Please visit OCEF.org to donate to a variety of OCEF projects!
Starting last year, the traditional “red envelope” has undergone a digital transformation with the introduction of WeChat Red Envelopes. For many people, this past Spring Festival was colored by the jolliness and excitement brought by the “fight” for these cyber goodies. But do you know there is a way to donate your WeChat Red Envelopes directly to OCEF to support rural education in China? Please “like” the OCEF official account on WeChat to get the QR code for direct donation.
As of February 27, 1,692 donations have been made to OCEF through WeChat Red Envelopes, totaling RMB 61,763.38. We want to thank everybody involved for their generosity!
《金色台阶丛书》义卖/Charity Sale of the “Golden Stair” Series
The “Golden Stair” series consist of a set of books tailored for overseas Chinese children learning the Chinese language. The purpose of the publication is to provide progressive reading materials to the children, so they will build vocabulary while having fun reading, just like how they learn English. Your purchase of the series will also benefit the school aid programs of OCEF. Tian Li, the editor-in-chief, will donate all proceeds from the charity sale to OCEF. So far the charity sale of the series and the associated exercise books has raised nearly $4,500 for OCEF, and the event is still ongoing!
OCEF图书项目微信公众号/WeChat Account for OCEF Book Program
Finally, the Book Program of OCEF has an official WeChat account! Please scan the QR code on the right, or search for “OCEF_Book” to follow this account, which will offer weekly updates on the book program. You will hear from teachers on the frontline regarding their reflections on promoting good reading habits You will also hear from the kids on their craving for great books and how reading has impacted their life. We hope every kid would have more and better books to go with their journey.
Located in a remote, mountainous corner of Zhijin County, Guizhou Province, Zhongshan Elementary School is a non-government-sponsored school run by local families. The principal of the school started it more than a decade ago, initially for his own children. Today, with a student body of 400, Zhongshan has earned the best reputation among all schools in the region despite its shabby facilities. Over the years, OCEF has helped the school with desks and chairs, financial aid to teachers, building renovation, and a new library. In 2013, OCEF provided the school with RMB 35,300 for playground improvement.
Wanghu Middle School is located in Wanghu Village on the northwestern edge of Guangling County, Shanxi Province, the most impoverished among all villages in the county. Poor harvest is the norm for this area of harsh environment, where tree branches typically grow sideways due to persistent and severe winds. The temperature in winter sometimes dips to 20-30°C below zero. Even inside the classrooms it tends to be barely above 10°C, as the school is short on funds for heating fuel. In December 2013, OCEF spent RMB 54,488 to purchase 464 winter jackets, along with hats, scarves, and groves, for the students and teachers.
Zhiyu Elementary School is also in Guangling County, Shanxi Province. In August 2010， 13 rooms at the school were renovated. There are currently 37 students and 9 faculty/staff members at Zhiyu. The teachers are known to be highly qualitied and dedicated professionals, and their work has been outstanding. In 2013, OCEF provided funding to rebuild a 42-meter section of the school’s perimeter wall that was dilapidated and in danger of collapsing, posing an immediate danger. In the meantime, an interior partition wall was also constructed. The total cost of the project was RMB 26,000.
第17期（2015年2月）/No. 17 (February 2015) 组稿：杨敏、卓韵宝 英译：何雪炀、许汉卿 编校：汤柏、张晶 Compiled by Catherine Yang and Zhuo Yunbao Translated by He Xueyang and Xu Hanqing Edited by Tang Bai and Zhang Jing
