On January 14, 2013, the Friendly Community Project for Rural Children was launched in Jieyoucao Village, Dengta Township, Dongyuan County, Heyuan City of Guangdong Province. The project was jointly initiated by Guangdong Women's Federation and Amway Charity Foundation (ACF). ACF announced that it will contribute RMB 2 million to establish Friendly Communities for Rural Children to benefit left-behind children in partnership with Guangdong Women's Federation. The project is expected to cover about 100,000 children in 26 villages/communities in six cities including Heyuan, Yunfu, Meizhou, Maoming, Jieyang and Chaozhou.
Eva Cheng (left), Honorary Chair of ACF and Wen Lanzi (right), Chair of Guangdong Women’s Federation unveil the plaque of a Friendly Community for Rural Children
The Friendly Community Project for Rural Children is oriented toward serving left-behind children aged 2-12 and their families. Children's centers will be set up in eligible villages, with help from local women's federations and experts. The centers will be managed by administrators and volunteers recruited by respective villages. Social workers and Amway volunteers will tutor children and provide other assistance during holidays. The centers will also pool social resources to host lectures and parent-child activities, so as to create a safe, healthy and cozy growth environment for left-behind children.
A children's center consists of a Young Children's Zone (for children aged 2-6), a Children's Zone (for children aged 7-12) and a Guardian Zone (for guardians of young children). The Young Children's Zone is equipped with toys, video disks and baby cushions for young children. The Children's Zone has computers with Internet access, telephones, children's picture books lined up on book shelves, desks and foldable stools, where children can read, surf the Internet and call their parents after school. The Guardian Zone lies right next to the Young Children's Zone. With TVs, DVD players, educational disks and chairs for adults, the zone is a self-learning center for guardians. In addition, a children's centers also has outdoor area with recreational and fitness facilities such as wooden horses, swings and seesaws.
At the launch ceremony, representatives of ACF volunteers from the six cities announced the establishment of a Friendly Community for Rural Children Volunteer Team. Volunteers will periodically serve in the communities and organize lectures and entertainment activities for children and their parents so as to create a healthy and cozy growth environment. Guided by experts, volunteers will conduct site visits and follow up with the development of children in the 26 villages. After completing some stages of the project three years later, a research report on Guangdong's rural children will be drafted and submitted to relevant government department, which will serve as a reference for policy making by the government.
ACF volunteers play with children
When talking about the project purpose, ACF Honorary Chair Eva Cheng said, "Left-behind children is the most vulnerable group because their parents are not around and do not have enough time to take care and educate the children. The vulnerabilities include learning and psychological problems resulting from poor family education as well as safety hazards resulting from inadequate care. Currently, there are about 1 million left-behind children in Guangdong. The Friendly Community Project for Rural Children jointly launched by ACF and Guangdong Women's Federation aims to tackle this social issue through community-based mutual help. "
Wen Lanzi, Chair of Guangdong Women's Federation, said, "Left-behind children not only need care from the government but also the society." She said that the Friendly Community Project for Rural Children will provide activity centers for left-behind children and their guardians to learn and communicate happily. "Here they will feel warm and rewarded," she said.
On the same day, leaders of Guangdong Women's Federation and ACF issued letters of appointment to ACF volunteers from the six cities who will serve in the project's volunteer team.
