Poverty Alleviation by China Women's Development Foundation

　　【Overview】 In 2010, according to the overall arrangements of the central government on poverty alleviation and development, to meet the needs of women masses, targeting at the women in western impoverished regions, China Women's Development Foundation (CWDF) continued to implement the projects of Water Cellar for Mothers, Health Express for Mothers, Small-amount Loans for Mothers, Mother’s Love Eyesight Restoration and Poverty Alleviation Project and Disaster Relief Project and put in more than 77.1 million Yuan of relief funds to directly benefit more than 500,000 women.

　　Since the implementation of the project of Water Cellar for Mothers in 2000, China Women's Development Foundation invested 600 million Yuan to 24 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, mainly those in western regions, and built 125,000 water cellars and over 1,400 small water supply projects, which solved the drinking water problem of 1.7 million people. CWDF has developed the "1+N" model for the project construction: Focusing on the construction of Water Cellar for Mothers, build one fruit and vegetable base, one sanitary toilet, one batch of poultry and livestock, one biogas digester or solar cooker and one landscaped garden for the masses in impoverished areas, which played an important role in improving the production and living conditions of the masses in project area and boosting local economic and social development.

　　In 2010, targeting at the project provinces and autonomous regions, Guangxi, Yunnan and Guizhou, which suffered from severe droughts in 2009, and 12 western provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) as well as three minority autonomous prefectures enjoying western policy, CWDF continued the "1+N" model for implementation of the project of Water Cellar for Mothers, invested 16 million Yuan to benefit nearly 40,000 people. It completed the construction of 28 small concentrated water supply projects and 2,184 rainwater collection cellars and, with support of the Ministry of Agriculture, built 12,095 biogas digesters for the project area of Water Cellar for Mothers in 40 villages of 22 counties in 6 provinces.

　　【Water Cellar for Mothers, Safe Drinking Water Project】 With support of the Ministry of Water Resources, the project of "Water Cellar for Mothers" has been included in the state’s development plan for water conservancy. In 2010, CWDF cooperated with the Ministry of Water Resources to carry out the "Water Cellar for Mothers, Safe Drinking Water" pilot programs and identified six provinces as the first batch of pilot areas, namely Gansu Province, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Sichuan, Yunnan and Shaanxi. Three counties were selected from each pilot province (autonomous region) and one project village was identified in each pilot county. In 2010, the Ministry of Water Resources invested 23.4 million Yuan of project funds to construct 1316 water cellars and 36 small water supply projects, which solved the drinking water problem and drinking water safety of 46,000 people. Meanwhile, it carried out health care education and trainings on nearly 100,000 people.

　　【Water • Women • Health and Development Training】Through cooperation with Starbucks, CWDF invested $ 300,000 of training funds, benefiting more than 28,000 people, organized six-month trainings respectively in 14 project villages of 7 counties in Chongqing, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, held four CWDF cadre trainings for 230 people and 26 women backbone trainings for 1,790 people, training and influence 19,000 ordinary women and people, and held 129 trainings of women representatives and backbone for 5,885 people. Meanwhile, it edited and printed 20,000 copies of training materials and more than 30,000 copies of other types of water, sanitation and health-related promotional materials; issued 50 promotional DVDs of "Water • Women • Health and Development Project"; held 12 prize quiz, posted 100 propaganda posters; produced five feature programs and had them shown for 65 times, and held 32 health knowledge promotion, consulting, medical consultation activities combined with various kinds of activities for Health Awareness Day.

　　【Watermark Project】 From 2009 to 2010, to give play to the ITT’s advantages in water purification and water treatment, CWDF cooperated with ITT to jointly launch the Watermark Project to solve the safety drinking water problem of primary and secondary school students in rural poor areas and provide water purification facilities and build  harmless sanitary latrines and safe hand-washing facilities for them, and carried out health education and health promotion activities in the schools. So far, $ 200,000 has been issued to implement the project in 8 schools of Hebei and Yunnan, which benefited more than 3,000 teachers and students. Three of the schools were equipped with mobile solar water purifiers and the other five schools were equipped with boiler-type water heating equipment and thermos. It also provided the poor with 3,400 space cups and distributed 5,000 copies of propaganda materials.

　　【Health Express for Mothers】 Since the implementation of “Health Express for Mothers” in 2003, starting with improving project construction foundation, CWDF has continued to strengthen project management and deepen the project’s connotation, and especially done a great deal of positive and effective work in breast cancer and cervical cancer screening for rural women, postnatal care, maternal and child health care, eugenics advocating, etc, which played an active role in improving the health status of women and children. As of the end of 2010, CWDF has donated 1077  "Mother Health Express" vehicles to over 1,000 hospitals in 27 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, including Shaanxi, Gansu, Tibet Autonomous Region, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, etc, and provided a series of health care services in various forms. According to incomplete statistics, the project has benefited more than 26 million people, including 7.16 million people receiving free health care and consulting service and over 260,000 patients in distress.

　　In 2010, CWDF invested 19.2 million Yuan for the project of "Mother Health Express" and donated 134 medical vehicles to 15 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) including Shanxi, Henan, Chongqing, Shaanxi, etc. Meanwhile, it carried out the following activities:

1. Free "postpartum checkup within 42 days of delivery" for poor mothers and infants. To timely discover potential diseases of postpartum women and reduce the impact of illness on postpartum women and infants and enhance women's self-awareness of health protection, supported by Chiaus (China) Daily Necessities Co., Ltd, in 2010, CWDF launched the pilot projects in 20 primary hospitals in Xuancheng, Bengbu, Anqing, Hefei, Suzhou and Liu’an of Anhui Province.

2. First-aid equipment for obstetrics and gynecology departments of the hospitals in poverty-stricken counties. In 2010, with the support of Amway (China) Co., Ltd, CWDF provided medical first aid kits worth 5 million Yuan for the obstetrics and gynecology departments of the hospitals in 600 poor counties in the county.

3. Training of obstetrics and gynecology services in poor areas. To improve the reproductive health of couples of childbearing age, CWDF organized a number of business trainings for primary obstetricians. First, China Medical Women's Association invited domestic well-known female obstetrics and gynecology specialists to hold obstetrician and gynecologist trainings for primary hospitals of Guizhou Province, Shaanxi Province, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and other provinces from May to October 2010; Secondly, CWDF launched in Beijing on June 27, 2010 the seven-day "2010 National Senior Workshop on Practical Skills in Obstetrics and Gynecology & Senior Workshop on Practical Skills of Directors of Obstetrics and Gynecology Departments". Well-known experts in obstetrics and gynecology exchanges ideas with nearly 200 directors of obstetrics and gynecology departments of primary hospitals nationwide on new technologies and new ideas for obstetrics and gynecology and the diagnosis and treatment of incurable diseases and infertility. Thirdly, it organized trainings and free clinics in Sichuan for the project of "Mother Health Express". The event was launched on July 22, 2010 and last for one and a half month, covering a distance of a few thousand kilometers. The project trained over 1,000 primary health care workers, held four free medical advice activities, dispatched 85 medical personnel to provide free medical consultation services for nearly 2,000 people, gave on-site instructions on treatment of difficult illnesses for three times and issued more than 1,000 drugs to the masses, arousing a strong reaction of local cadres and the masses. Fourthly, From June 26 to 30, 2010, CWDF implemented in Qujing City of Yunnan Province the "Hand in Hand Health Protection Project" and invited well-known gynecologists from Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Navy General Hospital and Shanghai Huashan Hospital to provide free medical examination service for 6,120 18-65-year-old married women in 72 villages (communities) of 18 towns (sub-districts) in Qilin District, Zhanyi County, Luliang County and Huize County of Quqing City in Yunnan Province with domestic leading cervical cancer screening technology - new PATS TCT testing anti-cancer detection technique, conduct the detection of HPV infection and give lectures on cervical cancer lesion. Meanwhile, it organized professional technical trainings for 120 grass-roots medical service persons, which standardized the cervical cancer diagnosis and treatment of primary medical staff.

　　【Revolving loans for mothers】 In order to explore specific initiatives for a large number of poor women to get tangible benefits for a long time, in 2003, CWDF launched the project of “Revolving Loans for Mothers” for urban and rural women. As of the end of 2010, it had invested 120 million Yuan of revolving loans to benefit more than 300,000 women.

　　In 2010, CWDF invested 18 million Yuan of funds for the project of “Revolving Loans for Mothers”, which benefited 125,000 people. It also summarized and innovated the project construction and, based on the former unified management mode, launched the new-type project management model of “training + loans + sales service + professional assessment”, providing a new guarantee for urban and rural women to earn more income and become rich. In 2010, it mainly implemented the following projects:

1. Hong Kong Return Poverty Relief Fund Project: The project was implemented in 342 counties of ten provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) including Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, etc, which benefited 3,505 households and 13,814 people and strived for local government matching funds of 7.01 million Yuan.

2. Director Poverty Relief Project: The project was implemented in Zhang County of Gansu Province, Chengde City of Hebei Province and Pinggu District of Beijing City and supported 282 poor women to plant peach and raise Rex rabbits, which benefited a total of 1,078 people.

3. Dejia Poverty Relief Project: CWDF continued to construct the project in Hebei and Henan Province and supported 941 households and 2,638 people to engage in production of cloth sticker, planting of fresh corn and pollution-free mushroom, mulberry sericulture, etc. 

4. Xiashun Aluminum Foil Charity Fund: The project was launched in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Guizhou Province and Fujian Province and supported 1,200 households to develop embroidery, planting and breeding programs, benefiting more than 5,000 people.

5. KHIMCO Poverty Alleviation Project: It was mainly constructed in Chongqing, supported 200 households and 650 people to raise rabbits and signed 200 rabbit recovery orders, involving 200,000 rabbits.

6. Rich Peasants Fund: The project was constructed in Fuling District, Dazu County, Chengkou County, Yunyang County and Pengshui County of Chongqing City, Xilinhot City of Xilin Guole League in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Horqin District of Tongliao City, Zhalainuoer District of Manzhouli, Huating County of Pingliang City in Gansu Province and Linyi City of Shandong Province, which lifted 3,645 households and 18,192 people out of poverty.

7. Live in Harmony Fund: This project was implemented for 123 rural households in Wenchuan County and Beichuan Jiang Autonomous County of Sichuan Province to develop aquaculture, farming, handicraft, farm tourism and rabbit breeding, and to support the restoration and reconstruction of retail business in Youping Town.

8. Urban women's entrepreneurship project. It is composed of Mary Kay Business Start-up Fund for Women, Sichuan Mary Kay Training for Women's Entrepreneurship and Employment, P & G Revolving Loans for Mothers and Single Poor Mothers. A total of 6.818 million Yuan was invested in 2010 for this program to support 276 people to develop production projects and organize production skills trainings for 83,600 people.

　　【Mother’s Love Eyesight Restoration and Poverty Alleviation Project】In order to address the difficult problem for medical treatment of cataracts of the women in impoverished areas, with support of Asian Foundation For The Prevention of Blindness, CWDF launched the “Mother’s Love Eyesight Restoration and Poverty Alleviation Project” in October 2005. Over the past six years, the project has donated six eyesight restoration vehicles worth 9 million Yuan and cured 32,000 patients to benefit 192,000 people in Guizhou Province, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, etc. In 2010, it cured 12,000 female cataract patients to benefit 72,000 people. The construction of the “Mother’s Love Eyesight Restoration and Poverty Alleviation Project” has brought the gospel for female cataract patients in impoverished regions, especially minorities areas.

　　【Post-disaster reconstruction】 CWDF continued to organize the implementation of post-disaster reconstruction projects in Wenchuan and actively participated in combating Yushu Earthquake in Qinghai Province and Zhouqu debris flow disaster in Gansu Province and the post-disaster reconstruction. In 2010, CWDF invested a total of 20.55 million Yuan in kind and cash for disaster relief and post-disaster reconstruction.

1. Implement the "housing project for mothers" to reconstruct homes for the mothers in disaster-hit areas. Based on the support for post-disaster reconstruction in Wenchuan of Sichuan Province in 2008 and 2009 after the earthquake, CWDF allocated the $ 1.959 million ((equivalent to approximately RMB 13.3 million Yuan) donated by Avon Foundation to construct the "New Home • New Life --- Avon Housing Project for Mothers" and rebuilt homes for 1,282 affected women and their families in Sichuan, Gansu and Shaanxi to help them rebuild confidence in life. It subsidized the establishment of 12 "Women’s Safe Homes", which were all equipped with television sets, computers, cameras, telephone sets, furniture, teaching materials, fitness and entertainment equipment, etc, and purchased 12,393 books for them. CWDF organized women to learn science, technique, laws and policies, organized villagers to watch women and children programs and agricultural programs, and held 97 trainings on agricultural technology, aquaculture technology, women's right protection, women's reproductive health care, life rituals and labor skills, which benefited a total of 9,000 people. The project implementation solved the housing problem of poor and single mothers and provided positive and effective assistance for women's production and daily life after the disaster.

　　In 2010, 220,000 Yuan of project funds was issued to rescue 100 children in disaster-hit areas of Jiange County in Guangyuan City of Sichuan Province.

2. Actively participate in combating Yushu Earthquake of Qinghai Province and Zhouqu debris flow disaster in Gansu Province and the post-disaster reconstruction. CWDF raised 7.0341 million Yuan (2.9165 million Yuan was issued in cash and 4.0876 million Yuan in kind) to support the disaster relief and post-disaster reconstruction of Yushu in Qinghai Province. Meanwhile, according to the standards for plateau, it purchased six "mother health express" vehicles worth 1.2 million Yuan to replace the medical vehicles damaged in the earthquake and provided relief funds of 500,000 Yuan for Zhouqu County of Gansu Province, which was hit by debris flow disasters.