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Across China: Underprivileged children benefit from pilot welfare scheme

Xinhua, January 16, 2015 Adjust font size:

Dafang county, in the underdeveloped southwest province of Guizhou, has improved the quality of life of its underprivileged children after the Ministry of Civil Affairs chose it to pilot a new child welfare system.

LIVING HAND TO MOUTH

Wang Yingran, 9, lives with his father in Dafang. After a serious accident in 2007, his father, Wang Xinglun, was left disabled and unable to work. His wife could not bear living in such abject poverty and left.

"I could barely take care of myself," said Wang Xinglun.

However, the boy and his father's lives were turned around when the pilot poverty project scheme was tested in their county in 2012.

"We now receive money from the civil affairs office every month. Life is much better than before," the fourth grade student said.

The project helps underprivileged children who are not classed as orphans.

According to Zhang Guide, head of local civil affairs bureau, Wang Yingran is among 1,500 underprivileged children in the county. They are mostly from single parent families and some are disabled or are living with HIV/AIDS.

"We have been exploring a new welfare system to help children like Wang Yingran, to get their lives on the right track," Zhang said.

MORE THAN MONEY

The local government allocated 7 million yuan (1.12 million U.S. dollars) to the project in 2012, meaning each qualifying child receives 400 yuan a month.

All townships and villages collated information on underprivileged children in their wards and forwarded these files to the children's welfare institution.

In addition, local-level officials pay routine visits to children who live in conditions below the national average level for health, water, sanitation, nutrition and education.

According to the Enhancing Underprivileged Children Development Plan (2014-2020), which was approved by the central government in Nov. 2014, 40 million children are below the national average for development in health and education .

The plan aims to improve development for underprivileged children in 680 counties by providing benefits such as prenatal care and affordable education.

"We will make every penny count and give all our all when it comes to helping children," said Zhang Han, head of Dafang county. Endi