Students are to be encouraged to do more charity work with the establishment of five education centers in south China's Shenzhen and Heyuan cities.

They will be managed by five charities, four in Shenzhen and one in Heyuan, which will organize charity activities suitable for students' participation.

The move aims to cultivate students' awareness in doing charity work through their involvement in donating and social aid, according to Liu Runhua, chief of the Shenzhen Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau.

The centers will develop activities based on their strengths. Shenzhen Charity Association will organize charity trips, one-yuan donation activities to help poor students in remote villages.

During summer holidays, Shenzhen Help Center will invite senior high school students to donate books to libraries for runaway children and escort them back to their hometowns. Shenzhen Social Welfare Center will encourage local residents to take orphans and disabled children home for temporary stays and help them with their studies.

Each student's donation will be restricted to no more than 10 yuan, Liu said. In addition, each participant on charity trips will receive 200-yuan subsidy and free transport.

(Shenzhen Daily March 15, 2007)