On May 31, 2016, Dr. Wu Zhong, the Direct-General of South South Education Foundation (SSEF), had a deep discussion with Mr. Wang Xingzui, the Vice Chairman of China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA) over the future charity cooperation between the two parties in CFPA Beijing office. Ms. Zhang Jirong, the Director of Department of International Affairs Coordination of SSEF, Ms. Yao Zhen, the Director of Department of Partner Relationship of SSEF, Ms. Zou Zhiqiang, the Director of International Development of CFPA and other related figures also attended the meeting.
Dr. Wu commended that CFPA was the leading non-profit organization in China and it was expanding its work to the international sphere. During the April 2015 Nepal 8.1 magnitude earthquake, CFPA’s disaster relief team from Tibet arrived in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, even earlier than the International Red Cross. Dr. Wu said that the spirit shown should be respected by other non-profit organizations in China.
Ms. Zou explained that the CFPA Nepal office was registered successfully three months later after the earthquake, as it was the 60-year anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relationship between China and Nepal. The office was the first Chinese non-governmental organization’s presence in Nepal. Ms. Zou was also one of the team member in Nepal to help to build a local team.
In March 2016, Mr. Zhang Zhiping, the Executive President of SSEF, attended the Himalayan Consensus Summit 2016 in Kathmandu, during which he visited the Nepal office of CFPA and its two disaster recovery projects. The rare earthquake put the whole country into a catastrophe, which made the world worried and borne empathy on them. SSEF hoped to contribute to the recovery of educational system in Nepal. Therefore, before the Summit, SSEF contacted the CFPA Nepal office to explore the potential cooperation with CPFA such as donating two computer classrooms in CPFA Nepal’s two rebuilding schools.
Ms. Zou expressed that Mr. Zhang’s visit was a great encouragement to CFPA’s work in Nepal and they sincerely hoped that there would be more opportunities to cooperate with SSEF.
“Is there any possibility that we start our cooperative projects by combining those existing ones?” Mr. Wang, the Vice Chairman of CFPA proposed, “For instance, the Smiling Children Program of CFPA will serve those students in Africa with a 5-yuan one-day breakfast and lunch, which can make them stay away from starvation. Maybe we can promote our Smiling Children Program with your Computer Room Project together.”
Dr. Wu from SSEF thought that would be a practical idea, which showed that there was great potential for the two organizations to work together. It could be win-win for both sides to pursue the potential to cooperate on several projects by resource and complimentary advantages sharing.
Background
South South Education Foundation (SSEF), is a non-religious, non-political and non-profit charity foundation approved by the Inland Revenue Department of Hong Kong, founded in May 2014. The SSEF firmly believes that education catalyzes positive change worldwide, and its improvement rests upon our interaction and exchange. In the spirit of which the SSEF is dedicated to promoting education exchange, sponsor talent training, donate education facilities and equipment, and support important researches.
China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA), is a non-governmental organization specializing in poverty alleviation in China founded in March 1989. It was registered under the Ministry of Civil Affairs, led by State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development. Targeting the main causes of poverty, the CFPA devotes itself into the works of improving medical care level, promoting educational equality, improving rural livelihood and providing humanitarian aid. CFPA has built comprehensive, systemic and practical project management mechanism. By the end of 2014, CFPA has raised 13.09 billion yuan and has benefited 20.78million poverty or disaster stricken people, which makes it the largest and most influential non-profit organization specializing in poverty alleviation in China.
“One Laptop One Dream” project is implemented by SSEF, which donates laptops to students of nations of the global South with the hope that they can fully utilize the internet and modern communication technology to better facilitate the realization of their personal goals and to minimize the technology gap between students of developed and developing countries.
