On May 14, a ceremony was held for donation by the China-Africa Leadership Development Institute (CALDI) and the School of Continuing Education (SCE) of Tsinghua University to the Ethiopia Smiling Children Feeding Program of the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CPFA). Professor Liu Huiqin, CALDI Executive Director and Party Secretary of the Institute of Education (IOE);  Associate Professor Xie Jieping,  CALDI General Secretary; Associate Professor Guo Zhao, SCE Vice Dean; Zhang Jue,  SCE International Education Center Director; Chen Hongtao, CFPA Standing Deputy Executive Director; Wu Peng, the International Development Department Director; and other relevant people attended the donation ceremony.

From May 9 to June 21, 2020, CALDI and SCE jointly launched the first online training project of "China-Africa E-Classroom". This is the first time in the history of Tsinghua University to introduce training in the vast land of Africa, and build a lifetime education system. The training is open to the senior management of Chinese enterprises engaged in Africa, with the aim of assisting in their deep cultivation of the African market. With the spread and resurgence of COVID-19, African countries face great challenges. CALDI and SCE both decided to donate 50,400 RMB from the training account balance to the Ethiopia Smiling Children Feeding Program to help poor children grow up healthily. In 2019, the program was selected as the "best poverty reduction case study" by seven organizations, including the United Nations and the World Bank.

Ethiopia Smiling Children Feeding Program

Liu Huiqin and Guo Zhao delivered speeches successively. Under the support of UNESCO, CALDI is established in 2018 dedicating for China-Africa education cooperation and culture exchange. It is a window to expand Tsinghua University's international reputation and enhance its influence in Africa. CALDI serves the school's global strategy and strives to promote China-Africa cooperation and the development of China-Africa relations. SCE has raised funds to start poverty alleviation through education since 2003. It has used modern distance technology to provide free high-quality education and training resources for poor areas, and has gained remarkable social benefits. In 2021, SCE won the reward of "National Outstanding Entity for Poverty Alleviation". The amount of this donation is taken from Africa and will be used in Africa. Although the amount is insignificant, we have made modest efforts to support social welfare projects in Africa. It is hoped that in the future, we will strengthen the exchange of aid experience for complementary growth and mutual benefits, enhance joint efforts, turn the exchange gains into work momentum, and strengthen the effectiveness and influence of cooperation in Africa, so as to contribute to the building of a community of shared future between China and Africa.

Chen Hongtao and Wu Peng pointed out that the CPFA has extensively mobilized social support, carried out a number of distinctive and effective brand projects, and made positive contributions to the improvement of people's livelihood in poor areas. The Ethiopia Smile Children Feeding Program was officially implemented in 2015 after field research, providing free breakfast and lunch for poor students in Addis Ababa for six consecutive years through the mother participants mode. By the end of 2020, it had benefitted 66,361 people per year. The resurgence of swarms of locusts coupled with the impact of COVID-19 in 2020 devastated the chances of survival for malnourished children in poor areas. The foundation adjusted the distribution process to ensure the continuation of the project, encouraged poor children to complete their studies and upgrade their lives with knowledge. The foundation appreciated the support from Tsinghua University. In the future, it hopes to integrate various resources, improve the capability of sustainable development, and strive to enhance the influence of public welfare projects.

In the presence of the participants, Chen Hongtao accepted the donation check on behalf of the CPFA and issued the donation certificate to Liu Huiqin and Guo Zhao.

Editor: John Olbrich