China's Hope Project Goes to Africa

BEIJING, June 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- Chinese Private Entrepreneurs to Fund 1,000 Hope Primary Schools in Africa

- First 30 Schools Launched in Five African Countries

On June 2-6, 2011, the "Chinese Entrepreneurs' Charity Trip to Africa" delegation consisting of more than 30 private entrepreneurs from China, led by Dr. Junqing Lu, chairman of the China-Africa Hope Project and chairman of the World Eminence Chinese Business Association, launched the China-Africa Hope Project in Kenya, Burundi and Rwanda respectively. Construction of the hope primary schools funded by Chinese companies including Tianjiu Scholar-Merchants Group, Insight Holdings Group, Mingda Yihang Group, Fametal Mining, Winnerway, Timeshine, Qunli Coal and Cyber Real Estate officially kicked off. Kenya's president Mwai Kibaki, Burundi's president Pierre Nkurunziza and Rwanda's prime minister Bernard Makuza delivered passionate speeches at the events, met with the delegation members, as well as expressed their warm welcome to and spoke highly of the project. Kenya's vice president Kalonzo Musyoka and his wife, Burundi's vice president Therence Sinunguruza and Rwanda's education minister met with and treated the delegation respectively.

According to Xingyu Lu, executive chairman and secretary general of the China-Africa Hope Project, "in order to help drop-out children in Africa get back to school, the World Eminence Chinese Business Association and the China Youth Development Foundation officially launched the China-Africa Hope Project on December 18, 2010, in a move to bring China's Hope Project to Africa and make donations for the construction of 1,000 hope primary schools in Africa, especially the least developed countries." Ablet Abdureshit, vice chairman of CPPCC and president of the Chinese-African People's Friendship Association, serves as chairman of the project.

The first batch of hope primary schools were confirmed to be settled in Tanzania on March 8, 2011.

According to Junqing Lu, head of the "Chinese Entrepreneurs' Charity Trip to Africa" delegation, "China-Africa Hope Project is an international charity project of the Chinese private entrepreneurs. The country's many private entrepreneurs are very passionate about the projects, actively donating their money. Up to date, they have donated nearly RMB300 million, including RMB100 million donated by Tianjiu Scholar-Merchants Group and RMB100 million donated by Insight Holdings Group. We hope to raise RMB2 billion needed to establish 1,000 hope primary schools within 10 years."