** Project Hope
Project Hope. I believe most of you may have heard of it many times. For those who don�t know what it is, I�ll say, �Project hope is China�s future.� Before I left China, people were talking about children, especially those in impoverished areas, dropping out of school and working at an early age to help their family. Among them, were many talented students who cried out, �I want to go back to school!� To help these children, in 1989, The China Youth Development Foundation initiated Project Hope. Project Hope functions as a bridge between children in need of help and individuals and organizations that can provide assistance. Is this program meaningful?
To find out an answer to that, a news reporter went to the countryside where he met a 9-years old boy who was a shepherd. He asked the boy, �Why don�t you go to school?� �I need to shepherd so I can sell sheep for money.� �What is your money for?� �To get married.� �Why do you want to get married?� �To have children.� �Children?� The reporter was surprised. �So what will your child do when he grow up?� �Hum�� The boy didn�t know what to say. He probably didn�t have a TV, not even a radio. He had dropped out from school. So he had no idea what opportunities a school education would provide for him. The only thing that he knew was shepherding. He thought and thought. Finally, he said, � My children will be shepherds like me.� Mr. toastmaster, fellow toastmasters, and welcome guests, all of us talk about democracy and development. But I say to you, �Let�s talk about education first.� With education, democracy and development follow. Our children need to learn much more than shepherding!
The Chinese government has instituted a nine-year compulsory education program. Every child needs to go through six years of elementary school and three years of middle school. Elementary schools and middle schools are free. However, many children are forced to drop out of school because they cannot afford books, paper or pencils.
Through Project Hope, organizations, companies, and individuals have sponsored the construction of elementary schools. But, did you know that you can also sponsor a child�s education? Write a letter to Project Hope and tell them about your preferences such as the child�s age, gender, area and family condition. They will find a child that matches your preferences. Your donation will go directly to that child�s school. You�ll receive a certificate of appreciation as well as the child�s report card every semester. That way you know how well the child is doing. Furthermore, the child will write a letter to you describing his studies, his family and his everyday life. You can even visit the child if you want to. Since 1989, many children have benefited from this program. Many of them have finished elementary school and gone through middle school and high school. Some of them have even gone to college. Fellow toastmasters, for those of you who have children, I am sure you want to provide them the best future you can. These children in China deserve a secure future as well, and they are not asking much. $11.00 dollars, is enough for a child to finish one year of elementary school. With $65.00 a child can finish elementary school and go to middle school.
Education can open their eyes, strengthen their wings. These children are China�s hope. Tomorrow, they will be leading our country and assuring a prominent future for China!
So, let�s take a moment to learn about Project Hope. Please visit their homepage on the Internet, find out their address and write a letter to them. If $65.00 can assure a child a better future so that instead of just saying, �I�ll be a shepherd", he has a world of opportunities before him, then that $65.00 is well spent.