Students as volunteers

For the sixth year, Samsung Group has partnered with the Beijing Western Sunshine Rural Development Foundation to sponsor university students working in impoverished communities of western China.

This summer's 113 student volunteers, divided into 12 teams, departed from Beijing in mid-July to work in Sichuan, Guizhou, Gansu and Shaanxi provinces and in Ninxiang Hui autonomous region.

For the next month, the volunteers will participate in education, healthcare, legal, social and economic development initiatives.

The "Samsung-Western Sunshine Action" program began in 2004, and has since involved the participation of more than 1,000 students.

The program began in Beijing, but has since spread nationwide.

Participating students have helped villagers establish local clubs and associations serving the elderly. The students also have worked at small healthcare clinics.

The Samsung-Western Sunshine Action program is important to the corporate social responsibility (CSR) platform of Samsung, said Koh Yangjin, executive vice-president of Samsung China.

"We regard university students as a tremendous asset to Chinese society," Koh said.

"We appreciate their volunteer spirit and are willing to support their efforts," Koh said, adding that the initiative also will aid China's underdeveloped western regions.

Samsung has a long history of helping the country's underdeveloped cities and provinces since entering the Chinese market.

Samsung has provided scholarships to low-income college students and also helped with the construction of Hope Primary Schools in the country's western regions.

"We believe that if we do charity well in a community where we are living, then our brand is enhanced and so is our reputation, which will benefit our business here," Koh said.

(China Daily 07/27/2009 page10)