Tencent Holdings builds rural schools

Dujie, an 8-year-old Tibetan boy, was happily playing with his peers recently on the grounds of a primary school in Shangri-La in southwestern China's Yunnan province.

Just three months ago, most of his classmates were older than him at another school in the mountainous region.

At that school, only one teacher presided over 23 students at six different grade levels.

Sitting in the same classroom, the older students were learning in the front rows, while the younger students in the back rows studied their lessons.

Today, Dujie -- who had studied only Chinese, mathematics and music at his old school -- is also studying computers and taking physical training classes.

Thanks to a charity project led by Tencent Holdings, more children like Dujie will benefit from better schools.

Tencent Holdings, operator of the largest instant messaging platform in China, will donate 20 million yuan during the next five years to Shangri-La for education and environmental protection initiatives.

Tencent Holdings CEO Chen Yidan, who is also director-general of the Tencent Charity Fund, said the city is home to a rich culture via its 26 ethnic minorities and also striking for its natural scenery.

"However, as a less developed region, Shangri-la also faces the conflicts between economic development and ecological protection," Chen said.

"And that's why we would like to be here. Through our efforts, we hope to achieve a balance by enhancing education from the start," he said.

In the mountainous areas of Yunnan province, it is common to have only one or two teachers for one school teaching all levels of students.

The Tencent Charity Fund will build a complete primary school with sufficient lodging for students to allow them to learn at their own level.

Yang Chenyi, a teacher with 18 years of experience, used to be the only teacher for 12 years at one school. The new schools will improve the quality of education, Yang said.

At Dujie's new school, there are now 14 teachers for 181 students.

The Tencent Charity Fund will add another two buildings and a lodging house.

"To better maintain traditional culture, we would like to add more ethnic-related courses such as ethnic songs, arts and crafts at the school," Chen said.

The Fund ultimately will invest 50 million yuan in its rural education and environmental projects.

Since the establishment of the Tencent Charity Fund in 2006, the organization has collected 122 million yuan from the company and employees.

The organization has built 31 schools in 12 provinces, and recently accepted another 25 million yuan from Tencent Holdings to ensure the success of its Yunnan province project.

Tencent Holdings, in addition to providing financial support to its charitable arm, also has dispatched company employees as volunteers to provide hands-on help in poverty-stricken areas.

For the Yunnan project, the company's deputy executive president, Li Haixiang, will be responsible for the management and coordination of the project.

Company volunteers also will participate in the Yunnan province initiative.

(China Daily 09/07/2009 page8)