Former face of Project Hope launches fund to help college students in Anhui

By A woman who became the public face of China's Project Hope charity when she was 8 years old has launched a charity fund to boost its efforts to help impoverished high school graduates attend college.

Su Mingjuan launched the new fund, named after herself, in eastern China's Anhui province two weeks ago with 30,000 yuan ($4,530) in seed money from her savings. Another donor has since contributed 500 yuan.

Project Hope was launched by the China Youth Development Foundation and the Communist Youth League's Central Committee in 1989 to help children from impoverished families finish primary school, upgrade rural schools and improve the quality of teaching. It has since expanded its scope, also helping high school students and new college students.