Dong Qing Project helps ease pressure on disadvantaged graduates in Beijing

When Refat Yasinjan graduated from university and started his first full-time job in Beijing, the biggest challenge was finding a place to live.

Yasinjan, who grew up in a village in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region's Ili Kazak autonomous prefecture, was raised by parents who made sacrifices to support his education. His father worked as a logistics staff member at a local middle school, earning a steady but modest income.

Determined to ease the burden on his family, Yasinjan supported himself through part-time jobs while studying postal engineering at Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications.

After graduation, he accepted a job in procurement at JD.com in the capital, but, before receiving his first paycheck, he was struggling to pay a rental deposit and the first month's rent.

"For a new graduate just starting work, the cost of renting in Beijing was a huge pressure," Yasinjan said.

The university counselor recommended the Dong Qing Project, a new assistance program for financially disadvantaged university graduates who stay in Beijing for employment.

Yasinjan received a 3,000-yuan ($445) subsidy in July and used the money to cover his initial rent and settle outstanding housing expenses, allowing him to move to Beijing's Tongzhou district and begin work without the immediate financial strain.

"The assistance came at exactly the right time," he said. "It solved the biggest problem I faced when I started my job."

Yasinjan said he now earns more than 10,000 yuan a month. He pays about 3,000 yuan in rent and spends another 3,000 yuan on daily expenses.

"I am very grateful for the help from my university and the foundation," he said. "Now I can focus on learning my job and building my career."

Yasinjan is among more than 2,300 financially disadvantaged graduates who have received support through the Dong Qing Project this year.

The project was launched in 2026 by the Beijing Beike Public Welfare Foundation and the China Foundation for Rural Development.

The first phase targets graduates from financially disadvantaged families in the 2026 graduating class who choose to remain in Beijing for employment. Eligible graduates receive a one-time subsidy of 3,000 yuan to help ease the financial pressure they face at the beginning of their careers.

As of Aug 4, funding had been allocated to students at 52 universities in Beijing, benefiting more than 2,300 graduates, according to the organizers.

A second round of applications will open in September. The project will continue to follow the employment and career development of financially disadvantaged graduates and refine its assistance model, organizers said.