Tong Lin, a 19-year-old boy, was given the opportunity to take part in a free course of vocational training Monday in Beijing thanks to the Rainbow Program Fund.
The fund, generated by the China Youngsters' Development and Service Center and which has received donations from overseas Chinese compatriots, will help young people from poor families seek employment.
Tong is from Jinzhou in northeast China’s Liaoning Province. He is one of about 30 young people being trained how to fix refrigeration systems, like air conditioners and refrigerators, in Beijing for one month, according to Guo Song of the China Youngsters' Development and Service Center.
According to Guo, the young people involved in the project are from poorer regions of the country, such as Lanzhou in northwest China’s Gansu Province and Jinzhou.
After the training, all the trainees will be provided with jobs with the help of the center, Guo said.
The center, with the support of the Rainbow Program Fund, will hold training courses in various fields, such as foreign-oriented services and computer technology, for young people whose families are in financial difficulty.
Six overseas Chinese compatriots and enterprises donated a total sum of around 5 million yuan (US$600,000) to the fund, with the largest donation totaled 3 million yuan (US$360,000).
Wan Suet-chun, a Hong Kong businesswoman, who helped appeal for donations, said that the donors wanted to do something concrete for China and hope that the fund will help young people in China.
Employment in China is under intense pressure. According to statistics, about 2 million students graduate every year from higher learning institutions and post-secondary schools in China.
(China Daily 05/23/2001)
