Children from Chang'an District in Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, pose for a group photo during a Laba Festival gathering. [CCTF]

"I am extremely happy to have Laba porridge and do handicrafts of intangible cultural heritage together with other children," said a migrant child from Weiqu subdistrict of Chang'an District in Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, at a recent charitable activity.

The charitable event, jointly held by the KFC Migrant Children's Fund under the China Children and Teenagers' Fund (CCTF), Shaanxi Women and Children's Development Foundation, and the Qinyuan Museum of Intangible Cultural Heritage, was to send warmth and care to vulnerable children in celebration of the Laba Festival, which falls on January 18 this year and is considered as a prelude of the Chinese New Year.

A girl has her Laba porridge during the charitable activity. [CCTF]

Children listen to an introduction about the Laba Festival during the charitable activity. [CCTF]

Two girls attend the charitable gathering. [CCTF]

Most of the participants of the charitable activity are children from single-parent and migrant families in the subdistrict. The KFC restaurant prepared Laba porridge for them. Staff members from the organizers talked with children about traditional Chinese diets and culture as well as the Laba Festival in a move to help them gain a deeper understanding of the festival and further enhance their eagerness to learn.

A cultural heritage inheritor shows children how to make dough figurines during the charitable event. [CCTF]

A photo shows children at the charitable activity. [CCTF]

Under the guidance of intangible cultural heritage inheritors, children incorporated the Laba Festival elements into the making of their own dough figurines to express best wishes for the future.

The charitable event drew the attendance of a single parent surnamed Zhang and her two daughters. Zhang has to do odd jobs to earn a living while raising two children.

Nevertheless, Zhang has taken utmost efforts to create a better study and living environment for her daughters and taken them to attend group activities along with other children.

Zhang said that she hopes her daughters will attend more such cultural activities of intangible cultural heritage and become well-educated persons.

This year, the CCTF's KFC Migrant Children's Fund expands the coverage of assistance from rural migrant children and children whose parents work away from home into vulnerable children from urban and rural families. It focuses on assistance efforts on orphans, children without actual guardianship, and other disadvantaged children.

The fund will convene a series of charitable activities for migrant children and their families to pass on love to more people.

(Source: CCTF / Women of China)