[CCTF]

The Spring Bud Project has brought together caring individuals and organizations, through their donations, and combined, they have created a sea of deep affection and support for countless Spring Bud girls, and, in turn, have transformed the girls' destinies toward a brighter future. Many touching stories of generosity lie behind the project. 

In 1995, China's Air Force initiated the Blue Sky Spring Bud Project, channeling substantial donations from officers and soldiers to promote girls' education. The Air Force has since supported about 35,000 girls to complete their studies. In recent years, the Blue Sky Spring Bud teacher-training courses have been held to improve teachers' overall capacity, especially in underprivileged areas. 

During the 1990s, He Fangli, then a soldier in the Armed Police Force Rongshui Detachment, in Rongshui Miao Autonomous County, in South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, began allocating a portion of his monthly salary to support students of the Hong Yao (a branch of the Yao ethnic group) girls' class. Supporting the education of Hong Yao girls gradually became a tradition of generations of soldiers and officers of the Armed Police Force. Since 1997, the Armed Police Force has helped 27,000 girls complete their studies, built 13 Spring Bud hope schools, 12 multimedia classrooms and libraries, and 72 Happy Homes for Children, conducted safety and health education activities among 60,000 children, and helped 20,000 infants and young children who suffer from anemia improve their nutritional status. 

In 2019, the Spring Bud Project — Dream of Future Action was launched. Two years later, Peng Liyuan, the project's special envoy to promote girls' education in China, announced an initiative that was calling for joint efforts, from all segments of society, to promote and implement the Spring Bud Project — Dream of Future Action. 

In response to the initiative, the ACWF and women's federations, at all levels, have encouraged caring people, from all walks of life, to support implementation of the project, and together they have conducted various activities to care for and support girls. 

The Spring Bud Dream Chorus project, aimed at enhancing the artistic literacy of girls, was initiated in 2022. To date, 12 choruses have been formed in 10 provinces or municipalities. Earlier this year, CCTF launched the Tencent Spring Bud Dream Building special fund, aimed at enhancing the comprehensive literacy of girls in the arts, sciences, and various other fields, particularly in underdeveloped regions of China, to facilitate girls' all-round development. 

In 2022, CCTF cooperated with China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation Limited (CASIC) to unveil the Aerospace • Dream — Spring Bud Project. The project will be implemented in stages in Dongchuan District of Kunming and Fuyuan County of Qujing, both in Southwest China's Yunnan Province, between 2023 and 2025. The project is intended to provide educational assistance to girls from disadvantaged families, establish girls' growth spaces, arrange for girls to visit relevant units of CASIC, and invite women scientific and technological workers to guide girls' development. 

Guizhou Women's Federation, in Southwest China's Guizhou Province, has organized various themed activities for the Spring Bud girls, such as visiting historical and revolutionary sites, receiving national defense education, and being exposed to science, technology and traditional culture. Such diverse activities enable the Spring Bud girls to feel care and support, from all sectors of society, and to broaden their horizons and empower them as they pursue their dreams. These experiences have instilled greater confidence in the girls, and inspired them to set ambitious goals for their futures. 

Countless people, with love and a sense of responsibility, have donated money to the Spring Bud Project. For example, Hu Fangrong, a retired worker, and her husband, a physically challenged veteran, have donated their retirement pensions, disability benefits, and their savings, amounting to 700,000 yuan (US $100,000), to the Spring Bud Project

"I didn't receive much education when I was young. I want to do my part to help girls continue with their studies. I donate 30 yuan (US $4.29) each month. As long as I have a job, I will keep donating to help girls in need," says Yuan Dingcheng, a migrant worker from Central China's Hunan Province. 

Through participation in various activities, many people have found inspiration and enthusiasm for public welfare. Yi Yan, a volunteer, performed during a charitable evening gala, organized by the CCTF, in 2005. During that event, numerous people made donations to support the Spring Bud girls. Since then, Yi has been involved in multiple public-welfare activities, and she has also cared about issues related to women's development. 

The impact of the Spring Bud Project extends beyond empowering girls in challenging circumstances to succeed; it also serves as a platform, to share China's experience in enhancing women's education and promoting comprehensive development of girls with the rest of the world. 

In June 2023, Zhang Yanhong, Secretary-General of CCTF, was invited to participate in the China-Africa Women's Forum, and to deliver a speech during that event. She shared the key practices and successful experiences of CCTF, highlighting how, under the Party and State's high attention, Professor Peng Liyuan's dedicated guidance and support, and the strong leadership of the ACWF, the Spring Bud Project has been effectively implemented through the concerted efforts of society as a whole.

(Women of China English Monthly August 2023 issue)