When Zhang Yuxi grows up, he wants to join the Special Forces in the military, because, in his words, “they protect people.” He may be only in Grade 3 now, but he has already started taking small steps towards realising his dream, for example by reading more than 100 books in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms series (the original edition has more than 1,500 pages) and running every day. His confidence is clear on video, and I’m not surprised to learn he is a leo, born in the Year of the Snake.

A child of Mongolia, Yuxi is one of the primary school students currently studying at Dandelion School, the first and only school for low-income migrant families in Beijing. Established in August 2005, it is a non-profit and charitable educational institution located in Daxing. Originally a middle school, Dandelion recently expanded to include primary school students around 7-9 years old, in March of this year. The school’s students are migrant children from more than 20 provinces around China, mostly Hebei and Henan.

Dandelion’s purpose is to achieve equality and excellency in education and secure a bright future for this marginalised group of children. The school is credited “AAAAA,” which is the highest rating of business management achievable for non-profit organizations. Dandelion also provides support to school students who face financial challenges. Every year, they waive the tuition fee of nearly 10 percent of their student body according to their family income level. In some cases, when a parent is stricken with severe sickness, the school may even help connect them with potential donors to give extra support.

Beyond government funding, the school enlists corporate and individual support to provide quality education and nurture good character in their students. Dandelion can only achieve its success through a long-term approach to encouraging physical, intellectual and emotional growth, by discovering and developing their students’ potential, and by building lifelong learning habits in students. Only then can their graduates go out and make the world a better place, like how 9-year-old Yuxi hopes to join the military forces and protect people.

We have a great opportunity to help this child realize his dream, and to support Dandelion School’s noble cause, all while standing the chance of winning some attractive prizes! This year, for the third time, Dandelion School was carefully selected from more than 12 charities to be the recipient of Chi Fan For Charity (CFFC) fundraiser. Tickets may be sold out but you and I can still join in the fun by purchasing raffle tickets at the CFFC Raffle! I myself am gunning for the top two prizes – a week-long cruise to Sanya and a private guided tour of Guilin – but there are plenty of prizes to go around. Check out the full list here, and don’t forget there will be 216 winners, so those are some good odds!

KEEP READING: Chifan For Charity: Filling Bellies and Hearts Since 2009

Images: Courtesy of Dandelion School, CFFC 

A year ago, we wrote about the Dandelion School in Daxing District. As the only officially recognized high school for children of migrant workers, Dandelion principal Hong Zheng and her dedicated staff have their work cut out for them. The school takes its mission of self-reliance seriously and doesn’t get by solely on donations, but every yuan helps considering Dandelion’s yearly running costs of RMB 3.5 million. Here are some ways you can help.

1. Buy Dandelion’s gift products

The Dandelion School relies on a social enterprise initiative that repackages their students’ art into usable and creative gifts like notebooks.With Christmas just around the corner, this is a gift idea that is original, sustainable, and great for your karma. Dandelion’s products can be purchased directly through the school, at the Kerry Centre, or at Dandelion’s downtown office (see below for contact information). Dandelion also sells its products at seasonal bazaars and directly to corporations.

2. Donate

Some of Dandelion’s most pressing needs are tuition and boarding fees. For RMB 680/semester, you can sponsor a student’s tuition; for RMB 500/year, you can ensure that he or she has somewhere to stay at the school. People can also donate more material goods, like warm winter clothing (hats, coats, and gloves), blankets, or money to buy coal for heating. There are three ways to donate: directly to the school, by wire transfer within China, or by cheque from abroad.

3. Volunteer

Volunteering can be done year-round at the Dandelion School. Volunteers can work on a variety of areas, including English, life skills (such as interviewing for a job), and after school activities. Many high school students from international schools (ages 14+) have done community service hours or earned merit badges at Dandelion. In the past, teens have helped Dandelion’s students with music, sports, English, tutoring, and art projects. Volunteer hours are flexible, with no minimum time requirement. The best times are afternoons, evenings, and weekends.

4. Spread the word

One of the best things you can do for any charitable organization is to tell others about it. Spread the word about the Dandelion School’s mission, needs, and volunteering opportunities. Get your child’s entire high school class to volunteer for a day, or tell members of your community how they can help.

The Dandelion School: 22 Tuanhe Lu, Shoubaozhuang, Xihongmen Township, Daxing District (6128 8964/6686) www.dandelionschool.org
蒲公英中学，大兴区西红门镇寿宝庄团河路22号

To find out more about Dandelion’s social enterprise or to see the school’s products, contact Dodo Dou at dodo.dandelion@gmail.com or 158 1068 2963.