Story and Photos by Luo Minxia | Marketing and Resource Development Specialist | Heifer China
On February 22, an opening ceremony of the Read to Feed program was held at YK Pao Primary School in Shanghai for the third year. As Heifer China participates in the Aid Project in Xinjiang, held by the Shanghai government, this year’s program donation will go directly to Yarkant County in Kashgar, Xinjiang, and purchase Simmental cattle and Dolan sheep.
When the sheep and cattle showed up on the screen in front of the students, their attention was caught immediately. They asked numerous questions regarding animals. “Why do we donate animals instead of rice or money?” “Why don’t we send them wolfhound?” Heifer China representatives replied, “Only productive animals could sustainably assist farmers.”
Warren Johnston, the executive principal of YK Pao Primary School, reminded students that the school was the first to join the Read to Feed program in mainland China and an impressive donation has been made. The achievement does not come from a few people donating big money, but from many students joining the program and putting forth an effort.
Johnston suggested using Chinese for the presentation during the opening ceremony, which suits this situation better because 60 percent of the students are Chinese at the school. Last year, the school donated 100,000 yuan, or about $16,000, to the Read to Feed program. The participation rate at the school reached 60 percent. This year, YK Pao Primary School has more registered students. Miss He, the coordinator of the Read to Feed Program of the school, expects more students to join the program.
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