Project: China

Country Overview

China is the world’s 4^th largest country and 2^nd largest economy. It has a mountainous landscape, with the notable Mount Everest along the Tibetan border in the west, and plains, deltas and hills in the East.

For much of China’s history, it had led civilization in the arts and sciences. But in the 19^th and 20^th centuries, China was plagued by civil unrest, famines, military defeats and foreign occupation. After the Second World War, the communist Mao Zedong regime created an autocratic communist system. The system tragically imposed severe restrictions on the lives of tens of millions of people. In 1978, marking the fall of the MAO regime, China’s leaders began focusing on market and economic development and by the turn of the century the country’s exports quadrupled. As a result, quality of life has improved significantly in China, though the country continues to address socio-economic issues.

Heifer's Work in China

In 1946, Heifer International sent its first assistance of 550 high-quality dairy cows to China through the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA). In 1984, Heifer International resumed its efforts and funded three projects in Sichuan (Dayi Meat Rabbit Project, Ya’an dairy Goat Project and Jianyang Meat Goat Project) coordinating with the Sichuan Provincial Bureau of animal husbandry. As the first group of donated animals, 158 breeding goats and 200 breeding rabbits were shipped from the U.S. and U.K. respectively to project villages. In 1989, the Heifer International China office was established in Chengdu of Sichuan Province. Since 2005, Heifer China has established six Regional Program Offices across China, including Sichuan/Chongqing, Yunnan/Guizhou, Anhui, Beijing, Tibet and Xinjiang. In 2008, the Wenchuan Earthquake Rehabilitation Project was set up. In the same year, the Sichuan Haihui Poverty Alleviation Service Center was formally registered as the plenipotentiary of Heifer International to manage and implement its projects in China. It was attached under the Sichuan Association for Science & Technology and registered with the Department of Civil Affairs of Sichuan Province. 

Key Services Heifer Provides:

Sustainable agricultural production: Sustainable agriculture project; Horticulture

Post-harvest management and processing: Project management training

Market development: Community building and Capacity building projects; Income generation activities; Commercializing and marketing

Technology: Record keeping; Financial management

Nutrition: HIV/AIDS; Human nutrition; Sanitation