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3 August 2023, Hong Kong – Ms. Judy Chen, Chairman of Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF, along with Ms. Zhu Dongyun, Deputy Secretary-General of China Children and Teenagers' Fund, Ms. Chan Hoi-wan, Chief Executive Officer of Chinese Estates Holdings Limited, and Hong Kong youth representatives visited Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan, the sixth-largest ethnic minority in China. The group ventured deep into the heartland of greater Liangshan to join the youth development camp and studied firsthand with the indigenous girls and their families who have benefitted from local charity programmes.

Ms. Judy Chen shared her own experience and encouraged Yi children to keep enhancing their youth power and seek support from families, teachers and classmates whenever they encounter confusion or hurdles in growing up. The youth performed cultural Yi embroidery together and found the exchange of experience meaningful.

The visit included a field trip at Sanhe Village. Zhang Xiaowen, Chairperson of the Liangshan Prefecture Women's Federation introduced the ‘Spring Buds Project’ in promoting local girls' education development over the past year. The group visited beneficiary families and heartfelt gifts including candies and postcards prepared by Hong Kong youth representatives with their own pocket money were presented. Ms. Chan Hoi-wan even hand-knitted pouches and shoes overnight for the local children.

The “Spring Buds Project” has received RMB 18 million donation from Chinese Estates Holdings Limited and one of the 3,000 girls benefitted from the project to continue her education at Tsinghua University.  Ms. Judy Chen believes children of Liangshan will have more development opportunities and a brighter future when all parties joint force to empower Liangshan to continue thriving.