2018年CRI Children Companion Plan advances

 

New progress is being reported in the Children Companion Plan, a project launched in October 2015, to create a custody¹ network for so-called left-behind children.

The program is being extended to cover poverty-stricken mountainous areas in the provinces of Yunnan and Jiangxi.

CRI's Laiming has more.

Since the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation² initiated³ the Children Companion Plan more than two years ago, it now covers over 200 villages in 20 counties in the provinces of Sichuan and Guizhou, benefiting nearly 100,000 children.

Qin Wei is an official with the foundation.

She says the organization has decided⁴ to launch this project in the Luoxiao Mountains in Jiangxi and Wumeng Mountains in Yunnan.

"Each county sets up an administrative⁵ office, which will coordinate⁶ civil affairs, public security, education, poverty alleviation and other departments to document accounts from our children companions during their visits to left-behind children's families. The office is designed to help solve those problems."

A companion who offers emotional support is at the center of the plan.

Gao Yurong, Deputy Dean of the Philanthropy Research Institute at Beijing Normal University, says they're looking for a number of criteria⁷ when recruiting a companion.

"We're looking for companions who are mothers with a loving heart for children. We believe with this fundamental criteria, they are likely to do a good job. The candidates also need to get along with others, and not have any disputes with their neighbors. We also survey other villagers to determine the capability⁸ of potential candidates to take care of the children."

Guo Xiaoying is among 100 companions who have been selected in Sichuan.

A resident in Xuyong County in Sichuan, Guo is the mother of a 14-year old.

She is also responsible for keeping tabs on around 500 left-behind local children.

"The young children who find it tough to talk to their grandparents often come to me. The main issue is the generation gap, which often leads to the children not talking about their issues with their more elderly caretakers. I feel the job is quite an honor for me."

The current estimate from China's Ministry⁹ of Civil Affairs suggests there are more than 9-million children under the age of 16 growing up in their rural home towns while their parents live and work elsewhere.

Gao Yurong with Beijing Normal University says they're offering help to child companions in dealing¹⁰ with the vast number of children.

"My institution is offering technical assistance. We've compiled four books: The first book is dedicated¹¹ to solving problems raised by child companions, helping¹² them understand child-related policies and also effectively assisting the children in need. The second book is about how to guide children through playing games. The 3rd book spreads fundamental knowledge about care workers. The 4th book offers a better understanding about child abuse prevention."

The Children Companion Plan recieved 8-million yuan in donations last year, which mostly goes toward paying subsidies¹³ to companions.

Qin Wei with the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation office says they're also using donation money to help create infrastructure¹⁴ for the kids.

"In each village, we want to put in recreational facilities and compile books for children in a 100-square meter house, which we call the 'Left-Behind Kids' recreation center. The center will open once a week. During winter and summer vacations, the center will operate on a daily basis. It is not only a venue¹⁵ for motherly companions to spend time with these children, but also the place where businesses can provide donations and volunteers can directly visit with kids."

In addition, a number of Chinese celebrities¹⁶, including actors Yang Mi, Tong Liya and Bao Bei'er have become spokespeople for the Children Companion Plan, calling for more social support in China to better help these school-age children overcome the distress¹⁷ of being away from their parents.

For CRI, I'm Laiming.

1 custody   

n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留

参考例句：

• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
• He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。

2 alleviation   

n. 减轻，缓和，解痛物

参考例句：

• These were the circumstances and the hopes which gradually brought alleviation to Sir Thomas's pain. 这些情况及其希望逐渐缓解了托马斯爵士的痛苦。
• The cost reduction achieved in this way will benefit patients and the society in burden alleviation. 集中招标采购降低的采购成本要让利于患者，减轻社会负担。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 口语

3 initiated   

n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入

参考例句：

• He has not yet been thoroughly initiated into the mysteries of computers. 他对计算机的奥秘尚未入门。
• The artist initiated the girl into the art world in France. 这个艺术家介绍这个女孩加入巴黎艺术界。

4 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

5 administrative   

adj.行政的，管理的

参考例句：

• The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
• He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。

6 coordinate   

adj.同等的，协调的；n.同等者；vt.协作，协调

参考例句：

• You must coordinate what you said with what you did.你必须使你的言行一致。
• Maybe we can coordinate the relation of them.或许我们可以调和他们之间的关系。

7 criteria   

n.标准

参考例句：

• The main criterion is value for money.主要的标准是钱要用得划算。
• There are strict criteria for inclusion in the competition.参赛的标准很严格。

8 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

9 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

10 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

11 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

12 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

13 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

15 venue   

n.犯罪地点，审判地，管辖地，发生地点，集合地点

参考例句：

• The hall provided a venue for weddings and other functions.大厅给婚礼和其他社会活动提供了场所。
• The chosen venue caused great controversy among the people.人们就审判地点的问题产生了极大的争议。

16 celebrities   

n.（尤指娱乐界的）名人( celebrity的名词复数 )；名流；名声；名誉

参考例句：

• He only invited A-list celebrities to his parties. 他只邀请头等名流参加他的聚会。
• a TV chat show full of B-list celebrities 由众多二流人物参加的电视访谈节目

17 distress   

n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛

参考例句：

• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
• Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。