Yang's program taps into creativity of migrant children

Yang Lan [Photo by Zou Hong/China Daily]

Since 2006, Sun Culture Foundation has initiated the "Grow in the Sun, Dance with Ballet" Project, an arts education initiative for marginalized teenagers (reformatory school students). This has been warmly received from both students and their parents.

Between 2008 and 2010, 10 sessions of the "Grow in Sunshine, Dance with Ballet, Bring Ballet to Campus" program were held, granting high school students in various districts and counties in Beijing access to basic education and appreciation of ballet.

More than 5,800 students have participated so far, including 1,200 students in mountainous regions and more than 2,000 migrant teenagers.

In 2010 Yang co-organized a banquet in Beijing with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which brought Bill Gates and Warren Buffett together to discuss philanthropy in the company of more than 30 Chinese families interest in philanthropy.

In 2012, she invited former US president Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn to share their experience in working for charity organizations. A member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Yang also proposed legislation on philanthropy.

She said that a partnership between the foundation, academic institutions and frontline non-profit organizations will also be established to provide service, support and research for social integration of migrant teenagers.