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Kraft donates 1 million yuan to rural children

By Chen Qide (China Daily Shanghai Bureau)
Updated: 2010-08-04 15:13

Yao Ming (second left), the ambassador for Oreo biscuits of the Kraft Foods China attands a press conference with Kraft Hope Kitchen schools' pupils at an Oreo Dunking Challenge Campaign Charity Event in Shanghai, August 3, 2010. [Photo/China Daily Shanghai Bureau]

Kraft Foods, the world's second largest food company, has donated one million yuan（US$147,645）worth of Oreo biscuits to more than 50,000 rural pupils from 100 Kraft Hope Kitchen schools in five provinces.

Lorna Davis, president of Kraft Foods China, said the donation is part of the Oreo Dunking Challenge Campaign Charity Event pioneered by the China Youth Development Foundation (CYDF) and Kraft with Yao Ming as its ambassador.

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She said Kraft established 100 Hope Kitchen schools in provinces of Anhui, Yunnan, Jilin, Hunan and Hebei in 2009 to benefit 50,000 rural children.

Every kitchen is equipped with common cooking utensils, a refrigerator, disinfection cabinet facilities and food safety operation guidelines. School headmasters have received training in child nutrition,Davis said.

"The charity project aims to improve rural pupils' dietary and nourishment by providing affordable canteens to schools," said Wang Min, deputy secretary general of CYDF.

The charity event was full of enjoyment and childlike delight with Yao Ming playing games with the pupils from the Yihai School in Hunan province.

"I am very glad to be the ambassador of the event, bringing childhood delight to more rural children," Yao said.

Apart from the donation, Kraft staff will go to Hope schools as volunteers to convey messages about the food and childlike delight, leaving them in the children's memories, said Davis.