Happiness Program, a major fundraising project under the China Population Welfare Foundation (CPWF), has helped over 150,000 poor mothers in an effort to bring their families out of poverty over the past decade.

As of October 31, 2005, Happiness Program has provided financial assistance, worth 310 million yuan (about US$38 million), for these mothers to start up their own businesses, have vocational trainings and pay their medical checkups or treatment.

In a ceremony held by the organization committee of Happiness Program Saturday at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, a large number of institutions and individuals were awarded for their contribution to the charity project.

Inher written message to the ceremony, He Luli, a vice chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, expressed her appreciation of the enormous achievements Happiness Program has made. Hao Jianxiu, vice chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, attended the gathering.

The appearance of Wang Guangmei, chairperson of the organization committee and widow of former Chinese President Liu Shaoqi, in a wheelchair made a stir among the deputies.

Wang, who is now 84 and suffers from serious illness, has been leading the charity project for the past decade, according to Miao Xia, chairperson of the CPWF.

Miao said that Happiness Program has targeted poor mothers, owing to the fact that mother is the pillar of a family and that the poverty of mother directly leads to the poverty of the whole family. To help the mother means to help the whole family, she said.

The organization committee also declared the official opening of a new website for Happiness Program. Click www.rrxf.org.cn, surfers could find due messages about the charity project and the ways to make donations on line.

(Xinhua News Agency November 14, 2005)