The ceremony of "Children’s Happy Hometown" center is opened on June 1. [Women of China/Fan Wenjun]

China Children and Teenagers’ Foundation (CCTF) along with Carrefour, the well-known French retailer, hosted a ceremony to open the latest "Children’s Happy Hometown" center located in Nanhaozhuang Village in Changping District in Beijing, on June 1, International Children’s Day.

Chen Xiaoxia, the secretary-general of the CCTF and Dai Wei, vice-president of Carrefour in China attended the event and delivered speeches. In addition, organizers from Beijing Women’s Federation and Beijing Women and Children’s Development Foundation, as well as members of the local village committee, participated in the ceremony.

After the opening, officials and guests helped to distribute gifts to children. They also toured the center, many were highly approving of the books, games and communication equipment there, and some put forward suggestions. Attendees watched plays and performances put on for children's spiritual development.

As an enterprise rooted in China, Carrefour has long focused on children's causes, ever since it provided help for the "Wenchuan Earthquake" survivors. Since 2008, the company has donated more than 10 million yuan (U.S. $1.6 million) to CCTF to construct eight of the "Children’s Happy Hometowns". Dai said that they would consistently focus on children’s development and contribute to cultivating children's mental and physical well-being, and actively take part in welfare activities. He expected that through the construction of the center, more "left-behind" children (those whose parents have moved away to find better paid jobs elsewhere) were able to feel social care, and not be alone any more.

Recently, the education and lives of "left-behind" children has attracted much attention from society. In order to improve their growing environment, the All-China Women’s Federation along with CCTF started the charity project, which has helped such children gain opportunities and receive the services of learning, living, family love, security protection and psychological care. Up until now the number of "Children’s Happy Hometowns" has totaled almost 350 in China due to the support of those from all walks of life in society.

(Women of China)