On November 9, when the winter just began and the cold was coming, the Women and Workers Commission of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs came to Zitong Primary School in Shidi, Yongshun, Hunan and delivered more than 100 sweaters with love and warmth to the children. At the same time, the children also received more than 20,000 yuan worth of school bags, football and other supplies, purchased by the fund from “Rose Charity Sale” on March 8th.

This is the fifth consecutive year of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Areas to organize the “Heng’ai Action - Million Families Affection” public welfare activity. Over the past five years, more than 3,000 pieces of loving products have been delivered to ethnic minorities and families in poor areas, and a platform has been set up to help each other with love and link up with each other.

Hunan Yongshun donation ceremony

Care for the Poor Children, Bring the Warmth of the Big Family

“Thanks to your care and love, making us feel the world is full of love. We must study hard, strive hard, grow up healthily with gratitude and repay society with outstanding achievements”. with the new sweater in hands, Liang Xinnong, a sixth-grade student at Zitong Primary School in Shidi town, Yongshun county, Hunan, was excited.

In the “Heng’ai Action” this year, more than 400 comrades from 44 units of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Areas applied for more than 350 kilograms of love wool. In their spare time, they knitted more than 650 pieces of charity fabric.

Agriculture Minister Han Changfu visit the display of caring fabric

Han Changfu, Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, stressed in his visit to the display of caring fabric that the activity carried out to send warmth and love to children in poor areas is of great significant to the poverty alleviation. “We will continue to encourage our staff and workers to be enthusiastic about public welfare and contribute to society. We will pass on our love and serve the overall situation of poverty alleviation”, said Han.

“We have more than 110 students in our school, most of whom are left-behind children and from poor families, which are in great need of social care”, said the principal of Zitong Primary School.

Before the winter coming, more than 650 poor children in Enshi, Hubei, Xiangxi, Hunan and Jianhe, Guizhou got warm sweaters, woollen trousers and scarves.

“We hope that our love can help these children solve some practical difficulties in study and life, so that they can feel the warmth and strength of the great family of the motherland and the majority of female cadres and workers in our ministry”, said the staff from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

Five Years of Deep Friendship, Build Platform of Love and Mutual Assistance 

“We have given these love sweaters and scarves to all needy children of all ethnic groups. The children put on the warm, comfortable love sweaters, with a happy smile on their faces, let the children feel the love of all sectors of the society and care of loving mothers.” In 2017, the love sweaters of “Heng’ai Action” were sent to Altay, Xinjiang. The Altay Women Federation then sent a thank-you letter to the Ministry of Women Committee.

The letter also wrote, “The ‘Heng’ai Action’ has built the friendship of the Ministry of Agriculture and children at Altay. Caring mothers’ love has been sent to children and families of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang to build a platform of love, mutual assistance and friendship between families of all ethnic groups and promote social harmony and ethnic unity as one family”.

Display of sweaters

Over the past five years, more than 2,000 people from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs participated in the “Heng’ai Action”. Some of them shared knitting skills during lunch break, and strive to weave carefully and well. Some of them using their evening break to weave, trying to do a little more, to bring warmth to more poor children. Some also write long letters to encourage the children who receive sweaters to study hard and forge ahead diligently.

Yu Xinrong, the vice-minister of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, said that the theme and the form of the activity were all good, and the tradition should be maintained to create a good atmosphere of great love and dedication in the ministry. 

Weave deep love into a sweater to warm the hearts of poor children, print footsteps on the vast land to touch the pulse of rural revitalization. Under the leadership of the Committee of Women Work of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, children were supported by hard work and wisdom, and able to enjoy their beautiful life.