The second China Poverty Eradication Awards, a biannual scheme, was held in September 2006 to reward individuals or organizations who made significant contributions to poverty alleviation. Nineteen nominees were spread among 10 categories including special personal achievement, innovation, volunteers, donations, self-struggle and dedication. Since large-scale poverty alleviation work got underway in 1986, the number of rural poor was reduced to less than 24 million by the end of 2005 from 125 million in 1985, according to sources with the CFPA.