The second phase of Project Care, a campaign designed to encourage Shenzhen residents to help the needy, was launched Monday.

A total of 225 activities have been planned for the second phase, including helping 39 more orphans with disabilities, enhancing programs for HIV/AIDS prevention and patients, building more than 2,000 apartments for low-income families, and a donation of 2.3 million yuan (US$276,000) for the city's underprivileged by a company called Foxconn.

"During last year's Project Care, millions of people in this city helped other people. A huge wave of love was raised in our society," Wang Jingsheng, head of Shenzhen's publicity department, said at a ceremony Sunday to open the second phase of the project. He also asked Shenzhen people to "embrace every day with love, touch everyone with heart."

Shenzhen first started Project Care in December 2003.

More than 500 activities throughout Shenzhen were held during the first phase of the project. People with Loving Hearts were elected and widely reported, more than 1,000 volunteers gathered to donate money, hotlines of the city's departmental heads were opened, 20 poverty-stricken families were recommended and given aid, and more than 160,000 yuan was donated for children suffering from Thalassaemia, an inherited blood disorder.

As part of Project Care, the Shenzhen Daily last year also held a number of activities targeting expatriates to help them feel at home in Shenzhen. The paper opened a hotline to receive inquiries and complaints and helped relay the complaints to related agencies for solutions. The paper has also held two free concerts for expatriates.

Shenzhen-based American teacher Scott Elkins and his wife have been involved in the project by giving free English classes to children in their neighborhood once a week.

"We like to do it to give back to the community," Elkins said.

"Such a project is very important to help the needy. We should also encourage the needy to tell us their needs so that we can better deliver," he said.

Many expats in the city have been helping needy people. Members of the Shekou Women's International Club regularly visit the Shenzhen Orphanage, teaching the older children English and helping take care of the younger ones.

Shekou Sports and Social Club has been helping organize the annual National Day Street Party to raise funds from foreigners and companies in Shekou for needy Chinese people and institutions. In the past five years, it raised about 450,000 yuan for different charities.

"It's a great idea to try things like that as there are always people in need," said American Fred Narcross, one of the club committee members.

"It takes time, money and the will to do it, but we will continue with the work," he said.

(Shenzhen Daily January 11, 2005)