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China raises US$12 mln to help migrant workers

China.org.cn, December 5, 2011

• The China Volunteer Service Foundation has raised over 80 million yuan (12.6 million U.S. dollars) to fund volunteer services helping migrant workers across China, according to a statement from the Central Civilization Office of China.

  The statement was released ahead of the International Volunteer Day, which falls on Dec. 5.

  The office, in cooperation with various government agencies, kicked off a volunteer campaign to provide assistance to migrant workers this year,Xinhua reported.

  Volunteer services offered to migrant workers include vocational training, legal assistance, clearing channels for migrant workers to have their voices heard and disputes settled, as well as teaching and tutoring their children.

  To date, such volunteer campaigns have been carried out across 86 cities and by 105 central-level state-owned enterprises, the statement said.

  Volunteer services have already been prevalent in almost every social and economic sector in recent years. Special attention has been given to needy groups, such as elderly people whose children leave home as migrant workers, children whose parents leave home for work and the disabled.

  The country has 33.92 million registered young volunteers,according to statistics released by the Communist Youth League of China.

  (Xinhua contributed to this story)

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