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“Five Cares” in Action: Early 2006, pilot activities of the Reproductive Care campaign were initiated on the basis of the success of various programs and actions in support of family planning and reproductive health in many provinces and cities around the country. This campaign became a multi-sector and multi-department effort and a nationwide action when 10 Chinese ministries and departments issued a joint circular calling for further carrying out the reproductive care campaign during the entire period of the 11th Five-Year Plan for National Economy and Social Development ( 2006-2010). This campaign is one of the public welfare plans being implemented in China thanks to the achievement of the rapid social and economic development of the country over the past three decades. Because it has 5 target groups the campaign is usually called “Five Cares” campaign. CFPA was one of the pioneers of this nationwide campaign and the present CFPA leadership has given “Five Care” a high priority in its work agenda. In 25 pilot sites the local FPAs have taken a leading role and have, in close collaboration with the local Population and Family Planning Commissions, Women’s Federations, Red Cross Societies, Trade Unions, Youth Leagues, Army, etc., been actively carrying out many innovative activities in a rather flexible manner according to the local conditions and the actual situation of the target groups. Approaches Small poverty alleviation projects. To help people with small credit loans and other income generating activities specially designed in accordance with the actual situation of the families; Volunteers. To organize students from schools and universities, army soldiers, professionals and specialists from different occupations to go down to the communities and villages to provide people with free services such as FP/RH counseling, technical information and skill trainings, etc; Special “kin” ties. To encourage students from schools and universities, army soldiers and other young people to visit and form special ties with some elderly people or couples who lost their only child and became lonely and helpless; Publicity and advocating. To organize publicity and avocations of the “five cares” through media, art performances and other channels to create a favorable environment in the society in support of the “Five Cares”. In Jiangsu province, a social security mechanism in favor of family planning has been put in effect in an all-round way. Those parents over 60 who have only one child are granted with an award not less than 600 Yuan per person per year. The Nantong municipal government provided couples in the rural areas who lost their only child with 18,000 Yuan to enroll them into a basic old-age pension system so that they could get a pension of 180 Yuan every month when they reach age of 60. Feng Chenchen, a 16 year old village girl in Yitong county, Jilin province, was tempted to give up her opportunity to study in university when she received the admission letter from the university she applied because both her parents died and she could not afford the traveling expenses and tuitions. The local FPA members donated 5,000 Yuan to her and convinced the civil department to provide her with 1,500 Yuan every semester. “Without the FPA and other kind people’s help I would be shut out of the university because of poverty.” said Feng Chenchen when she finally realized her dream to study in the university. Feng is one of the lucky ones among tens of thousands of poor girls who benefited from the “Five Cares” campaign. New boost
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