Citigroup announced on Thursday a donation of 1,168,000 yuan (147,000 U.S. dollars) to help children from three counties of China's southwestern Guizhou Province continue their education.

The program, called the "Geping Green Aid Project", is anticipated to last for five years and will include the construction of three libraries and the provision of training to local teachers. It also funds the planting of prickly ash trees and the income gained from the sale of the vegetables will pay for tuition costs.

The program was proposed by Qu Geping, head of the China Environmental Protection Foundation (CEPF), and is being carried out by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and the CEPF.

Li Xiaolin, vice-president of the CPAFFC, said the program aims to encourage local peasants to improve their quality of life by working for themselves.

Source: Xinhua