Hope Project teaches rural students scientific skills

A Chinese charity taught modern scientific skills to more than 150 students and teachers from the country's rural areas on Wednesday.

The Hope Project, which was launched in 1989 by the China Youth Development Foundation (CYDF) and the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China, helps children in poverty-stricken areas, offering greater access to education.

The students and teachers took part in making simple computer programs, debated environmental protection and watched short films during the two-day program, which had a theme of "passing positive energy in environmental protection."

This year's program aimed at improving students' skills in innovation and cooperation, as well as helping them to deal with challenges in the information era, according to the CYDF.

Such projects have benefited more than 100,000 rural students, the foundation said.

The Hope Project has raised more than 5.3 billion yuan (866.05 million U.S. dollars) to build more than 15,000 primary schools in less-developed regions.