為甚麼樂群慈善主力在資助農村學子升讀高中？

近年中國整體經濟迅速發展，許多大城市都已經十分進步，但今天中國許多邊遠農村仍然相當落後，雖然近年農產品價格 上升，政府也減免農民稅項，令低層人民生活得到改善，農村人民生活已基本足以糊口。但對大部份中國農村家庭而言，全家最大的經濟負擔就是孩子的教育支出，以及醫療費用開支。

中國現時實行小學至初中免費教育，絕大部份農村孩子都已能夠讀到初中，但升上高中卻要自費，偏遠山區的農民家庭每年可動用的收入，扣除基本衣食開支外，只剩千餘元，孩子上高中一年學費已耗掉家裡多年積蓄，因負擔不起學費，要輟學的例子在農村相當普遍，以樂群慈善主要活動的幾個邊遠地區為例，保守估計當地約有近三分之一的農村孩子，因經濟問題沒法繼續升讀高中。

樂群慈善希望盡一分力量，幫助哪些家貧但品學兼優的農村孩子，讓他們完成高中課程，日後部份有機會再升上大學，成為國家楝樑，他朝能回饋家鄉。歡迎大家加入我們樂群慈善的行列，為窮困的人民雪中送炭，有一分力就發一分光，每一分力量都有價值。

Share-Happiness is charity registered in Hong Kong. Since the early 90's, we have been carrying out charitable projects in remote farming communities in China. In the early years, our primary projects include digging wells for farming villages, providing financial support for the destitute, the disabled and orphans, organising dinners for the elderly, and building schools. Since 2006, we shifted our focus to sponsoring high school education for children from poor farming villages. Currently, our target communities are located in remote areas of Hunan province, including Leiyang, Chidong, Yongshun, Longshan, and Zhangning counties.

Why does Share-Happiness spend most of its resources in helping children from rural farming families attend high school?

The overall Chinese economy has grown rapidly in recent years; many major cities are well developed. However, to this day, many remote farming communities remain undeveloped. With price rises for agricultural products and lowered taxes for farmers, grassroot farmers enjoyed a boost in their quality of life, such that their income covers life's basic needs. However, for most Chinese farming families, the largest expense of the whole family is the education costs for their children and medical costs for everyone in the family.

Currently, China provides free education from primary school to middle school. Most children from farming families can therefore complete middle school education. If they want to attend high school, however, the family must bear the costs themselves. For a farming family in remote areas, only about ¥1000 of the entire family's disposable income is left after deducting costs for bare necessities. The first year in high school would already exhaust the family's savings over the years. Therefore it is very common for such children to quit school due to the inability to afford tuition. In the geographical areas where Share-Happiness is active, we conservatively estimate that one third of all children from farming families opt not to enroll in high schools due to financial hardship.

Share-Happiness aims to contribute whatever resources we can muster to help these high achievers from poor farming families graduate high school. In the near future, many of our sponsored children will have the opportunity to attend university, contribute to society, and eventually help their communities in turn. We welcome you to join our mission -- let's give these needy people a hand, transform our efforts into their rays of hope, and make every effort count.