The Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs and the China Life Charity Fund have entered into a cooperation agreement on helping orphans who lost their families in the Wenchuan earthquake to rebuild their lives.
From December 2008 China Life Charity Fund will offer CNY600 a month to each of 624 orphans till they are 18 years old or are adopted by others. China Life Charity Fund says that the sponsoring standard will be adjustable in consideration of people's living standards and inflation.
China Life Insurance, the country's largest insurer, had planned to help orphans after the earthquake, and set up a coordination team to go to disaster areas to investigate and research local needs. The Ministry of Civil Affairs helped the company to consolidate all the details of the program.
China Life Charity Fund will also help these orphans in their mental health, vocational education and employment in addition to ensuring their subsistence.
Currently the first batch of funds, for the 13 months from December 2008 to December 2009, has already been assigned to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and will be distributed by local civil affairs departments.
