This year about 400,000 impoverished mothers and their families in western China are expected to say goodbye to the area's long history of drinking water shortages.
This is a special gift from the China Women's Development Foundation (CWDF) and All-China Women's Federation for Mother's Day 2002, which falls on Sunday.
The two organizations will inject about 40 million yuan (US$4.8 million) into building some 50,000 household rainwater cisterns in western China with support from local governments.
The project was formally inaugurated three years ago, and a total of 116 million yuan (US$14 million) has since been raised for the project.
The theme for the project is "Donate Love to Poor Mothers in Western China."
The money is mainly donated by enterprises, individuals and some social organizations.
A total of 727 enterprises contributed more than 103 million yuan (US$12.4 million) and 1,277 individuals donated around 157,000 yuan (US$19,000).
From 1999 to last year, 54,000 cisterns and 731 small water-supply projects were built in 159 counties in 15 provinces in western China. More than 384,000 people have benefited - they no longer have to carry water long distances.
The families can also plant vegetables and raise livestock now, thanks to the improved water supply.
Sanitary conditions have also improved as a result, and the incidence of infectious diseases like enteritis has reduced by 47 percent on average in these areas.
(China Daily May 8, 2002)
