Xiangzhou District, Zhuhai

Zhuhai's Xiangzhou District's social welfare program "Chinese rose plan" was featured on China Population News, a national newspaper, on June 22.

Introduced by the Xiangzhou government in 2016, "Chinese rose plan" targets elderly parents that have lost an only child or have had a child that is severely ill or disabled. It has so far helped 239 such families and 387 people.

Earlier this year, the program stood out from the 22 philanthropic projects in Guangdong province, ranking first among the 2017 top 10 projects for family development in the province.

The "Chinese rose plan" helps elderly parents bereaved of their only child solve their financial difficulties and cure their emotional sufferings.

Each parent in such a family can receive a monthly pension of between 500 and 1,000 yuan ($73-147) and a one-time financial payment of 20,000 yuan. 

The elderly parents are able to use an online platform to provide them with cleaning and first aid services.

Xiangzhou District organizes an activity to comfort elderly parents who have lost their only child on Mother's Day. [Photos courtesy WeChat account: zhxiangzhou]

The local authority has also improved their medical pension and provided annual physical examination for free. Women who have the chance to give birth will be granted 5,000 yuan towards hospital delivery.

At traditional festivals such as Mid-autumn and Spring Festival, when people are supposed to gather together, communities will visit the group and give them gifts.  

A community in Zhuhai's Xiangzhou District provides free physical examinations for elderly parents who have lost their only child. [Photos courtesy WeChat account: zhxiangzhou]

The parents receive free physiological check ups in Zhuhai's Xiangzhou District. [Photos courtesy WeChat account: zhxiangzhou]