An egg a day brings love to children far away

An egg is a rather normal thing for children growing up in cities, but for children living in poor rural villages, it is a precious commodity.

The "Eggs for Children" program garnered nationwide attention when it won the "Internet Charity Program of the Year" Award at an annual meeting held in Beijing earlier this year.

The only program from Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region to make this year's list, "Eggs for Children" was started by the Wild Lily Foundation in 2010 to improve nutrition for children residing in impoverished areas of Dahua Yao autonomous county.

The Wild Lily team found that rural children's daily intake of essential nutrients was less than 50 percent of the standard, and their level of development was far lower than their urban peers.

Through online donations, the foundation is able to provide one fresh egg per day to at least 1,500 children and 52 teachers from 20 schools. Donations totaling 1.52 million yuan ($23,800) have supplied a total of 2.18 million eggs to improve the health and lives of these poverty-stricken schoolchildren.

The nutrients provided by the eggs are expected to help the bodies and minds of these children develop in a healthier and more sustainable way.

There were 40 notable projects from four categories recognized during the event. Directed by the Office of the Central Leading Group for Cyberspace Affairs and hosted by the China Internet Development Foundation, the event honored achievements made in public welfare throughout the year, sending a hopeful message to those who are struggling all across the country.

Children from impoverished areas in Dahua Yao autonomous county excitedly hold up their eggs at the program's launching ceremony. [Photo/gmw.cn]

Impoverished children suffering from an imbalanced diet and malnutrition are often smaller and skinnier than their peers. [Photo/gmw.cn]