Public Project Evaluation (Taking "Happiness Project" as a Case)

Author: Deng Guosheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-11-01
Features: Excerpt P17 Cannot be printed
Since the reform and opening-up, especially since the implementation of the market economy, the development of civil organizations in China has been rapid, and they have played an increasingly significant role in socio-economic development. Among China's civil organizations, foundations have developed more quickly and have become more prominent in their roles. A foundation refers to a non-profit civil organization that manages voluntary donations from domestic and international social groups, other organizations, and individuals. Since the 1990s, some foundations have initiated various public welfare projects to raise funds for social activities and to build their brands. In February 1995, the China Population Welfare Foundation, the China Family Planning Association, and the China Population News jointly launched and implemented the Happy Project—Rescue for Poor Mothers. Unlike other public welfare projects such as the "Hope Project," "Candlelight Project," "Chunlei Plan," and "Mother Water Well Project," the Happy Project focuses on poor women who practice family planning. Among the globally concerned issues of "population problems," "environmental problems," "poverty problems," and "gender problems," the Happy Project simultaneously embodies "population awareness," "poverty awareness," and "gender awareness." As a result, since its implementation, the Happy Project has received widespread attention both domestically and internationally.
(1) Background
In 1978, there were approximately 250 million poor people in rural China, accounting for about 30% of the national population. After the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee, China carried out rural economic system reforms. The implementation of the household responsibility system greatly boosted farmers' production enthusiasm, leading to significant improvements in rural economy and farmers' living standards, as well as a rapid decline in the rural poor population. During this period, although the government did not invest heavily in poverty alleviation funds or establish dedicated poverty alleviation institutions, and there were few civil organizations (NGOs) involved in poverty alleviation, by 1985, China's rural poor population had decreased to 120 million, a reduction of 130 million over seven years. In 1986, to concentrate efforts on addressing food security in rural poverty-stricken areas, the government began to carry out large-scale, organized, and planned poverty alleviation and development work, investing approximately 41.6 billion yuan in poverty alleviation funds. However, during this period, the state emphasized the role of the government in poverty alleviation, and important poverty alleviation documents did not mention civil organizations. As a result, the role of civil organizations in poverty alleviation was not fully mobilized. During this stage, the social poverty alleviation funds of NGOs and quasi-NGOs were approximately 4 billion yuan, accounting for only about 8.8% of total poverty alleviation funds. In terms of poverty alleviation outcomes, the effectiveness of this period's efforts was relatively poor. By 1993, the rural poor population had decreased to 80 million, a reduction of only 40 million over seven years. In 1994, the State Council formulated the "National Plan for the Eight-Year Struggle to Eliminate Poverty," increasing poverty alleviation investment. At the same time, the government also recognized the positive role of civil organizations in poverty alleviation and development. Therefore, in the "Eight-Year Plan," it explicitly proposed "fully leveraging the role of civil organizations such as the China Poverty Alleviation Foundation and other types of civil poverty alleviation groups" and "actively engaging in exchanges with international organizations, regional organizations, governments, and non-governmental organizations related to poverty alleviation, so that the international community and overseas Chinese can understand China." Against this macro background, Chinese civil organizations began to actively participate in poverty alleviation and development activities, playing a significant role.