(Ecns.cn)--"In the past, when people thought of the One Foundation, they thought of Jet Li due to his celebrity endorsement of the organization. However, in the future, we will promote the organization by developing good projects," said Yang Peng, Secretary-General of the Shenzhen One Foundation, which is the successor of the "One Foundation Project" and the "Shanghai One Foundation."
With a launching ceremony on January 11, 2011, the One Foundation has successfully transformed from a private charitable project under the Red Cross Society of China to a public fund. The two old organizations will be liquidated and their projects, funds, and staff will be transferred to the Shenzhen One Foundation.
"The move signals the start of a new era for China's charities," experts say.
Strategic adjustment: be more focused
On July 15, the One Foundation in Shenzhen held a conference, announcing that it will establish a professional and transparent public service platform, focusing on disaster relief, child care, and charity personnel training.
With such a new starting point, the organization's goals are much more focused compared to their previous ones trying to carry out various projects in many areas.
According to the 11 members on the board of directors, the One Foundation must be strategically focused. "A public fund cannot do everything," explained Yang Peng.
For disaster relief, the One Foundation will focus on the needs of the affected groups, responding to major disasters in a timely manner and providing relief to the afflicted areas.
For child care, attention will be paid to the children in need in a bid to improve their education, health and nutrition, and their living conditions.
For personnel training, the organization will support research and training to provide qualified people to welfare organizations.
"The new strategies are more practical and the new projects are more touching. They will, thus, mobilize various social resources," said Xu Yongguang, founder of Project Hope and Secretary-General of the Narada Foundation.
The One Foundation's first program after their transformation is called "Ocean Heaven," which was named after a film about a 21-year-old autistic man. This project aims to help children with special needs by building a platform for the donators and beneficiaries to communicate with each other directly.
