Distance is No Barrier, No Matter How Far Apart. 

Nowadays, more and more caring enterprises and social organizations from Shanghai are traveling to Yunnan, where they have established roots through years of sustained support. At the 7th China International Import Expo (hereinafter referred to as the "Expo"), Shanghai and Yunnan continued their "mountain-sea bond," with more assistance practices continuously injecting momentum into Yunnan's rural revitalization.

Stitching Happiness: Creating a Better Life Thread by Thread

In Luchun County, Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province, a group of skilled embroiderers is transforming traditional handicrafts into new employment opportunities for families through a public service program called 'One Stitch, One Thread'. This project, a collaboration between a sewing machine manufacturer and the Shanghai Modern Service Industry Development Research Foundation, aims to enhance the handicraft skills of women in remote areas of Yunnan, helping them secure "home-based" employment and improve their income levels.

Zhang Yan, Chairman and President of Brother (China), introduced the original intention behind the "Yunnan Embroiderers" charity project. She mentioned that Brother started as a sewing machine repair business and has developed various intelligent and convenient sewing and embroidery machines over its century-long history. Yunnan embroidery, an ancient craft with unique artistic charm, serves as a vibrant calling card for promoting local cultural specialties. By donating Brother products and training funds to Yunnan, the embroidery skills of artisans in Luchun County have significantly improved, and the efficiency of producing finished products has accelerated. This not only helps embroiderers find employment at home but also stimulates the local "fingertip economy", contributing to rural revitalization. 

Changning District in Shanghai has been providing counterpart support to Honghe Prefecture in Yunnan Province. Throughout this long-term partnership, Changning District has connected social organizations and caring enterprises, continually exploring new modes, mechanisms, and methods of support. The "Yunnan Embroiderers" project integrates and balances the application of technology with the preservation of traditional culture, opening up a new employment path for local women and providing fresh ideas for enterprises to fulfill their social responsibilities.

Children from the Mountains Attend CIIE for the First Time

"Nong Hao A!" On the morning of November 7, Luo Xinming and Li Mingzhu, fifth-grade students from Nanling Township Central Primary School in Lancang Lahu Autonomous County, Pu'er City, Yunnan Province, shyly greeted the audience in their newly learned Shanghainese, while presenting traditional Lahu ethnic costumes to Pan Minhong, Director of the Huangpu District Sports Bureau of Shanghai, and Wang Qi, Charity Project Manager at Puma.

This is the first time Luo Xinming and Li Mingzhu have attended CIIE. Thanks to Puma's continuous support over the past six years, the children have been exposed to the world beyond the mountains. At the CIIE venue, the two children experienced what it was like to be a "race car driver" on a Formula 1 simulator, filled with curiosity about everything around them.

Zhang Jinchun, vice-principal of Nanling Township Central Primary School, has witnessed the changes that the public welfare project has brought to the children. "The public welfare project sponsors school uniforms for 1,827 students and the basketball team's uniforms, and it also includes home visits to the children. Volunteers provide interesting lessons, which are not just material donations but also significant spiritual encouragement."  Zhang Jinchun hopes that through this public welfare project, the children will broaden their horizons, continue to grow, and achieve their dreams.

At the event site, Wang Qi stated that in the future, Puma will collaborate with the Huangpu District Sports Bureau in Shanghai to extend support to schools throughout the entire Lancang Lahu Autonomous County, allowing more children to experience the joy of sports and discover their potential to pursue greater dreams, continuing the sports story of "Yunnan-Shanghai Support." 

Click here to view the Chinese report

(Editors: Reena, Jennifer )