By mao lijun (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-03-08
Beijing - Liu Hongying, a farmer in Beichuan Qiang autonomous county, Sichuan , is the mother of
the first test-tube baby to be born in the province following the earthquake disaster.
As one of the worst-hit regions, Beichuan suffered heavy losses. Liu lost her 19-year-old son in
the quake alongside thousands of mothers who lost children, and are still suffering from mental
anguish and economic difficulties even today.
L'Oreal, the French cosmetics company, donated 500,000 yuan as well as skin care products to the
county's 200 mothers with annual incomes of less than 650 yuan, under the help and support of the
China Population Welfare Fund.
The company also granted special favors to mothers who have given birth to babies after losing
children in the quake, including Liu, who is now a mother of two-month old test-tube daughter
Wang Furong.
"The post-quake reconstruction calls for the collective efforts of the whole of society. I
believe with the help of L'Oreal and other enterprises active in charitable causes, the mothers
will walk out of the shadows and embrace a bright future," said Jing Dazhong, mayor of Beichuan
County.
The donation is one of L'Oreal's reconstruction aid activities with the theme of "love and
future". The company will offer ongoing help in the reconstruction, which will include the
building of earthquake-resistant schools, in May and September.
"The reconstruction efforts have started to pay off, but we still cannot forget the mothers who
are still facing hardship in life. L'Oreal's donation aims to rekindle their hopes for a
beautiful life with regained determination and confidence. We also hope it would also arouse
social attention. L'Oreal would like to help contribute to the reconstruction of the quake-hit
regions in Sichuan province," said Paolo Gasparrini, L'Oreal China CEO.
Soon after the major earthquake hit Sichuan province on May 12, 2008, L'Oreal China set up a team
to support quake relief through all possible means. L'Oreal China has donated 9 million yuan and
relief materials worth 8 million yuan through the Chengdu branch of the Red Cross Society of
China, the China Social Entrepreneur Foundation, and a special fund for earthquake orphans set up
by the China Children and Teenager's Fund.
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