Ms. Rita Zhao interviews Ms. Rosalyn Koo, Founder of Spring Bud Project

丽塔专访春蕾计划创始人顾晋明女士

Rita Zhao: As a Philanthropist, you have already helped so many children in China go back to school with the money that you raised. So tell us, how difficult it is to raise fund?

丽塔：作为一个慈善家，您早就通过集资帮助许多中国的孩子重新回到了学校。能否告诉我们，您在集资过程中是否遇到了许多困难。

Ms. Koo: It’s not easy. It takes a lot of persistence and thick skin, so people say no to you, your feelings don’t get hurt.

顾晋明女士：确实不易。你得持之以恒，还得厚着脸皮，这样你在遇到不愿捐款的时候，才不会因此而难受。

Rita Zhao: There are a lot of millionaires and billionaires in China. Besides making money, perhaps they should consider more to give back to the society by contributing to NGO’s. What do you think about it?

丽塔：中国有不少百万富翁，亿万富翁。除了赚钱，他们还应该考虑如何向非政府组织提供捐赠，来回报社会。您对这一点持何看法？

Ms. Koo: I think it will be great. I think the government needs to enact a public policy encouraging, if not demanding，that the companies making great profit should set aside a certain amount or certain percentage to help the poor. There is a saying，you call，“ hand by hand” and that has really to come into being to help the unfortunate people in the western part of China.

顾晋明女士：能做到这一点就很了不起。我认为政府需要起动一项公共政策，这项政策如果不说要求的话，也得鼓励那些赚了钱的公司，拿出一些钱来，拿出其中百分之几的钱来，帮助穷人。你们有一种说法，叫做“手拉手”。这一点应该得到落实，来帮助中国西部地区那些穷人。

Rita Zhao: You are the founder of the Spring Bud Project that has been helping one thousand children finish elementary schools, then go to middle school, and you are determined to help them achieve higher education, so why do you help these children?

丽塔：您是春蕾计划的创始人。这一计划已经帮助了一千名儿童完成了小学的学业，进入了中学。您还准备帮助他们接受高等教育。您为什么要帮助这些儿童呢。

Ms. Koo: Well in fact one of the students asked me last year: “Why do you travel thousands of miles to help us and not ask anything in return?” I said: “It must be fate（缘分）that brought me to you.” And they all laughed. But I think seriously, I can make a difference in their lives, and I want to, and I have the capability of doing it.

顾晋明女士：去年，确实有一个学生问过我。她说：“您不远千里来帮助我们，却不想得到任何回报。这是为什么呢？”我告诉这位学生：“我们相遇，这肯定是一种缘分。”他们听了之后就乐了。不过我考虑这个问题是十分严肃的。我能改变他们的生活。我想改变他们的生活。我也有能力来改变他们的生活。

Rita Zhao: As the founder of this Spring Bud Project, could you please tell us a little bit of its background. What is the difference between the Hope Project and the Spring Bud Project?

丽塔：作为春蕾计划的创始人，您能谈谈这一计划的背景吗？它同希望工程有什么不同。

Ms. Koo: The Hope Project was a national movement started by All China Women’s Federation to send boys and girls back to grammar school. That movement, I think, started way back the 80’s. But years later since more boys go to school, the emphasis is now placed on Spring Bud Project to send girls back to school. And my project is Spring Bud, because I wanted to tip the scale somewhat to favor the girls.

顾晋明女士：希望工程是全国妇联发起的一项让孩子们重新回到学校的全国性行动。这一工程我想从八十年代就开始了。这一希望工程已让更多的孩子回到了学校。现在，春蕾计划的重点是要使女孩子们回到学校。我的项目是春蕾，因为我想让天平向着有利于女孩子的一方倾斜。

Rita Zhao: These children are selected from families that are financially challenged. Do you think that through education they can eventually get rid of poverty and achieve financial stability?

丽塔：你们挑选的这些孩子都来自于贫困家庭。您认为通过教育能最终使她们摆脱贫困，从而自力吗？

Ms. Koo: Of course. This is my aim. I told the students I want them to have three assets: one is a sharp intellect, second is a strong body, and third, a loving heart. So combined they will have great weapon to protect themselves, their families and their community.

顾晋明女士：当然，这是我们目的。我告诉这些孩子们要具备三个条件。一是才智出众，二是身强体壮，三是有颗爱心。这样，她们就具备了保护自身、保护家庭和社会的能力。

Rita Zhao: Let’s talk about the donors. Are they mostly overseas Chinese? Who are they?

丽塔：说到捐赠者，他们是否者是海外华人？他们是哪些人？

Ms. Koo: You mean Chinese Americans in United States? They are people of wealth, but they’re also people of generous spirit. So I have about 350 to 400 donors to contribute to our project, day in and day out, year in and year out. So the challenge in the beginning is to persuade them to be repeat donors, but now they are taking ownership of the project, so it is their project as it is mine.

顾晋明女士：您是指美籍华人吧？他们是一些富人，但他们又是十分慷慨大度的人。所以说，我这项计划常年有350到400的捐赠者。开始我要做的事是说服他们经常提供一些捐助。但现在他们都成了这一计划的主人。这不但是我的计划，而且还成了他们的计划。

Rita Zhao: Ms. Koo thank you very much for your effort in helping these children! We wish you best luck!

丽塔：您为帮助这些孩子尽了那么大的力，谢谢您顾女士。祝您好运。

Ms. Koo: Thank you!

顾晋明女士：谢谢。