Chinese social media scheme to raise money for poor children ordered to close pending investigation
Organisers of ‘We Share a Birthday’ project deny any wrongdoing after public questions legitimacy of youngsters’ images, personal details
A social media project that sought to raise money for underprivileged children in southern China by asking for donations from people who shared a birthday with the youngsters is under investigation for suspected irregularities.
Shenzhen’s Civil Affairs Bureau said it had ordered the suspension of the “We Share a Birthday” scheme – a collaboration between the Aiyou Future Foundation and 0fenbei.com – following complaints from members of the public, Shenzhen Commercial Daily reported on Tuesday.
The campaign, which was promoted via the messaging app WeChat, published the photographs and brief details – including birth dates – of 366 children from poor families in China’s southwestern province of Yunnan.
Members of the public were then asked to donate between 100 yuan (US$15) and 200 yuan to the child with whom they shared a birthday, up to a maximum of 1,200 yuan per recipient. The money would be used to support the youngsters’ welfare and education, it said.
