Mercedes-Benz: Hope shines in Ya'an

The projects by the Mercedes-Benz Star Fund are scheduled for completion by the end of 2015.

During their recent three-day trip, Star Ambassadors brought greetings to villagers and provided first-aid medical training at the temporary site of Daxi township hospital.

In Shiyang No 1 Central Primary School's temporary classrooms, volunteers taught lessons to 23 classes and also gave students gifts.

Surrounded by emerald bamboo, Mercedes-Benz announced it would adopt another two giant pandas, Xingya and Xingan.

Twin panda brothers -Xinghui and Xingrui-were adopted by the carmaker in 2009.

Mercedes-Benz has now donated more than 13 million yuan for the protection of giant pandas in line with its avowed mission of "promoting environmental protection and the harmonious development of humans, automobiles and society".

With support from Mercedes-Benz and other social forces, Ya'an residents will also be helped to rebuild their homeland and have better life in the near future, said the company.

High aspirations

In 2013, Mercedes-Benz not only carried out its CSR actively with its own efforts, but also encouraged dealers to get car owners involved in CSR constructions. Through the joint efforts of diversified groups and all kinds of resources, Mercedes-Benz brought its CSR constructions cause up to a new level.

In May, it began the "Project Hope Youth Growth Program" together with the China Youth Development Foundation to give long-term assistance to China's younger generation, especially in rural areas.

It will invite pupils from Hope Primary Schools to participate in traffic safety, music, sports and art programs and "build their positive outlook on life and the spirit of high aspirations", said the automaker.

A second MobileKids Road Safety Education Star Base, a major part of the program, was established in Shanghai's Eday town.

One of the two classrooms in the MobileKids program, it shows children how to deal with complicated and ever-changing daily traffic situations through creative work and role playing.

The program has also been introduced to nearly 30 primary schools with its courses now a part of the curriculum.

In the next two years, the courses will expand to 170 primary schools in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu.

The project is expected to benefit more than 70,000 pupils.

The other key course is the Happy Music Classroom, the first jointly administered project between Mercedes-Benz and the China Youth Development Foundation following the establishment of the Star Fund.

By last September, 400 music classrooms had been built, offering opportunities to more than 100,000 underprivileged children.

In another effort, Mercedes-Benz took nearly 100 students from the Zhangjiakou Hope Happy Music Classroom in Hebei province to watch tennis greats compete in the China Open.