WAL-MART China donated 600,000 yuan (US$74,000) to a charity program for impoverished students at its ninth anniversary party Thursday (August 11th).

The money was handed over to the Shenzhen Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau and will be used to pay four years' tuition for 15 poor local university students.

Wal-Mart began a donation program from August to September at its 11 stores in the city to help people in the flooded areas in Guangdong and other provinces. Any donor would get a one-day trial card for Sam's Club.

The donation is part of a charity program aimed to help impoverished local students pay their university tuitions organized by the municipal civil affairs bureau.

Liu Runhua, head of the bureau, said the program had collected over 3 million yuan this year while last year the amount was only 660,000 yuan. The money would help about 400 poor university students in the city. It is the second year for the bureau to hold such a charity program.

Wal-Mart is the largest company donor this year. It has donated over 20 million yuan to charity programs, educational institutions and disaster-stricken areas in China since 1996.

Liu said the program was very important to the poor students as it assured them a chance to receive higher education.

It also provides those who are willing to help others and capable of doing so a platform to donate their money and love.

"Charity activities need participation of people from all walks of life and then society will be filled with care and love," said Liu.

Editor: Wing