BESTSELLER FUND has been engaged in a poverty alleviation project in the least developed western part of China, Yunnan. Before choosing a project, BESTSELLER FUND had been through a long pre-investigation and selection process as well as an intensive dialogue with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing. The main focus for Chinese development is infrastructure while we feel that education, training, and dialogue and participation from the local people are equally important. Our Chinese partner in the Ministry was very open to our ideas, and we began a pilot project for 5 mountain villages in cooperation with the 4000 inhabitants.
The project is a partnership between BESTSELLER FUND and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in cooperation with the local government and the local authorities in Jinping. The main objective of the project is to develop both infrastructure for the villages as well as general education and improved income to make an example of development for these mountain villages.
In this project we have joined our labour, ideas and funds to create a model development of 5 mountain villages in Jinping. It has been quite a transformation of the local communities, and this could never have taken place without the willingness and the efforts of the people in the five villages.