ActionAid has been active in China since 1999, establishing a permanent office in 2001.

After flourishing economically and culturally for thousands of years, China experienced decline and stagnation in the 20th century. Now, thanks to market reforms, it has the world's fastest-growing economy. Although overall poverty is declining, there is a large number of poor people, mainly in the interior western provinces.

Meanwhile, changes to the state-run social security system have exposed vulnerable people, such as the elderly, women, children and disabled people, to unknown higher risks.

Child sponsorship in China

Cui Sha (10 years old, pictured right) lives in a rural village in Ningqiang. She is the only student in grade two and in her classroom there are only seven desks and seven chairs. Throughout rural regions mini-schools, like the one Cui Sha attends, are common. Because of the distance to town schools, children attend classes with mixed grades often with no more than ten students.

Sponsoring a child will help to improve these schools by providing books, sports equipment and other resources, making school life more meaningful for the children.

• Sponsor a child in China

Equality and relief in China

We work with the poorest communities, including farmers in Hebei and Guizhou Provinces and migrants in Beijing. An estimated 100-150 million people have moved from the countryside to the cities, and this trend is expected to intensify. Yet migrants often experience poverty and social exclusion. We work to strengthen and develop the skills of networks and organisations working with minorities on education, cultural, forest and land issues.

Promoting women's rights is a core priority. We aim to build self-confidence in women and create space for them to become active in local public life. ActionAid-funded activity centres in Beijing provide a space for migrant women to meet and form informal support groups, and to talk to experts on parenting and health issues. They also offer educational and play activities for children.

We also work in emergencies. Read our response to the China earthquake.

How you can help

When you sponsor a child in China, you'll be providing the resources for real, long-term change. You'll get two letters a year from the child you sponsor, and updates from the country programme to tell you how the money you are spending is changing the community your child lives in.

• Sponsor a child in China