In Fengxian, dreams really can come true
Residents select and help realize dreams publicized by the less fortunate in Fengxian District on Sunday.
Fengxian District launched its annual campaign on Sunday to encourage citizens and villagers to help realize the dreams of the less fortunate.
The Dream Market campaign, launched in 2016, encourages individuals, social organizations and enterprises within the southern outskirt district to offer their help and support to each other.
The dreams range from poverty reduction to educational, cultural, agricultural and medical issues.
They were solicited from across the district and publicized among local communities for others to help fulfill.
About 1.47 million people who sought help during the campaign have seen their dreams come true thanks to the involvement of others, said Sheng Qunhua, a director with the district's spiritual civilization office.
The campaign is also part of the central government's poverty-reduction campaign to create a generous and warm-hearted social atmosphere, the district government said.
At this year's dream market on Sunday, a total of 1,653 dreams were posted and all were taken up by citizens, government officials or Fengxian-based enterprises.
The poor were encouraged to write down and share their difficulties on a notice broad at the administrative service center of the district, while other residents helped realize these "dreams."
Rick Marmol, engineering manager of Cytec Engineering Material Shanghai Co, agreed for his company to help two students from poor families buy computers and other electronic device.
Zhuang Mudi, Party scretary of Fengxian, helps to realize a dream publicized at the Dream Market on Sunday.
"One of our goals is to engage in the community and the market gives us the chance to contribute in a great way," Marmol said.
The campaign also focuses on the large number of farmers in the rural district. Zhou Guoping, a farmer in Xinqiao Village of Situan Town, managed to sell 35 kilograms of overstocked maize his family planted to a group of visitors from downtown through the dream market.
Hu Chenghuan, a 6-year-old congenital cataract patient from Jinhai Community, received over 20,000 yuan (US$2,913) in donation from the community, nearby companies and hospitals. Her eyesight has restored after a surgery with the donated money.
The district government built nine bus stations in Yanglou Village in Zhuanghang Town after the joint dream of over 800 villagers were publicized at the market.
A vocational training program has been initiated to help some 8,000 farmers get employed. The district government has also offered free cancer-screening inspections to all residents above 60 years old.
"The market has become a cultural brand of Fengxian as well as Shanghai to showcase the city's spirit," said Zhuang Mudi, Party secretary of Fengxian.
To better promote the campaign, the district government established 307 Dream Stations across its towns and subdistricts. Residents can publicize their difficulties or help others at the stations throughout the year.
All the dreams will be evaluated and publicized for supervision to prevent the abuse of power, said Sheng. She said Fengxian people has a long tradition to help others. The name of the district literally means “to respect the nobility,” because early residents in the area offered help to Yan Yan, an apprentice of Confucius.
Residents choose the dreams publicized by the less fortunate.
