Ｄｅｌｅｇａｔｉｏｎ ｏｆ Ｉｎｔｅｒｎａｔｉｏｎａｌ Ｆｒｉｅｎｄｓｈｉｐ Ｌｅａｇｕｅ

At the invitation of the CPAFFC， President of the International Friendship League—Seychelles Group Marie-Nella Azemia led a delegation to pay a goodwill visit to Beijing， Liaoning Province and Jilin Province from August 18 to 26， 2005. President of the Chinese-African People’s Friendship Association Yang Fuchang， Vice President of the Liaoning Provincial People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries Wang Yonggui and Vice President of the Jilin Provincial People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries Wang Gang met with the delegation and exchanged views on the promotion of cultural exchanges and women work. The delegation called on the All-China Women’s Federation and the All-China Youth Federation， and visited Beijing You’an Hospital， the Old-aged Home and the Children’s Home in the city of Anshan of Liaoning Province and the Jilin Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.

Set up six years ago， Seychelles Group is a national nongovernmental organization and a member of the nongovernmental International Friendship League. Marie-Nella Azemia serves as its president as well as secretary of the Seychelles Parliament and vice-president of the Women’s Association of Seychelles. The organization actively participates in activities held by the government ministries， such as the Education， the Youth and the Health Ministries， publicizing the prevention of AIDS， enhancing the health undertakings and helping the old， weak， poor and disabled， women and children.

The delegation called on the All-China Women’s Federation in Beijing， and visited some private enterprises run by women entrepreneurs arranged by the provincial and municipal women’s associations. Of these women entrepreneurs， some are women farmers， some were once laid-off workers whose business grew from two or three small workshops with a few people to large enterprises with hundreds of employees. Their products have received various honours and are popular in markets at home and abroad. Thus， these women have been elected as pioneers or model workers， and some have become deputies to the Provincial or Municipal People’s Congress， and the Provincial or Municipal Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.

The delegation and the women entrepreneurs met happily as if they had been old friends， and they listened attentively to entrepreneurs’ experience of how they started their business from scratch and worked hard to overcome all the difficulties. With admiration， the members of the delegation said， it marks the advancement of the times that the Chinese women have gained the courage to work outside their homes and deal with difficulties， which shows their sense of self-respect， self-confidence， self-reliance and self-development.

The head of the delegation was delighted to make an on-the-spot investigation about the situation of women work in China， which inspired them on how to develop their own women work in future: first， the Chinese government offers the women entrepreneurs loans with low interest， even zero interest， and gives skill training to and popularizes scientific knowledge among the women farmers and laid-off workers. These measures create good conditions for the self-development of women as well as the development of enterprises. It is only through servicing， guiding and helping can we establish a platform which encourages and attracts women to voluntarily work outside their homes. Second， those women entrepreneurs are not satisfied with the result that only they themselves become rich. They create job opportunities for other local laid-off workers and women farmers and actively participate in the work of the CPPCC and the NPC to shoulder more economic， social and political responsibilities. The delegation regarded this kind of virtuous circle worth learning: the individuals setting up business， government giving support， society giving help and their business serving society in return.

At the Old-aged Home and the Children’s Home in Anshan of Liaoning Province， they were informed that both are mainly supported by the government finances， while receiving donations from society. They provide free daily caring and medical services， organize outdoor activities regularly and help the children to get to schools. Seeing the fine living conditions， the recreational facilities and the kind care for the old who were enjoying their old age， and the children who were having their happy childhood， the delegation members said with emotion that they were really moved and admired the Chinese government and society for their every effort to take care of the disadvantaged groups.

During their visit to the Beijing You’an Hospital (Chinese Association of STD AIDS Prevention and Control) and the Jilin Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention， the delegation got to know in particular how China prevents and controls AIDS and takes good care of the patients. Azemia said， faced with this global disease AIDS， the governments at all levels in China and the people have paid great attention to it and have reached high level in examination and diagnosis， treatment and scientific research.