Infiniti joins TV race celebrity competitors to support charities

Daniel Kirchert, president of Dongfeng Infiniti.

As the Chinese version of the reality TV show The Amazing Race II completed shooting, premium auto brand Infiniti, co-producer of the program, held a donation ceremony for the Gan Ai Dream Fund in Chengdu, Sichuan province, on Aug 15 to fulfill its commitment to charity.

Together with five teams of "Gan Ai", or Dare to Love, stars who took part in the show, Infiniti donated 5 million yuan ($781,775) to One Foundation, the China Development Research Foundation and the China Foundation for Youth Entrepreneurship and Employment.

The fund will be used to take care of children with autism, support kindergarten education for children from mountain villages and help college students start their own business.

The Gan Ai Dream Fund is a reward for the stage champions of the show, and is expected to be used for charity programs chosen by those stars.

It is estimated that a donation of 500,000 yuan would provide emotional assistance and training for 500 families with children with autism, or one year of pre-school education for 340 children from 17 kindergartens in mountain villages, or startup support for several college students.

After massive explosions in the port of Tianjin on Aug 12, two teams of "Gan Ai" stars from the show also pledged 1 million yuan they had won to victims of the blasts.

"Infiniti's Gan Ai Dream Fund receives great support from the stars who took part in the show. In order to help others, they have tried their best in the competition. Not only have they created a great show, but also raised people's awareness and understanding of public welfare," said Daniel Kirchert, president of Dongfeng Infiniti.

"Passing on love is an important part of Infiniti's 'Gan Ai' brand concept. We will keep on making efforts to let public welfare penetrate into every aspect of the corporate and brand development," Kirchert said.

Li Jin, secretary-general of One Foundation, said the foundation helps children with autism, and the parents of those children.

Li said the parents of children with autism can become depressed and overburdened, and need emotional support and skills training to release their stress, so they can take better care for their children.

"It is amazing that a donation of 500,000 yuan could help 500 families with autistic patients, and bring one year of emotional assistance for them," Li said.

Lu Mai, secretary-general of the China Development Research Foundation, said the donation would promote policy improvement and make more people aware of the lack of kindergarten education in mountain villages.

Lu sobbed when he spoke of a recent group suicide of left-behind children in Guizhou province.

He said the suicide would not have happened if the village had a kindergarten and teachers to take care of such children.