Wei Jie

claudiamente@hotmail.com

SHEN Wai International School (SWIS) in Nanshan District was brimming with energy when more than 150 children gathered at the campus to compete in a charity event over the weekend. The 11th Kidz With Heart Mini Olympics — organized by Captivating, the Shenzhen Charity Federation, and GPA Global — hosted children aged 5 to 11 from 23 countries and 43 schools.

Eager to showcase their athletic skills, the children competed in a wide array of Olympic-style events, including basketball, table tennis, sprinting, long-distance running, three-legged races, bean-bag toss, archery, and long jump. Each event was organized to ensure that every child experienced the excitement of competition and the joy of teamwork.

In the sprint, participants dashed forward from the start line like little arrows immediately after hearing the sound of the starting pistol. Spectators cheered loudly and created an electrifying atmosphere that motivated the young athletes to do their best. Alongside the track and field events, the basketball event attracted many children. The participants shared hugs and high-fives, celebrating every successful shot.

The event was held to raise funds to support projects that assist underprivileged girls and women in rural regions of China, said Tracy Chen, Captivating’s China manager.

Captivating is a Hong Kong-registered charity that works in partnership with locally registered Chinese charities at the community level. The Shenzhen Charity Federation Captivating Fund, approved for establishment Aug. 4, 2015, runs several charitable projects in remote, rural areas of China.

The fund’s Pig Farming Program aims to empower women in Qinghai Province and Sichuan Province to earn stable incomes by training them to farm pigs and providing better educational opportunities for their children.