ET Energy, a clean energy developer and operator, has reached a new five-year partnership with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), one of the world's leading children's organizations, to provide financial support for the Barefoot Social Workers Programme from 2016 to 2021. A ceremony was held in Beijing to mark this important milestone of the partnership between UNICEF and ET Energy.

In 2013, ET Energy signed a two-year partnership with UNICEF and became one of the contributors to the Barefoot Social Workers Programme that UNICEF has initiated in collaboration with the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) in 2010. This project has benefited thousands of children living in remote and poor areas, bridging the last mile of welfare services for China's disadvantaged children. Local villagers with basic level of literacy, numeracy, as well previous experience in community service and a positive attitude towards children, are selected and trained as child welfare directors, to fulfil the urgent and immediate need of vulnerable children. Over the past years, the Barefoot Social Workers Programme has proven its success. In 2015, MCA decided to scale-up this model to reach a further 890 villages in 89 counties.

"The Barefoot Social Workers Programme bridges the last mile to China's disadvantaged children though building an innovative community-based child welfare system in China. The implementation has resulted in, and is strengthening, the cascade of local and national policies on financial assistance and social services for underserved children, on accelerated civil registration for children, and on child protection services for national roll-out," said Dr. Douglas Noble, UNICEF Deputy Representative for China, "UNICEF also witnessed an increased investment in the welfare and protection of children both from government and civil society organizations. We are very happy that ET Energy will continue to support the Barefoot Social Workers Programme and work with us together to protect every child's rights to survive, thrive and fulfil their potential."

ET Energy will provide financial support to the Barefoot Social Workers Programme between 2016 and 2021, which will cover over 50,000 children including 10,000 vulnerable children as well as 50,000 adults from 70 villages of Guangxi and Jiangsu. A community based child welfare and protection workforce will be developed including 70 village level Barefoot Social Workers for children and 20 township and county level officials related to child welfare and protection.

"Child rights matter, and we deeply appreciate UNICEF's devoted efforts to fulfill their rights to survival, development, protection and participation," said Dennis She, President and CEO of ET Energy. "Our company is a socially responsible enterprise, and we are always committed to public welfare efforts, especially for children from developing regions in China. We strongly believe the highest priority should be given to the children. They are the hope of our future, and we will always do everything in our power to help them fulfill their dreams. That is why, our first partnership started back in 2013 to 2015, providing financial support for the Barefoot Social Workers Programme."