Good heart comes before a house
By Fei Lai |
August 22, 2011, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
AN unusual match-making strategy brings together young professionals with good hearts for charity events and now 13 couples are going steady.
Lots of people are chasing money and property for marriage these days. Guys need to have houses and money and many young women insist on a husband of means who owns property.
An unusual match-making strategy in Yangpu District looks first for credentials of kindness, a good heart and brings young people together for charity events.
Yang Yifan, a 25-year-old bank clerk, is single and blames his bachelor status on working long hours and having too small a circle of friends.
He spends eight hours a day at the office, where most colleagues are male. He mostly deals with securities traders and employees of insurance companies.
Yang desperately wants Miss Right and longs for female faces to light up his life.
Thanks to "Orange Love Lamp," a speed-dating campaign organized by the Yangpu District government, Yang enjoys a more colorful life outside work. He thinks he has a chance to find a soul mate through the small monthly gatherings.
Participants actually use oranges sliced in half and hollowed out - into which they place a small candle, a sign of love and hope. The orange love lamps are then floated in water or clustered together. "It's more than just speed dating. It mixes dating with charity and caters to the interests of today's unmarried office workers," he says. "It expands our social circle and we meet people from other fields. It helps save time in finding true love."
"Love Orange Lamp" started in May; each month there's a small charity event involving at least 10 young women and 10 young men. Each month there's a theme. So far there have been three events.
Most involve games, outings and auctions to raise money for needy children of migrant workers.
So far, 13 couples are dating regularly.
"In the past, couples got to know each other through blind dates, the Internet, or meeting just by chance," says Lou Ying, a government official who helps organize the events. "Our events break through the ordinary approaches and build a platform for busy single men and women to meet."
Lou says the Orange Love Lamp targets young professionals who devote most of their time to work and are limited in their ability to meet the opposite sex. "Our activities not only lead them to true love, but also encourage them to take an active part in community service to help children in need."
People who are interested submit their personal information, including age, work and interests. A database has been created to contribute to better match making, putting together groups with things in common.
In the first edition on the night of May 20, participants formed temporary teams to make little orange lamps. They also took along small presents to be auctioned off to their peers. Proceeds were contributed to programs that help children of migrant workers.
The second edition on July 3 had a patriotic theme to mark the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. In a speed-match game, one man and one woman formed a team, dressed in old-time costumes and acting out scenes from old patriotic films. They made "patriotic" kites that were auctioned off.
"I'd like to help children in need," says Yang, the bank clerk, who has attended two events. "I hope they have a bright future and I hope I find true love.
The third edition was a trip to Chongming County for Chinese Valentine's Day where participants enjoyed the scenery and fresh air, picked fruit and farm produce, went boating, played games and enjoyed country cooking. They had an evening party and a whole day and evening to interact.
This time, children of migrant workers joined them in Chongming. They formed temporary families and made clothes to be auctioned.
"Competition is fierce in society today. All work and no play gives the unmarried group little room to prepare for marriage," says government official Lou. "In Chongming, they were relaxed and free from pressure, helping people in need and maybe finding someone they really like."
Auctions at the three events raised 4,000 yuan (US$625), which was used to buy books, school bags and pencils for children.
To facilitate interaction, an official Orange Love Lamp microblog (weibo.com/yangpuyouthunion) has been launched on Sina weibo.
The fourth edition will be held on September 2 at the sports stadium of Tongji High School. The theme will be sports and funny games will be staged, such as races, relay races and basketball.
Lots of people are chasing money and property for marriage these days. Guys need to have houses and money and many young women insist on a husband of means who owns property.
An unusual match-making strategy in Yangpu District looks first for credentials of kindness, a good heart and brings young people together for charity events.
Yang Yifan, a 25-year-old bank clerk, is single and blames his bachelor status on working long hours and having too small a circle of friends.
He spends eight hours a day at the office, where most colleagues are male. He mostly deals with securities traders and employees of insurance companies.
Yang desperately wants Miss Right and longs for female faces to light up his life.
Thanks to "Orange Love Lamp," a speed-dating campaign organized by the Yangpu District government, Yang enjoys a more colorful life outside work. He thinks he has a chance to find a soul mate through the small monthly gatherings.
Participants actually use oranges sliced in half and hollowed out - into which they place a small candle, a sign of love and hope. The orange love lamps are then floated in water or clustered together. "It's more than just speed dating. It mixes dating with charity and caters to the interests of today's unmarried office workers," he says. "It expands our social circle and we meet people from other fields. It helps save time in finding true love."
"Love Orange Lamp" started in May; each month there's a small charity event involving at least 10 young women and 10 young men. Each month there's a theme. So far there have been three events.
Most involve games, outings and auctions to raise money for needy children of migrant workers.
So far, 13 couples are dating regularly.
"In the past, couples got to know each other through blind dates, the Internet, or meeting just by chance," says Lou Ying, a government official who helps organize the events. "Our events break through the ordinary approaches and build a platform for busy single men and women to meet."
Lou says the Orange Love Lamp targets young professionals who devote most of their time to work and are limited in their ability to meet the opposite sex. "Our activities not only lead them to true love, but also encourage them to take an active part in community service to help children in need."
People who are interested submit their personal information, including age, work and interests. A database has been created to contribute to better match making, putting together groups with things in common.
In the first edition on the night of May 20, participants formed temporary teams to make little orange lamps. They also took along small presents to be auctioned off to their peers. Proceeds were contributed to programs that help children of migrant workers.
The second edition on July 3 had a patriotic theme to mark the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. In a speed-match game, one man and one woman formed a team, dressed in old-time costumes and acting out scenes from old patriotic films. They made "patriotic" kites that were auctioned off.
"I'd like to help children in need," says Yang, the bank clerk, who has attended two events. "I hope they have a bright future and I hope I find true love.
The third edition was a trip to Chongming County for Chinese Valentine's Day where participants enjoyed the scenery and fresh air, picked fruit and farm produce, went boating, played games and enjoyed country cooking. They had an evening party and a whole day and evening to interact.
This time, children of migrant workers joined them in Chongming. They formed temporary families and made clothes to be auctioned.
"Competition is fierce in society today. All work and no play gives the unmarried group little room to prepare for marriage," says government official Lou. "In Chongming, they were relaxed and free from pressure, helping people in need and maybe finding someone they really like."
Auctions at the three events raised 4,000 yuan (US$625), which was used to buy books, school bags and pencils for children.
To facilitate interaction, an official Orange Love Lamp microblog (weibo.com/yangpuyouthunion) has been launched on Sina weibo.
The fourth edition will be held on September 2 at the sports stadium of Tongji High School. The theme will be sports and funny games will be staged, such as races, relay races and basketball.
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