A tree planting activity for elderly people was jointly organized by the Beijing Shangshan Public Foundation (北京尚善公益基金会), the China Social Assistance Foundation (中华社会救助基金会), and the Beijing Fengsheng Public Foundation (北京丰盛公益基金会) at Mangshan Forest Park in Beijing o the 9th of April. The activity was designated for the so-called “shidu parents”（shidu, or 失独, translates as bereaved of one’s only child）who, after following the country’s one-child policy, lost their only child when they were no longer able to bear another.
“We wanted to give them an appointment with the spring, to plant a tree and deliver them hope” says Wu Hua, the secretary-general of Shangshan. This is the second time that the foundation organizes a tree planting activity for this group of bereaved elderly, and the hope is that in this way they can feel a bit better about their pain and find some faith in life. According to Wu, the last activity went very smoothly and this time there have been even more elderly people signing up, amounting to over a hundred. The tree planting lasted for two hours and the participants helped and chatted with each other, giving every impression of having found some warmth in their hearts. A walking tour of the park was organized later that afternoon, during which the elderly were able to enjoy being in nature.
